The commissioning ceremony is one of the most significant milestones in the life of a U.S. Navy ship and includes a weeklong event of festivities for the ship’s crew, the U.S. Navy and the Tampa Bay community. The USS Jack H. Lucas DDG 125 is currently under construction in Pascagoula, Mississippi but will travel to Tampa Bay for the ceremony.
Tickets to this once-in-a-generation historic event are free to the public, but do require a reservation. To request a ticket and for parking information visit: www.ddg125.org/tickets
Additionally, tours of the ship are available to the public from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3 through Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. Tours are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants on the tours are required to bring a valid U.S. ID and no bags or weapons are allowed.
The ship is named for decorated veteran Jack H. Lucas. On February 20, 1945, 17 year old Private First Class Lucas, serving in the 5th Marine Division, selflessly dove onto a grenade and simultaneously pulled another under his body, saving three of his fellow Marines. Although severely wounded, he survived, recovered, and was the youngest Marine ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor. The USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125) will be an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, first of the Flight III variants and 75th overall in the class. On September 17, 2016, she was named by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
The USS Jack H. Lucas Commissioning Committee is a body formed to work with the Tampa Chapter of the Navy League to plan and execute the many celebratory events surrounding the commissioning and leave a legacy in support of the ship’s leaders and crew. The committee is hosted and led by The Navy League, Port Tampa Bay, sponsor companies and many distinguished civic and retired military leaders from around the Tampa region. Port President & CEO Paul Anderson serves as a co-chair of the Jack H. Lucas Commissioning Committee along with Skip Witunski, President of the Tampa Bay Navy League and is led by Executive Director Darryl Adams. Honorary chairs of the event include U.S. Senator Rick Scott, U.S. Congressman Daniel Webster, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.
To learn more about the schedule of events, the ship and her history, view photos of the vessel, the legacy of Jack H. Lucas and to reserve tickets to the commissioning ceremony and other public events, visit www.ddg125.org