USS Klakring Gets Adopted

Mike McGrath, Navy League National president, and Bill Dudley, Northeast Florida Area president, presented Klakring's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Ian Pollitt with a ceremonial plaque commemorating the organization's new commitment to Klakring and its crew.

During the ceremony, Pollitt praised the Navy League for its outpouring of hospitality and commitment on behalf of Klakring's Sailors.

"The concept of family is vitally important to the success of any warship," he noted. "A strong family support network is the foundation for deployed success."

Friday's adoption ceremony further cemented a long-standing bond between the St. Augustine Navy League and the Mayport waterfront.

"Today, the extended Klakring family grows by orders of magnitude," Pollitt said. "And all parties to the adoption will be the better for it."

The crew salutes as the color guard strikes the colors during and aoption ceremoney on the ship. The flag, which was flown over the U.S. Capitol and Klakring was given to Dudley for his service with the Navy League.

Klakring was also honored by the city of St. Augustine, represented by County Commissioner George Gardner, who read a proclamation from the Mayor of St. Augustine announcing Friday, Jan. 18 as USS Klakring Day in that city.

Founded in 1902, the Navy League is dedicated to the education of American citizens about the importance of the naval service, and the direct support of service members and their families. As the chapter's first act as sponsor, George Grech, the chapter's liaison, recognized the command's Sailor of the Quarter (Third Quarter), Yeoman 1st Class (SW) Raymond Parr; Sailor of the Quarter (4th Quarter), Culinary Specialist 1st Class (SW)George Keene and 2007 Sailor of the Year, Damage Controlman 1st Class (SW) Shawn Herring.

The organization rewarded each Sailor and their families with gifts representative of the city of St. Augustine.

"To me "it was great to be honored by an outside source for excelling in the jobs we do," said Keene.

The sponsor relationship will include continued partnership and close collaboration in a host of future events, tours and ceremonies.

Despite the cold, damp weather, those present at the ceremony remained in good spirits, and the Navy League took the opportunity to honor former chapter president William Dudley for his long record of sustained service to the Navy League organization, and to the nation.

Dudley was presented with an American flag which had flown over the U.S. Capitol dome and also flew over Klakring during the ceremony. He was also rated an honorary Chief Petty Officer and pinned by Command Master Chief CMDCM(SW/AW/NAC) Richard Dean.

Earlier in the day, members of the Navy League enjoyed lunch with the crew at the base Oasis Galley. Navy League veterans regaled their active duty counterparts with stories of their naval service in World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and the Cold War Navy.

The adoption ceremony marked the culmination of a long, hard week of preparations by the crew, that brought its own rewards,

As Interior Communications 2nd Class (SW) Tim Marshall noted, "I was proud to be a member of this crew, charged with keeping the ship ready, and for all that hard work to be recognized by the great members of the Navy League."

Klakring and its crew look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the St Augustine Council of the Navy League for the remainder of the ship's commissioned service.