(Photo: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Trace Gorsuch / U.S. Navy)
By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach
A 2021 Knoxville High School graduate is now serving aboard one of the Navy’s newest warships.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Kolby Ryan, a native of Knoxville, Illinois, serves as a mineman aboard the littoral combat ship USS Oakland, homeported in San Diego, California.
“Growing up in a small town, I learned how important it is to make strong friendships in your life,” Ryan said.
Ryan joined the Navy four years ago for the opportunities, travel, and to follow in his brother Tanner’s footsteps (Tanner serves in the Marine Corps).
“My proudest accomplishment is going overseas to Bahrain and learning new cultures,” Ryan said. “Early in my career I earned two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and it’s helped me take on leadership roles aboard the ship.”
The USS Oakland is a fast, agile Littoral Combat Ship designed to operate in near-shore environments and can deploy unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles. The ship operates worldwide to protect and promote American interests.
Ryan credits his family and lifelong friends back home for their continued support.
“Serving in the Navy has taught me how to work through hard times and better myself as a person,” he added.
