CORONADO, Calif. — (Eds. note: The video above is from when John Canley received the Medal of Honor from former President Donald Trump during a White House ceremony on October 17, 2018.)
U.S. Marine Corps retired Sgt. Maj. John Canley of Union County, who received a Medal of Honor for his courage during the Vietnam War in 1968, was honored by the U.S. Navy during a Saturday commissioning ceremony in San Diego.
The Navy commissioned the 784-foot-long USS John L. Canley, bringing the "ship to life" as the fourth Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base (ESB 6), a type of ship that assists with the deployment of troops and equipment in regions where the U.S. doesn’t have easy access to land bases and seaports.
The commissioning ceremony is one of the most significant milestones in the life of a U.S. Navy ship and has been a tradition since 1775.
Former President Donald Trump awarded Canley the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military medal, during a White House ceremony on October 17, 2018, 50 years after the Battle of Hué, in which he rescued at least twenty troops from annihilation after he led his company in one the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War.
Canley served three tours in Vietnam and retired as a sergeant major in 1981 before moving to Oxnard, Calif., to run a textile importing business.
Along with the Medal of Honor, Canley also received the Navy Cross, a Bronze Star, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, a combat action ribbon and many other decorations during his 28 years of service.
Canley was born in Caledonia on December 20, 1937, but supposedly spent most of his childhood in El Dorado. He died of cancer in Bend, Ore., on May 11, 2022, and was laid to rest at the Arlington National Cemetery.
The USS John L. Canley was christened at a National Steel and Shipbuilding Company shipyard by Canley's daughter and ship sponsor, Patricia Sargent, on June 25, 2022, five weeks after Canley's death.
According to the U.S. Navy, the embattled chevron alludes to Hue, Vietnam, where Canley and his Marines defend friendly forces from enemy attack. At the same time, the bamboo represents vitality and resilience as it's a resourceful plant of spirit and culture in Vietnam.
For the whole meaning behind the crest, click here.
