 The school, like the city, was named after Stephen Decatur, Jr. one of the great naval heroes of the post-Revolutionary War era.He battled pirates off the Barbary coast of Africa (twice), fought in the War of 1812, and at 25, is still the youngest person ever to achieve the rank of Captain in the history of the U.S. Navy.He eventually attained the rank of Commodore (a flag officer rank roughly equivalent to Rear Admiral) but was killed in a duel with a fellow naval officer.