SECNAV Names First Medium Landing Ship USS McClung

January 16, 2025 7:59 PM
Secretary of Navy Carlos Del Toro salutes in the rain as he arrives for the USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29) commissioning ceremony at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., in Pensacola, Florida Sept. 7, 2024. (DoD Photo)

Secretary Carlos Del Toro continued his streak of naming ships, as his tenure as the Navy’s top civilian comes to an end.

Del Toro dubbed the Medium Landing Ship the McClung class, with USS McClung (LSM-1) as the lead ship. The vessel is named after Marine Corps Maj. Megan McClung, a public affairs officer who was the first female Marine officer to be killed in Iraq and the first female graduate of the Naval Academy to die in combat.

“The Landing Ship Medium (LSM) will be an asset to the Marine Corps’ amphibious capabilities, designed to greatly enhance operational flexibility and combat readiness,” Del Toro said in a Navy news release. “I am honored to name the first ship in this class after Major McClung, a selfless leader and hero who embodied the highest ideals of service, honor, and loyalty to our nation.”

The LSM program is stalled due to a mounting price tag and the Navy canceled the request for proposal at the end of last year after receiving bids from industry that were too high, USNI News recently reported. Earlier this month, the Navy issued a new request for information for a “non-developmental landing ship.”

Del Toro also announced that two John Lewis-class fleet oilers would be named after Joshua Goldberg and Thomas Parham Jr., according to a Thursday Navy release.

USNS Joshua L. Goldberg (T-AO-215) is named after Goldberg, the first Jewish rabbi to volunteer for naval service during World War II and the first to be promoted to an O-6 rank. USNS Thomas D. Parham Jr. (T-AO-216) is named after Parham, the first African American sailor to be promoted to an O-6 rank.

Parham was also a Navy chaplain, and Del Toro announced the two ship names during video remarks for the Navy chaplain corps.

“Our Navy Chaplains are more than just religious figures—they are beacons of hope, resilience, and unwavering support in the demanding world of naval service,” Del Toro said in his remarks. “These ships will carry forward their spirit of selfless service and will forever be a recognition of the invaluable contributions of Navy Chaplains.”

Including the three named today, Del Toro has named 12 ships this week and a total of 19 this year.

Heather Mongilio

Heather Mongilio

Heather Mongilio is a reporter with USNI News. She has a master’s degree in science journalism and has covered local courts, crime, health, military affairs and the Naval Academy.
Follow @hmongilio

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