NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. (Jul. 17, 2026) – The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) held a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on July 17th.
During the ceremony, Capt. Keith T. Turner assumed command of USS Gettysburg, relieving Capt. John S. Lucas. Friends and family of the ship’s crew were present to honor the commanding officers.
Speaking on his tenure as commanding officer, Capt. Lucas expressed his thanks to the crew. “Leading the War Horses of Gettysburg has been the greatest challenge and greatest honor of my time in the Navy. Time and time again they showed the resilience and continued high performance every CO hopes for. While I am sad to be leaving the Gettysburg family, I know they will continue to stay GETTY ready for anything.”
While assuming command from Capt. Lucas, Capt. Turner had the following message for the crew and their families. “It’s my honor and privilege to lead Gettysburg into her next chapter. This crew and their families are shining examples of why we are the world’s greatest Navy.”
Capt. Keith T. Turner is a native of Boston, MA and a 2004 graduate of the University of Maine. Capt. Turner’s sea tours were aboard USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), Carrier Strike Group 2, and USS Truxtun (DDG 103). He commanded USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60). His shore tours include Afloat Training Group Atlantic, flag aide to Commander Naval Safety Center, Navy Warfare Development Command, and Naval Surface Force Atlantic N1, and his previous tour: a staff officer at the NATO accredited Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence.
Capt. John S. Lucas is a native of Charlotte, NC and a 1995 graduate of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Lucas’s sea tours were on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Anzio (CG 68), Mobile Security Squadron Two Three, USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 68), and USS Monterey (CG 68). He commanded Patrol Coastal Crew Charlie and USS Bulkeley (DDG 84). He assumed his role as Commanding Officer of USS Gettysburg (CG 64) in January 2025. His shore tours included Auburn University Naval ROTC, the Expeditionary Warfighting Development Center, the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff with a role in the Surface Warfare Division (N96), and Joint Force Development, Joint Staff, J7
Commissioned in 1992, USS Gettysburg is named in honor of the battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the Civil War. The moniker “War Horse” recently bestowed on the crew is in honor of the exceptionally high number of horses killed in the battle, because a War Horse does not run to danger by nature, but when trained and motivated they will charge bravely into battle. The warship is assigned under Commander Naval Surface Group (COMNAVSURFGRU) and is homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
For more information about USS Gettysburg, visit https://www.surflant.usff.navy.mil/cg64/