Visitors and residents who take a moment to look up and study the magnificent architecture of the Avalon Casino may notice the 26 flags around the edge of the building that celebrate the seasons.
The United States service flags – Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard – are joined by one more this year: The battle flag of the USS Fort Worth. The USS Fort Worth Support Committee and Town of Fort Worth generously donated the flag to be flown as part of the Casino’s Memorial Day display of flags this year.
The ship’s skipper, CDR Dana Canby, is a 2002 graduate of Avalon High School, and credits his upbringing on Catalina Island with calling him to serve at sea in the Navy.
United States warships are named by the Secretary of the Navy with the hope that the new vessels will be imbued by the qualities of the battle, person, or place for whom she is named. While ships across a class are mostly identical, the ship’s support committee provides unique touches for the ship and for the crew.
“Five ships and 19-years into my naval career, I’ve never had a support committee as active as Fort Worth’s residents,” said CDR Canby.
The ship’s crew enjoys hosting committee members who visit their ship almost every month, and Sailors onboard look forward to being selected as participants in an annual namesake visit during Rodeo Week to Fort Worth.
The ship is in an extended maintenance and repair period, and the crew is receiving intensive training that will allow them to perform complex repairs at sea. When equipment breaks at sea, the crew must be able to fix it and keep Fort Worth moving and fighting. Whether operating the ship at sea or training in port, the Sailors onboard are proud to represent the town of Fort Worth in the Pacific, on the San Diego waterfront, and now from the roof of the Casino!
