Castle Shannon native participates in world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise

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By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist John Osborne, Navy Office of Community Outreach

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Lt. j.g. Zachary McKay, a native of Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, serves aboard USS Fitzgerald, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of San Diego, California, and participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

McKay graduated from Keystone Oaks High School in 2017 and Penn State University in 2021.

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

“I learned early in high school through band and track that being on time is important and early is better, which is key to success in the military,” said McKay. “Honesty is always paramount and having integrity and a sense of responsibility has also served me well, especially since I have the lives of others in my hands.”

McKay joined the Navy three years ago. Today, McKay serves as a navigator.

“I joined primarily because it was a straightforward way to give back to a country that has given so much to me,” said McKay. “It also lives up to my family’s ideals of service. My grandfathers served in World War II, one was a Marine who actually fought at Iwo Jima.”

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