The sun is just about to break over the horizon, the mid-summer air is warm and thousands of families pour through the gates as they gather around the pier to say good-bye.

An 8-year-old boy in khaki shorts and a plaid shirt fights his way to the front of the crowd so he can see the enormous floating city he recognizes as his father's second home. He hugs his father tightly, feeling as though it will be years before he will see him again.

It was this very moment in J. Crossley's youth when grew curious about the father he hardly knew at the time. He wanted to see through his father's eyes and walk in his footsteps on the same floating city known as aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

"I didn't know what my father was like, he wasn't around much when I was little because of deployments," said Crossley. "As I grew older I began to understand my father's work and the mechanics behind it. I wanted to do the exact same job my father did and live the life of a Sailor."

At 13-years-old, Crossley was able to experience his father's Navy life sooner than he anticipated.

"One day I got a call from my father inviting me on a Tiger Cruise," said Crossley. "He asked if I wanted to come out to sea to experience what it is like to live on his ship. I was thrilled and couldn't wait to see the floating city from the inside. This would be my opportunity to get to know where my father worked while he was away from us. The ship was massive, there was no end to where I could go. Everyone was extremely friendly."

A year after graduating high school, Crossley enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a machinist's mate and reported to Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. Following boot camp, Crossley reported to Goose Creek, S.C. to attend the same "A" School as his father, Lt. D. M. Yost, had done years earlier.

"I told my son of the difficulties Sailors who work with reactors endure and he knew what he was getting into," said Yost, supervisor of shipbuilding, conversion and repair at Newport News, Shipbuilding. "It is never easy. Just getting through the training program is a tremendous accomplishment and I was very proud when he graduated."

When it was time for Crossley to pick his orders, he was ecstatic to learn Truman was available. His first command would be on the USS Harry S. Truman; just like his father. Crossley's father is a plank owner of the Truman and the aircraft carrier will forever be his ship.

"Our family is as engrained in the Truman as the Truman is engrained in us," said Yost. "As a parent, I measure my success on the successes of my children. Perhaps one day the situation will present itself to allow us to serve together at the same command."

Crossley is now 21-years-old and continues to achieve his goals by aspiring to surpass the achievements of his father. He is currently working on his Basic Nuclear Engineering Qualification in Reactor Training and advancing to petty officer second class. Crossley said the support his father gives him pushes him to become a better Sailor and a better machinist's mate.

"Now that this ship is where I work and live, I look at it much differently than I did as a boy," said Crossley. "This ship is my home. I respect it, I take care of it and I want to learn everything about it."

For more news from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), visit www.navy.mil/.