Not many 9-year-olds get an opportunity to tour an active submarine, but the Gold crew of Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Louisiana (SSBN 743) provided Hunter Smith, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Boy of the Year, with a tour of the submarine at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, June 28.

Smith was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells in 2008, at the age of two. He completed 3 1/2 years of treatment -- which included three surgeries, daily rounds of chemotherapy, and spinal taps -- and he has been successfully out of treatment since 2012. In May, he was honored as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Boy of the Year through a process which included a list of children who were also similarly afflicted.

Smith wants to become a Sailor when he grows up, so through the coordination of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Washington/Alaska Chapter and the Navy, a tour of Louisiana was arranged for him.

The tour included visiting the torpedo room, missile compartment, crew's mess, navigation and control, the crew's berthing and the chief petty officers' quarters to get a taste of life as a submariner.

His visit to the submarine concluded with a stop at the captain's stateroom where Cmdr. Melvyn Naidas, Louisiana Gold's commanding officer, presented him with an admiral's command ball cap, his personal challenge coin, the Chief's Quarter's coin, and a custom-made plaque from the crew of Louisiana Gold.

"This boy is easily the bravest person on board," said Naidas. "In his short life, he's overcome a lot and it's tours like these that are my favorite -- when we get a chance to show heroes like Hunter what it is that we do."

"My favorite part was when I got to meet the captain. He told me that because I have an admiral's hat, I outrank him," said Smith. "It was so awesome!"

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was founded in 1949 as a voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer reserve, education, and patient services.

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