SECNAV Del Toro Celebrates Navy Heritage at USS Intrepid 80th Commissioning Anniversary Ceremony

29 August 2023

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro honored naval history, heritage, and heroes today during the 80th commissioning anniversary ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid.

Nearly 200 former crew members returned to the ship, which is now the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum located at Pier 86, 12th Avenue and 46th Street in New York City. The ceremony featured a special presentation to the World War II crew members, a moment of silence, and a performance of Taps to honor the fallen.

“Throughout World War II, USS Intrepid endured aerial torpedo and kamikaze attacks, her crew never faltering in their damage control duties to keep the ship in the fight,” said SECNAV Del Toro during remarks at the ceremony. “Intrepid preserves the legacy of the men who served onboard, including members of our ‘Greatest Generation, who bravely fought for our Nation’s freedom.”

Former crew members from World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, as well as many of their family members, attended the ceremony at the museum.

“This museum, along with several others like it around our country, serves as a poignant reminder that we are indeed a maritime nation, and that a strong Navy has always been the cornerstone of our ability to preserve the peace, both near and afar,” said SECNAV Del Toro.

“Having the heart and the soul of Intrepid from all around the country (here) and having the opportunity for all of us to personally interact with all of you is an honor,” said Intrepid President Susan Marenoff-Zausner. “It’s because of you, literally, that I and you have the privilege to be here today.”

Intrepid’s history includes becoming the first aircraft carrier in our fleet to launch aircraft with steam-powered catapults. After a modernization period, Intrepid sailed in the US Sixth Fleet, deploying multiple times throughout the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and throughout the Caribbean.

Intrepid also played an integral part in our nation’s space program, serving as the principal recovery ship for Project Mercury Aurora 7 space capsule in 1962 and for the first Gemini mission in 1965.

Intrepid was decommissioned in 1974 and was set to be scrapped. New York City developer and philanthropist Zachary Fisher spearheaded a campaign to save Intrepid from the scrap yard. The ship opened as the centerpiece of the Intrepid Museum in 1982.

SECNAV Del Toro praised the crew members who returned to the ship for the ceremony.

“These Sailors continue to serve our Nation long after taking off their uniforms, inspiring and guiding our next generation of Sailors, just as their former ship continues to do today,” said SECNAV Del Toro.

Raised in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, SECNAV Del Toro was sworn in as the 78th Secretary of the Navy on Aug. 9, 2021. Born in Havana, Cuba, Del Toro immigrated to the U.S. with his family as refugees in 1962. He attended public schools and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. Secretary Del Toro was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer upon his graduation in 1983.

As Secretary, he is responsible for nearly one million Sailors, Marines, and civilians and an annual budget exceeding $210 Billion.

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