Chill winds sweep over the flight deck as the sun sets behind the southern Mississippi February skyline. Shadowy figures observe a time-honored tradition while two members of the Color Guard fold the National Ensign that was flying on the flagstaff. To the side, a lone service member stands at attention observing the ceremony. His patience is only met with anticipation for the moment his late father’s shadow box will soon be complete with Old Glory in his arms.

Chief Warrant Officer Michael F. Thomas, Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) Tripoli (LHA 7) assistant operations officer, received the first U.S. flag to fly aboard Tripoli, which was donated to memorialize the passing of Thomas’ father, Michael A. Thomas, and honor his prior military service during the same day that the Navy officially accepted Tripoli on Feb. 28, 2020.

Michael A. Thomas passed away Feb. 4, 2020. He served as a Radarman 2nd Class in the Navy from 1960 to 1968, which later converted to operations specialists in 1972. He enlisted in the Navy on two separate occasions and served during the Vietnam War, Thomas said.

“I wanted to honor my dad,” Thomas said. “I’ve been around for 20 years, and a lot of what I do is because of my father and what he started. For the next 30 years of my retired life, every time I look at that box, I will think about my dad’s service, my service, and the impact that it had, not just for us, but for our families.”

Traditionally, a military shadow box is presented to a member upon retirement honoring the member by displaying keepsakes such as military medals, awards and other memorabilia representing a military career. Flags are also commonly placed in shadow boxes to signify their country and their military service branch.

“It’s all about the heritage and tradition to have flown the first flag,” said Senior Chief Quartermaster David Rodriguez, Tripoli’s Navigation departmental leading chief petty officer who aided in planning the event. “It was my honor to be a part of a long-standing tradition and to assist him.”

Thomas thanked the various members of the Tripoli crew, including the commanding officer, navigator, and Rodriguez for assisting in the planning of the evening flag ceremony.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to raise it on the first day,” Thomas said. “This is my final ship, and to know that the first flag flown onboard this ship, that’s going to be around for the next 30 years, will be in my dad’s shadowbox.

The junior Thomas, like other potential new Sailors, went to a Military Entrance Processing Station and selected the rate of operations specialist in 1990. Thomas unknowingly followed in his father’s footsteps when his father told him that his legacy rate was the same as his son’s.

“Before he passed, when I got commissioned in 2008, I looked at my father and I said my accomplishments in the Navy are for you,” Thomas said. “I am my father’s son. I wouldn’t be who I am in the Navy, with the good and the bad, without his blood that runs through me.”

Get more information about the Navy from U.S. Navy Facebook or Twitter.

For more news from Amphibious Assault Ship 7, visit www.navy.mil/.