MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis native was baptized at sea aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman this past Easter Sunday, April 17.
Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Christian McNabb, an air department aircraft director, is one of 15 sailors who were baptized on Easter Sunday, following Easter services provided by Truman’s command religious ministries department (CRMD).
McNabb frequently attended gospel services while he and Truman’s nearly 5,000 crewmembers were deployed in the Mediterranean earlier this year.
“It’s exciting to be baptized out at sea because not everyone can say they’ve done that,” said McNabb.
Truman’s Gospel lay-ministry leader, Mario Johnson, performed some of the baptisms, and described the event as an amazing opportunity.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of this service,” said Johnson. “To make an event such as this possible, we have to coordinate with a few other departments. Johnson coordinated with the air department to make the baptism possible.
Truman’s Gospel lay ministry is one of several regularly practicing faith groups aboard the ship led by volunteer lay leaders. Lay services are overseen by the ship’s command religious ministries department, whose Navy chaplains also perform religious services according to their faiths.
Truman, who deployed from Norfolk, Virginia, Dec. 1, 2021, is on a regularly scheduled deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, where it has been operating with NATO militaries conducting various naval exercises.
