Craig Dalton, senior vp for military affairs at the Chamber, says the Pensacola will be the focal point of the Navy’s celebration of the first 100 years of Naval Aviation in 2011. As part of the celebration, Pensacola will host the commissioning of the USS William P. Lawrence.
The USS William P. Lawrence is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer named for the late Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence, who served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy from 1978-1981.
According to Wikipedia, “Lawrence was a noted test pilot who became the first Naval Aviator to fly twice the speed of sound in a Naval aircraft and was also one of the final candidates for the Mercury space program. During the Vietnam War, Lawrence was shot down while on a combat mission and spent six years as a prisoner of war, from 1967-1973. During this time he became noted for his resistance to his captors.”