EDITOR’S NOTE — Veteran Voices is an annual week-long series introducing WYDaily readers to some of our local veterans. Each story represents a different person in the Historic Triangle communities and shares their stories of service.
HAMPTON ROADS— Steve Sloan remembers his father’s friend who inspired his Navy journey.
“One of my dad’s best friends had been in the Navy as a surface warfare officer and served during Vietnam for about 12 years total. He told fascinating stories to me about being in the Navy, being aboard ship, traveling and seeing the world. Those stories sparked my interest,” Sloan recalls.
After applying for and receiving a Navy ROTC scholarship in high school, Sloan began to think of life beyond his high school hallways. Thinking that he’d pursue four years in the Navy and separate, Sloan ultimately found so much fun and excitement in his service that he made a career out of it.
After completing basic training, Sloan reported to the USS Frederick in San Diego, where he was an Electronics Material Officer, Combat Information Center Officer, and Navigator.
“I took to the military naturally. My dad was pretty tough and demanding and I found it easy in many regards. They tell you to show up at seven and I knew that they meant seven. They tell you to go do something and I’m the kind of guy that only needs to be told something once. I really enjoyed the teamsmanship aspect of it all,” Sloan said.
Continuing his Navy career, Sloan also spent time on the USS Badger, USS California, USS Hue City, USS Carl Vinson and the USS Vandegrift.
In July of 2002, Sloan became the commanding officer of the USS Yorktown.
“Being a commanding officer of a ship in the United States Navy is hands down the best job in the entire world. When I reported to the Yorktown, I went there with the expectation that I’d be there for a year and half to two years and turn it over to someone else. When I got to the ship in July of 2002, it was evident to me the pride and the effort in training and friendliness and general professionalism that the crew had been working on to impress me when I arrived as the new CO,” Sloan said.
He took the Yorktown on her final deployment to Iraq, where the crew defended the country’s two oil depots in the North Arabian Gulf. Sloan’s crew also aided in extinguishing a fire aboard a civilian oil tanker.
Sloan served as the ship’s final commanding officer. When the ship traveled to Pascagoula, Mississippi, for her decommissioning in 2004, Sloan attended the ceremony. He recalls the emotional moment watching the tugboats pull up to the ship to tow her to the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
“This ship is obviously steel and electronics and very complex equipment, but on the other hand, it was people and a family. As you allow the crew to leave in waves and you watch parts of your crew get smaller and smaller, it’s emotional,” Sloan said.
Since retiring from the Navy, Sloan remains involved in the ship industry today. Now working at Newport News Shipbuilding, Sloan is helping to construct the next batch of ships that the Navy has ordered.
“The next coolest thing to driving ships is building them. I am a very proud shipbuilder. I had the pleasure of taking a brand new ship to sea while I was in the Navy and that inspired me to be a shipbuilder. I remember how awesome it felt to drive that ship out of the shipyard for the first time when it’s turned over to the Navy. It gives me a spring in my step in coming to work every day as I help build the U.S. Navy’s next fleet.”
