The Machinery Repairman (MR) "A" School graduation room was re-named during a ceremony at the Surface Warfare Officers School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes, June 5.

The room was named to honor Machinery Repairman 3rd Class (SW) Jack Valentine, who died as a result of injuries sustained while aboard his ship.

"What it means is that Jack will not be forgotten. As long as people remember him a little part of him will be alive," said Jack's mother, Colleen Valentine.

Valentine, while aboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), was injured when a steam pipe ruptured in the engineering spaces Dec. 1, 2006.

He died a few days later at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Dec. 7.

Friends, family and Sailors from SWOSU attended the ceremony.

The MR "A" School Leading Petty Officer and course supervisor Chief Machinery Repairman (SW) Joshua Wieber spoke about the importance of commemorating Valentine.

"In (machinery repairman's) 67 years of history, Jack Valentine is the third MR who has died in the line of service," he said. "MR3 Jack Valentine will forever live on as a part of the machinery repairman heritage."

Colleen acknowledge the event was bittersweet, but said she has found solace in the years since her son's death in knowing that he died serving his shipmates and his country valiantly.

"We can't know what went through his mind when he was in that space," she said. "What we do know though is that his love of friends and his commitment to others carried him through and gave him the strength to do what he had to do."

For more news from Training Support Center, Great Lakes, visit www.navy.mil/.