Not many Azle High School students can say their last name is forever etched on a U.S. Navy ship — but 15-year-old Emily Cafferata can.
In a two-day ceremony March 6-7, Cafferata joined her aunt, Jessica, and her great-aunt, Heather, to take part in the christening ceremony of a U.S. Navy ship at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California. In honor of her great-grandfather, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Pvt. Hector A. Cafferata Jr., the ship now officially bears his name, marking the near completion of the vessel’s construction.
“As they build these Naval ships, they name them after various American heroes,” Jessica Cafferata told The Azle News. “Sometimes they're senators. Sometimes there are military personnel. Sometimes they’re civil rights activists … Prior to 2023, somebody threw out my grandpa Hector’s name, and (Navy) Secretary (Carlos) Del Toro agreed that he was the right person for this particular ship to be named after.”
THE MAN BEHIND THE SHIP
Hector Cafferata Jr., a Medal of Honor recipient, was recognized for his life-saving heroism at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Surviving the brutal fight, he became one of the legendary “Chosin Few.”
According to David J. Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO, Cafferata single-handedly fought off attackers for hours as the young Marine defended his company’s position against an intense enemy assault Nov. 28, 1950. While he was trying to prevent enemy forces from breaking through the defensive line, Cafferata grabbed an enemy grenade that had landed in a trench near wounded Marines and threw it away as it detonated, seriously wounding him but saving the lives of others.
Despite multiple injuries, he continued fighting, helping to defend his fellow Marines and later received the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Growing up in a military household, Jessica Cafferata said her family always moved around a lot, so they didn’t live next door to any family members. However, she said she still has fond memories of her grandfather — ones she still holds close to her heart even today.
“He was in New Jersey for a long time, and he owned a bar,” she said. “I remember my grandma cooking the most amazing meals from scratch and my grandfather would put us in the bar. My brother, Peter Cafferata, and I thought it was so cool to be in this bar, and we were getting served Coke and chips. That’s a really fun memory I have.”
She said she also enjoyed getting to witness her grandfather and husband play hours of chess — sometimes up to six hours at a time.
“He also loved fishing and hunting,” Jessica Cafferata said. “He was kind of an outdoorsman, so I think he felt most at home doing things like that, but my memories are very fond.”
Although Jessica Cafferata described her grandfather as having a formidable look because of his size, she said he was like a giant teddy bear with his heart and love for others.
“He was very warm, very quick-witted, had a great sense of humor and was intelligent,” she said. “Just a wonderful person.”
Cafferata died in 2016 at age 86.
HONORING A HERO
While the Cafferata family was first informed of Hector’s Naval ship honor in 2023 — on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War to be specific — the christening of the ship didn’t take place until three years later, as it can take years before the ship is ready to set sail.
“About a year ago, my aunt, Heather Cafferata, who is Hector’s daughter, and I were the two ship mates so we went out to San Diego, and we were able to carve our initials onto the ship,” Jessica Cafferata said. “The Navy always needs women to be ship sponsors … and we’re able to name ship maids and matrons. The matrons are women who are married and the maids are women who are not, so we each named ship maids and matrons.”
Emily Cafferata, who was named a maid by Jessica, will be tasked with assuming Jessica’s responsibilities in the event of her passing or when she chooses to step back from the role. These responsibilities can include attending ceremonies, maintaining communication with the ship’s crew and representing the vessel during public appearances.
“I thought it was really cool,” Emily said, describing the honor of being named a maid. “I just felt honored being a part of everything.”
During the ceremony, military leaders and shipyard workers gathered to celebrate the ship’s completion and honor the legacy of the Marine it commemorates. A special part of the ceremony was when ship sponsors Heather and Jessica christened the vessel by breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow — but not before setting a new record in the process.
“The most breaks to get a christening was nine. We got 26,” Emily said, chuckling.
