Carlos Del Toro could have picked any name.

In explaining his choice for one of the Navy’s newest ships, the secretary of the Navy repeated Travis Manion’s reason why he would return to Iraq for a second combat tour in December 2006 — a decision that resulted in his death on a patrol five months later.

“Speaking to his family about his decision to deploy once more to a combat zone, 1st Lt. Manion simply stated, ‘If not me, then who?’” Del Toro said.

Those words helped explain why hundreds of people — Manion’s family, former classmates, two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired admirals, generals and others — filled part of a Naval Academy hall on a bitterly cold afternoon to hear Del Toro honor the 26-year-old Marine Corps officer’s life.

“Wherever she sails, the USS Travis Manion will be a symbol of courage, bravery and self-sacrifice,” Del Toro said.

There’s a long tradition of naming Navy ships. Aircraft carriers, for example, are generally named for presidents or members of Congress. Presidents and Navy secretaries set aside the rules over the years, usually with good reason, but often to various degrees of complaint.

Naming ships for heroes, though, is almost always applauded.

“A name is so much more than a name,” said Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, superintendent of the Naval Academy. “It’s the spirit of the ship.”

Those who spoke Friday included retired Marine Col. Tom Manion, who talked about his family’s decision to create the Travis Manion Foundation. Plenty of people in the audience wore bracelets, scarves and other symbols of support sold by the group as fundraisers.

The foundation, run by Manion’s family and those of others killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, helps veterans and the families of servicemen and women killed in uniform. It also works to build character in young people.

Manion hoped the new San Antonio-class amphibious docking ship — a $1.7 billion vessel that bridges Navy and Marine operations — would spread his son’s legacy further.

“Marines will learn his story and share it with others. That’s an honor I could never imagine when we lost him almost 18 years ago,” he said. “As a father, it’s humbling to know that your son’s legacy will be remembered for years to come.”

The ceremony for the Manion was one of two Friday at the academy, and both were filled with ceremonial flourishes. White-gloved sailors and Marines in dress uniform stood by as high-ranking officers took the stage, accompanied by bells rung according to their rank.

Even the cakes served afterward played a role. A sailor serving slices explained his secret to making them — “Navy pride, sir.”

In a morning ceremony, Del Toro announced the name of a new class of surveillance ships. The first two Walsh-class ships will be named for legendary Navy deep sea explorer Don Walsh and fellow Navy oceanographer Victor Vescovo.

In 1960, Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard were the first to descend seven miles into Challenger Deep, the deepest spot on Earth. Vescovo, a Navy reserve officer, expanded on Walsh’s work and dove to the deepest parts of five oceans.

“We remind you of the immense courage it took to descend to the depths of the ocean, the courage it takes every day to protect and preserve the world’s oceans and their resources,” Del Toro said.

A Naval Academy graduate who served 20 years in uniform, Del Toro has gotten plenty of criticism, usually from conservatives, for past naming decisions. He ordered the removal of Confederate names from Navy ships and facilities.

An aide said to expect “lots” more names before he leaves office Jan. 20.

It will be hard to argue with his choice of Manion.

Others who spoke Friday included Midshipman Maggie Borek, Manion’s niece and now a first-year student at the academy. She talked about growing up hearing his story, and meeting his classmates and friends.

“And they watched me put on the same uniform he wore,” she said.

Manion’s “If not me, then who?” explanation resonated with others who responded to the call for military service in the days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“It’s not just that it resonates, it’s what everyone feels,” said Lt. Cmdr. Josh Angichiodo, head of the Travis Manion Foundation Annapolis Chapter and a 2006 academy grad. “It’s a simple concept to rally behind. It’s self-explanatory.”

Manion graduated from Annapolis in 2004 — 50 years after Walsh. He was quickly deployed to Iraq as a Marine infantry officer and volunteered to serve again after returning home.

As part of the 1st Recon Battalion, Manion was stationed near Fallujah in April 2007, site of the bloodiest battle during the post-9/11 wars. While searching a suspected insurgent’s house, members of his patrol were attacked and some were injured.

According to the Marines, Manion was killed while drawing fire away from the wounded while they were being rescued. His action was credited with saving the lives of every member of his patrol, and he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor.

A year after his death, Manion’s mother, Janet, and his father started The Travis Manion Foundation. Its biggest fundraiser is the 9/11 Heroes Run staged every September in Annapolis.

Volunteers run programs at St. Mary’s School and Archbishop Spalding High School, both private schools in Anne Arundel County, and at Broadneck High near Annapolis.

The foundation is expanding into Baltimore City schools this year. One current program is a monthly meeting with student-athletes from Baltimore at Under Armor House, an educational center at the Inner Harbor.

“We go into a school and we go into one of 24 character traits, such as hope, love, humility, zest and service,” Angichiodo said. “It’s all based on the concept of positive psychology.”