Anchors Aweigh for the new USS John H. Dalton

Three cheers to former Secretary of the Navy John Dalton, a longtime friend of this Cathedral, after it was announced that a new Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine will be named the USS John H. Dalton.

Secretary Dalton, who served during the Clinton Administration, is a former member of the Cathedral Chapter (governing board), a member of the Dean’s Council and the Cathedral For the Future campaign, and an active member of the Cathedral congregation. He’s also an honorary canon, a title given to people who make significant contributions to a cathedral’s life. The Cathedral has been blessed by the generous support of John and his wife, Margaret, and we are grateful to call them friends.

“The changes he drove almost 30 years ago are evident in all corners of our Navy today, with women serving on, above, and below the sea,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro. “A ship bearing his name brings strength to the crew who will undoubtedly operate it with the courage and dignity of John H. Dalton.”

You can read more about John’s fascinating life in his new autobiography, “At the Helm: My Journey With Family, Faith, and Friends to Calm the Storms of Life.” 

The new submarine will sail alongside the USS Paul Ignatius, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer commissioned in 2019, and named after former Secretary of the Navy Paul Ignatius, another longtime friend of the Cathedral whose family sponsors the Cathedral’s annual Ignatius Forum speakers series.

(photo of Virginia-class attack submarine USS California (SSN 781) courtesy of Chris Oxley/U.S. Navy)