Seaman Raul Gonzalez of Lancaster bid farewell to the officers and crew of the USS Constitution on May 14. Gonzalez received an end-of-tour award for his successful tour. He has served in the Navy for two years, and the USS Constitution was his first duty station.
Gonzalez is a 2012 graduate of Lancaster Catholic High School.
Duty aboard the USS Constitution is one of the Navy's special programs, and all prospective crewmembers must meet a high standard of sustained excellence and interview to be selected for the assignment.
The active-duty sailors stationed aboard USS Constitution normally provide free tours and offer public visitation to more than 600,000 people each year as they support the ship's mission of promoting the Navy's history, providing information on maritime heritage, and raising awareness of the importance of a sustained naval presence.
The USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855. The ship earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812 after British cannonballs were seen bouncing off the ship's wooden hull. The crew of the USS Constitution was undefeated in battle and captured 33 opponents.
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