By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist John Osborne, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Photo Courtesy Navy Office of Community Outreach
SAN DIEGO - Lt. Patrick McInerney, a native of Annapolis, Maryland, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21 (HSC-21) at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California.
McInerney graduated from Archbishop Spalding High School in 2017 and from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Annapolis.
“Sports taught me the value of hard work and being part of a team,” McInerney said. “My high school was also challenging academically and competitive in sports, which showed me how to handle long days over and over. Additionally, coming from a big family taught me to take on responsibility and how to always keep a positive attitude.”
McInerney joined the Navy four years ago. Today, McInerney serves as a pilot.
“I grew up in Annapolis very close to the Naval Academy,” McInerney said. “I wasn’t very creative, and it seemed like an incredible opportunity if I could get accepted. My dad aslo served in the Navy and was a role model for me.”
The “Blackjacks” of HSC 21 fly and maintain the MH60-S Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s most advanced rotary wing maritime platform. Their missions include Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Combat Logistics and Medevac.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
McInerney has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud of graduating from the Academy, earning my ‘Wings’ and being able to fly with friends in other communities,” McInerney said.
McInerney serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve,” McInerney said. “As a Catholic, being able to serve is a meaningful, really fun and extremely gratifying experience.”
McInerney is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I’d like to thank my parents, Joe and Ellen, who gave me the love and support as a kid that gave me the confidence to be successful and take on the challenges of work,” McInerney said. “I also want to thank my siblings, Danny, Liam, a 2025 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Aidan, a junior at the Academy, Maggie and Finn.”
