A group of Sailors from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) returned to Naval Station Norfolk following a four-day namesake visit to several cities in Missouri, Nov. 7-10.

Truman's Commanding Officer Capt. Nicholas Dienna, Command Master Chief Antonio Perryman, three Sailors from Missouri, and a Truman plank-owner traveled to the state to learn more about the life and legacy of the ship's namesake, President Harry S. Truman, a native of Missouri.

During the visit, the captain and crew met with members of the USS Harry S. Truman Foundation, which provides support to Truman's Family Readiness Group, as well as Truman's commissioning committee, the Navy League and other civic and community organizations.

"We are here to reconnect with the heritage and lineage of the ship," explained Dienna. "The Truman Foundation and the commissioning committee played a large part in the establishment of USS Harry S. Truman, and we are fortunate enough to reunite with the folks who did so much to bring the ship to life and who support Truman's mission from the great state of Missouri.

Truman Sailors kicked off the visit in St. Louis, meeting with members of the city's Navy League and Truman Foundation and speaking to nearly 100 students and faculty at Pattonville High School, a participant in the St. Louis Region SeaPerch underwater robotics program sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

"I was glad to be able to speak to the students about what I do in the Navy and maybe inspire them to join or pursue whatever dreams they may have," said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Latreyveon Mitchell, a St. Louis native. "When I was in high school, my football team played Pattonville in the state playoffs. They beat us bad, 49-7."

The group then traveled to Jefferson City, where they spoke to the city's Lions Club service organization, received a tour of the Missouri State Capitol and met with Senators Mike Kehoe and Bob Onder and Mayor of Jefferson City Carrie Tergin. The Truman team was also hosted on KWOS Radio's "Open Air with John Marsh and Dick Aldrich."

During the radio interview, Perryman told listeners, "It has been an honor and a pleasure to be in Jefferson City to see the namesake of Truman and that we are keeping [his memory] well aboard the ship. It's exciting that we can come and bring some Sailors from Missouri to celebrate this [namesake trip]."

The trip concluded in Kansas City, first with a meeting with members of the Truman Foundation and Navy League, followed by a stop in Independence. There they toured the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, including the home President Truman and First Lady Bess lived in until their passing.

"To be able to go into the home and see how the family lived all those years was pretty amazing," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Levi Boxley, a native of Cassville, Missouri. "It reminded me of my family, that President Truman did his own work on the house, which is the same as my folks. It gives me a little more pride knowing that we're not the only Missourians doing that."

Truman is currently moored at Naval Station Norfolk performing maintenance and preservation in preparation for future operations. For more news from USS Harry S. Truman, visit http://www.facebook.com/usstruman.

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For more news from USS Harry S. Truman, visit http://www.navy.mil/.