BOSTON (AP) — The U.S.S. Constitution has named one of its cannons in honor of the first woman to serve as a chief petty officer in the Navy. The 24-pound long gun was named Perfectus after Loretta Perfectus Walsh during a ceremony in Boston on Sunday. Walsh was sworn in as the Navy’s first chief petty officer on March 21, 1917. Four of the warship’s female crew members gave a presentation on the significance of Walsh’s service and how it pave they way for their own service. The U.S.S Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat. The ceremony was part of Women's History Month.
AP
This 1917 photo released by the U.S. Navy shows the Navy's first female Chief Petty Officer Loretta Perfectus Walsh, who enlisted in 1917. On Sunday, March 21, 2021, one of the cannons aboard the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat, was named "Perfectus" in honor of Walsh. (U.S. Navy via AP)
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