Billy Marcum

USS Nicholas (FFG-47) was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate of the United States Navy, commissioned on March 10, 1984. Named after Major Samuel Nicholas, the first Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, the ship served for over 28 years. During her active service, Nicholas participated in multiple operations, including drug interdiction missions in the Caribbean, escort duties in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will, and anti-piracy operations off the coast of Africa. The frigate was decommissioned on March 17, 2014, after a distinguished career supporting U.S. naval strategy and global maritime security.

SBU-20, or Special Boat Unit 20, was a United States Navy special operations unit established to provide maritime special operations capabilities, particularly in coastal and riverine environments. Activated during the Cold War, SBU-20 operated out of Little Creek, Virginia, and specialized in inserting and extracting SEAL teams, conducting reconnaissance, and supporting unconventional warfare missions. The unit played a significant role in developing small boat tactics and participated in various training exercises and real-world operations throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. In 2002, SBU-20 was redesignated as Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20), reflecting its integration into the Naval Special Warfare Command structure.

USS Ponce (LPD-15) was an Austin-class amphibious transport dock commissioned by the United States Navy in 1971. Throughout her career, Ponce participated in numerous operations, including supporting the evacuation of American citizens during the Lebanese Civil War in 1982 and serving in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. In her later years, Ponce was converted into an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB), providing critical support for mine countermeasures and special operations in the Persian Gulf. She was decommissioned in 2017 after more than 46 years of distinguished service.

USS Charleston (LKA-113) was an amphibious cargo ship of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1968 as the lead ship of the Charleston-class. Designed to transport and land troops, equipment, and supplies, she played a vital role in supporting amphibious operations, particularly during the Vietnam War. Throughout her service, Charleston participated in numerous exercises and deployments in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, supporting both combat and humanitarian missions. After over two decades of active duty, she was decommissioned in 1992 and subsequently struck from the Naval Vessel Register.