JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A special kind of homecoming took place at Naval Station Mayport Sunday morning.
Three hundred sailors joined the debut of the USS John Basilone in Jacksonville.
The USS John Basilone made its first homecoming on the First Coast since being commissioned in New York City earlier this month.
But for veteran sailor John Craft, this is a different kind of homecoming. He saw it as a tribute to his former ship that brought him home from Vietnam.
“They had an accident in December of 1972 where several members of the crew were injured and are no longer with us," Craft told First Coast News. "Just to see that namesake coming back full circle, it's special.”
This is now the second ship named after the WWII Marine who is the only enlisted soldier in history to be awarded the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
“Based on past performance, this crew has absolutely owned it and lived up to the legacy of John Basilone. And I'm going to predict they're gonna keep living up to it,” Commanding Officer Carne Livingston told First Coast News.
The ship's arrival not only brought home sailors just in time for the holidays, but a piece of history.