U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dedicate Survey Vessel in Honor of Groves High Graduate

On June 12, 2025, community members gathered at the Savannah District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Depot on Hutchinson Island to witness the dedication of three new Survey Vessels. Those vessels were named and dedicated in honor of three service members who were born and raised in Georgia and lost their lives in the line of duty. The three men being honored were:

·         Army Sergeant First Class John C. Beale of Riverdale

·         Army Sergeant Tyrone L. Chisholm of Savannah

·         Army Staff Sergeant Dustin M. Wright of Lyons

Army Sergeant Tyrone Chisholm grew up in Fellwood Homes and was a graduate of Groves High School where he played varsity basketball and was the first member of his family to complete high school.

He attended Savannah State University for a couple of years before deciding to follow in his brother’s footsteps and join the military. He was on his second tour in Iraq when he was killed by a roadside bomb on November 11, 2005, at the age of 27.

Among those gathered for the ceremony were family members of the three men being honored, along with the current principal of Groves High School. The Groves High JROTC unit was honored to present the flag at the ceremony. A representative of each family spoke about their loved one and then ceremonially christened the vessel bearing their name with local waters. Sergeant Chisolm’s older brother, retired Sgt. 1^st Class Frederick Wilson, spoke about his brother’s memory.

For an article published on the USACE website he said, “Tyrone’s legacy is truly inspirational. The fact that something is being dedicated in his honor—and it’s happening right in Savannah, where the community once rallied to name a street after him—that’s powerful. That’s history. When I got that call from the Corps of Engineers, I knew his impact was still alive. After 20 years, people are still saying his name. That kind of legacy doesn’t happen unless you’ve truly made a difference.”

The three new hydrographic survey vessels will serve as a lasting tribute to the sacrifice and service of each of these men whose names they bear. They will support a variety of missions required of the Corps, including surveys to assess channel conditions, monitoring dredging activities, and underwater obstacle detection. They will also transport staff and equipment to project sites.

According to USACE information, all three vessels will play a vital role across the Savannah District’s area of responsibility, which includes key waterways such as the Savannah and Brunswick harbors as well as the161mile stretch of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along Georgia’s coast. The Chisholm is the only one of the three outfitted with a bow gate, which is a ramp for loading and unloading cargo and personnel from the vessel to shore. This feature allows it to be used as a landing craft.

See more photos from the vessel dedication here.