This month marks the 20th work anniversary at Newport News Shipbuilding for Adam Deuell. But this year is an even bigger milestone for his family.

“It coincides with our family being here for 100 years,” said Deuell, a fourth-generation shipbuilder.

It’s a legacy that started in 1923, when his great grandfather Jesse Jasper “J.J.” Deuell – who worked in the Plumbing Department and in the Foundry – started a career at NNS that spanned more than 44 years. Following him were more than a dozen relatives and descendants with overlapping time who have continuously worked at the shipyard for the past century.

Two of Adam Deuell’s great uncles were shipbuilders who were drafted into the Korean War and then returned to NNS. His father, Phil Deuell, is a Master Shipbuilder and NNS Apprentice School graduate who retired in 2020 after 42 years.

The family’s service has spanned the shipyard – including engineering, painting, welding, piping, sheet metal, electrical and radiological control.

Reflecting on his family’s long service as shipbuilders, Adam Deuell said he is grateful NNS has been such a steady, reliable employer for generations. “It’s a proud moment because we’ve supported the sailors through so many wars and conflicts.”

A multimedia designer for the Training Department, Adam Deuell is proud to carry on his family’s shipbuilding legacy and has his sights on becoming a Master Shipbuilder as well.

“I plan on being here for the long haul,” he said.