SUMMARY

On July 3, Dr. Doug Bradburn, the President and CEO of Mount Vernon, welcomed Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Ambassador of France Laurent Bili, along with his wife, Sabine Raczy-Bili, to attend a ship-naming celebration for the future USS Lafayette. The vessel’s name honors the Marquis de Lafayette and his service as a major general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The decision to hold the ceremony at George Washington’s home reflects the longstanding friendship between the general-turned-president and the young Frenchman. The two men enjoyed a connection often described as akin to that of a father and son after Lafayette successfully petitioned the king for military aid to the Americans and subsequently became a member of Washington’s personal staff. The Constellation-class guided missile frigate represents the Navy's next generation of small-surface combatants, with multi-mission capability to conduct air, anti-submarine, surface, electronic and information warfare operations.