As Capt. James Quaresimo spoke during Saturday’s commissioning of the USS Fort Lauderdale, a sense of readiness could be felt throughout the invitation-only, civilian-heavy crowd of about 4,000.
Regarding the importance of controlling the sea, Quaresimo, the ships’ commanding officer, noted there are no foxholes to crawl into, and no trenches.
“You fight and you win, or you swim,” he said.