WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti released statements on the death of President and Navy veteran James Earl 'Jimmy' Carter Jr. who died Dec. 29 at age 100.
Statement by Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro:
"On behalf of our Sailors, Marines, and Department of the Navy Civilians, I express my deepest condolences to the Carter Family for the loss of a respected public servant, committed family man and devoted American.
President Carter will always be remembered for his dedication to the greater good, from his early days in the U.S. Navy, to his terms in office as the 76th Governor of Georgia and 39th President of the United States, to his continued philanthropy and volunteer activities.
His legacy lives on through Seawolf-class submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23), the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta, and his countless incentives focused on improving the quality of life for people across the globe. His legacy will also shine where his naval career started in Annapolis, where I had the privilege of renaming an academic building at the United States Naval Academy in honor of President Carter.
President Carter's servant leadership and enduring commitment to the well-being of others will continue to inspire me and others around the world.
My wife Betty and I extend our deepest condolences to their children Amy, Jack, Donnel and James; their grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and the entire Carter Family during this time of grieving."
Statement by Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Lisa Franchetti:
"Today we mourn the loss of a shipmate as we celebrate and honor the life and memory of an exemplary public servant and patriot, President Jimmy Carter, who earned our admiration with his courage and won our hearts with his compassion.
From humble beginnings on a peanut farm in Georgia, he began his adult life in the Navy, entering the Naval Academy during World War II. He said that his naval service prepared him for the rest of his life, instilling courage, self-sacrifice, idealism, and self-discipline which would combine to form his moral core. Throughout his life, he was guided by his unshakeable conviction that, "an individual is not swept along on a tide of inevitability but can influence even the greatest human events." His legacy and beliefs are imbued in the Sailors that set sail aboard the USS Jimmy Carter and walk the halls of the newly renamed Carter Hall at the United States Naval Academy.
President Carter's life of service will continue to be an example for us and help us navigate our course. His work is finished, but America's work continues. President Carter, we have the watch."
President Jimmy Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977-1981. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946 and served as a submariner from 1946-1953 when he left active duty service as a lieutenant and continued his service as a reservist until 1961. The Seawolf-class submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) and the newly renamed Carter Hall are named after him.
