Norfolk, Va.— The newest Virginia-class submarine, the USS California (SSN 781), joins the fleet with a crest designed by the father of one of the boat’s sailors.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class David Henley asked his father, Ken Henley, to submit a design for the logo contest. The entire command voted on the submitted logos and selected Henley’s as the winning design in late 2009.

“I’m very proud of him,” David Henley said. “The thing for me is that I can come down to the boat every day and I see the logo because it is on everything. The logo serves as a connection with my dad.”

Ken Henley said the seven stars in the logo represent the seven vessels named after California, the triangle represents the trident of King Neptune, the silver dolphins are the emblem of pride worn by all submariners and the grizzly bear is the state animal that shows strength. He also incorporated the state colors of California, blue and gold, the colors of the American flag and the Latin phrase “Silentium Est Aureum,” meaning “Silence is Golden.”

California was commissioned Oct. 29 at Naval Station Norfolk.

A World War II veteran who served on the USS Batfish (SS 310) was scheduled to pass the “long glass” to signify the start of the first watch during the commissioning ceremony. Joseph Cox, 86, the former national president of the U.S. Submarine Veterans Organization, was chosen for the time honored tradition. Cox has lived in California since 1935.

Commissioning committee members supporting the Minnesota (SSN 783) also attended the California’s commissioning to learn the nuances of a commissioning ceremony.

More than 20 future and current engineers visited the submarine prior to the commissioning for a familiarization tour.

Two future engineers from Sweet Briar College, an all-women’s liberal arts college located in Amherst, Va., and engineers from Northrop Grumman Corporation in Charlottesville, Va., toured the eighth ship in the Virginia-class to see how engineering efforts affect war-fighting operations.