As sponsors — essentially the godparents of the ship — Heather and Jessica were tasked with breaking bottles of champagne across the bow of the ship as it symbolizes good luck, protection and safe voyages for the vessel. If anyone else breaks the bottle, the symbolic blessing is not considered complete. While Jessica managed to break the bottle on the first swing, it took Heather an additional 25 times — breaking a previously held record of nine.
WALKING IN HIS LEGACY
Despite the minor setback during the christening, however, the ceremony was completed successfully and marked a historic moment for the Cafferata family, with both Emily and Jessica reflecting on their own experiences.
“The first time I saw the ship was for this last trip,” Jessica Cafferata said. “I mean, I saw it on paper, of course, but it’s something completely different to step out and see it in person. I think until you experience it, it’s hard to imagine the enormity of the ship and how many it can carry. You read about the missions that the ship will take, but you really get a sense of that when you’re on the ship, because you’re one person among so many that are on there and the ship is enormous.”
Emily Cafferata also said she was most surprised by the sheer size of the ship, joking that the only phrase she kept repeating to herself was “don’t fall.”
“I was so scared because the stairs have, like, holes, and I was wearing flats. I was literally scared for my life, because we had to go through like six stories to get up there,” she said, chuckling.
Once the tour was underway, however, Emily said she really started to appreciate the significance of the ceremony and her relation to her great-grandfather — especially when getting the honor to steer the ship and place a challenge coin as a tribute to him.
“We placed a challenge coin in a box and I said, ‘I’m placing this coin on behalf of my great-grandfather,’” she said. “It stays with the ship for its entire life.”
Emily also presented a custom figurine of her great-grandfather to the shipbuilders at NASSCO — a rare gesture, as normally the shipbuilders are the ones who give gifts to the family. In return, Emily said she received a silver bracelet with an infinity logo along with flowers, commemorating her role in the ceremony.
A NEWFOUND RESPECT
While this was a new experience for Emily Cafferata, she said she now has a newfound respect for her great-grandfather and has a better understanding of military pride.
“I mean, I didn’t look at him like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ (like he was a big deal). He was just my family,” she said. “But I definitely respect him more. What he did was huge.”
Although Emily didn’t really know her great-grandfather since he passed away when she was only 5 years old, she said his courage has further propelled her into seriously considering enlistment in either the Marines or the Army as a K-9 handler.
“He loved his country,” Emily said, reflecting on her great-grandfather’s selflessness. “He was a bad-A.”
‘A TREMENDOUS HONOR’
Although Hector Cafferata’s vessel is the sixth and final ship in the Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base program, the work isn’t done just yet, as the commissioning ceremony and its official launch are still ahead.
“It's really neat that they do this, that there's ships out there, and that they're named after so many wonderful heroes; it's amazing,” Jessica Cafferata said. “Often, what happens when these ships retire, there's another ship that carries the same name. It may not be the same type of ship, but Hector's name will probably be used on another ship, so that’s pretty cool.”
The new expeditionary sea base ship will support a wide range of naval missions, including intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance, unmanned aviation operations and crisis response — all while proudly bearing the name of Hector A. Cafferata Jr.
“I’ve been thinking about him (Hector) so much since all of this has occurred and wondering what he must be thinking about all of this,” Jessica Cafferata said. “He wasn't someone who would speak about his experiences that earned him the Medal of Honor … I think he would have taken it in stride, and I think he would have been very honored, but knowing him, he would have been very humble about it as well.”
Jessica Cafferata said the ship serves as a tribute not only to her grandfather but to all U.S. service members who have shown courage in defense of the nation.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” she said. “I didn’t know anything about this part of Naval and Marine history. I certainly never would have imagined our family would be a part of it, but it’s something I’m taking very seriously. I want to live up to the high ideals of our military and represent the ship’s sponsor to my utmost capability.”
The commissioning of the USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (T-ESB-8), is expected to take place later this fall, with the ship setting on its maiden voyage from either the east coast or the west coast.
