PIKE COUNTY NATIVE SERVING IN U.S. NAVY

MAYPORT, Fla. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Morton, a native of Zebulon, Georgia, serves aboard USS Billings, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Mayport, Florida.

Morton graduated from Pike County High School in 2018.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Zebulon.

“I learned the importance of working hard and to always be honest,” Morton said.

Morton joined the Navy five years ago. Today, Morton serves as an electronics technician.

“My granddad was in the Navy, and he talked about his experiences all the time,” Morton said.

A Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Billings is a fast and agile warship designed to operate in near-shore environments to counter 21st-century threats. Crews aboard the ship can operate unmanned aerial systems and unmanned underwater vehicles. These ships can operate independently or in high-threat scenarios as part of a networked battle force that includes larger, multi-mission surface combatants such as cruisers and destroyers.