US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has announced USS McClung as the name for the first ship in the new McClung-class of medium landing ships (LSMs).
LSM-1 was named in honour of US Marine Corps Major Megan M.L. McClung, a public affairs officer who was killed in action while serving in Iraq's Al Anbar province on December 6, 2006. This will be the first US Navy vessel to bear her name.
The US Navy's LSM program, previously called the Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program, envisions procuring a class of 18 to 35 new amphibious ships to support the marine corps, particularly in implementing a new marine corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).
The mechanised and utility landing craft are designed to be rugged, steel displacement vessels used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops from ship to the shore, along the shore, and from shore back to amphibious warships. These craft will also be used to support civilian humanitarian/maritime operations.