COURTESY PHOTO
Revere resident Johnny Chaison will spend July 4th aboard the USS Constitution.
BY DILLON DURST
BOSTON — Is there a more American way of celebrating the anniversary of our nation’s 240th birth than on its most famed warship?
Revere resident Johnny Chaison, a Navy petty officer second class, will spend July 4th aboard the USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship.
Named by George Washington, the 219-year-old frigate nicknamed “Old Ironsides” defended sea lanes against global threats from 1797 to 1855. It is in dry dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard, where it’s undergoing its first major restoration in more than 20 years.
Previously a destination on Boston’s Freedom Trail, the ship is still open to the public during operating hours.
“It is great to be home in Boston and home of the USS Constitution,” Chaison said in a statement. “Boston is an area that really appreciates the military.”
The Constitution’s restoration is expected to last two and a half years. According to Navy officials, ships must come out of the water from time to time for maintenance and repair, even the newest vessels in the fleet.
The integrity of a ship’s hull is critical to its survival and that of its crew. Ships are removed from the water for careful inspection, replacement of aging pieces and refinishing of the bottom below the waterline so they may continue to serve for years to come.
While the ship is undergoing improvements, many sailors use the opportunity to improve upon their own personal and professional goals.
“Serving in the Navy is an opportunity overlooked by many people in their career path,” said Chaison.
As part of an 85-sailor crew on the vessel, Chaison serves as the outreach coordinator between the Constitution and the Greater Boston area.
“The sailors aboard this ship are the best in the fleet,” said Cmdr. Robert S. Gerosa Jr., the craft’s commanding officer, in a statement.
Chaison said serving in the Navy has been an honor and a privilege.
“I have been taught something that can’t be learned in school, but only through the Navy,” he said.
Dillon Durst can be reached at [email protected].
