Clyde Barden IV (K47), a 27-year shipbuilder, is no stranger to the world of sea trials. He has been underway on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

Despite many hours at sea, sea trials for John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) will remain a cornerstone of Barden’s career because one of his sons, Clyde Barden V (X31), was also on board for the first time.

“The opportunity to spend this time with my son at sea has been a great experience,” he said. “I wake up and get to see him work every day. He’s married with a baby on the way, so I don’t get to see him as much anymore. Spending these days with him brings back a lot of memories for me. He’s come up through the Apprentice School and Frontline FAST. I’m proud of him.”

Clyde V said that being with his dad is comforting.

“We do work around the house, so being out here kind of feels like a normal day,” he said. “It’s nice seeing stuff we worked on actually come to life. Seeing things for the first time after hearing him talk about it for years, it’s something to be proud of.”