USS Jack H. Lucas arrives in Port Tampa Bay for commissioning ceremony

TAMPA, Fla. - The brand-new USS Jack H. Lucas sailed into Port Tampa Bay Monday.

"Seeing it in motion for the first time, it brings it all together in your head; this is for real, this is a legacy," said Jesse Lucas, the grandson of the ship’s namesake.

Jack Lucas was the youngest Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Iwo Jima.  

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He was just 17-years-old when he jumped on two grenades, saving three of his fellow Marines.  Miraculously, he survived.

"He was determined to get to war; he was determined to do things Jack Lucas way and it's very fitting it was named after him," his granddaughter Tara Gonsorcik said.

The USS Jack H. Lucas is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, the first of the Flight III variant.

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In other words, it'll be at the tip of the naval spear.

Saturday, the warship will be commissioned here in Tampa.

"This is truly a historic event for our community, our state, our nation," said Port Tampa Bay CEO Paul Anderson. 

The event is open to the public, and tours will be available.

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