Navy Warship Named for African American Pioneer

Gravely, Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer

The latest warship to join the naval fleet will bear the name of the first African American to become a naval officer. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports.

“I christen thee Gravely.”

Alma Gravely has just smashed a bottle of champagne on the hull of the 509-foot guided missile destroyer Gravely (DDG 107) .The Gravely built at the Northrop Grumman shipyard in Pascagoula is named for her husband Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr., the first African-American admiral in the history of the Navy. Alma Gravely,

“He would be very proud, and unbelieving, and when I say unbelieving I mean, he would say you mean they built a ship for me.”

Vice Admiral Gravely joined the navy as in Ensign in the early 1940’s and after President Truman integrated the armed services in 1948, Gravely slowly started working his way up through the ranks to become the first African-American to command a warship. The motto of the Gravely is “First to Conquer.” Retired four-star Admiral Paul Reason, who holds the title of the highest ranking African -American in Naval history, says that Admiral Gravely smashed the ceilings so that he could pass through,

“I did 35 years of active duty in the Navy, hardly a day of it when I didn’t in some way shape or form think of Sam Gravely. He was my role model, he was my mentor, and he was the one who showed me the way.”

Vice Admiral Gravely died in 2004. When the Gravely missile destroyer sets to sea next summer it will be the most advanced warship set to sea in the world.