Ship Ceremonies
Commissioning of USS Delaware (SSN 791)
WILMINGTON, Delaware (April 2, 2022) – President of the United States Joe Biden speaks with Sea Cadets following a following a commissioning commemoration ceremony for the Virginia-class submarine USS Delaware (SSN 791) in Wilmington, Delaware April 2, 2022. The initial commissioning took place administratively in April 2020 due...
USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. Commissions
CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 14, 2022) Sailors march during the commissioning of the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) in Charleston, S.C., May 14, 2022. Lt. General Petersen served in Korea and Vietnam during his career and his legacy is carried...
USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul Commissions
DULUTH, Minnesota (May 21, 2021) Sailors salute the audience during the commissioning ceremony of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) in Duluth, Minnesota. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the second U.S. Navy warship to honor the Twin Cities. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class...
Navy Commissions USS Oregon (SSN 793)
GROTON, Connecticut (May 28, 2022) – Crewmembers attached to the Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Oregon (SSN 793) man the ship during a commissioning ceremony in Groton, Conn., May 28, 2022. SSN 793, the third U.S Navy ship launched with the name Oregon and first in more than a century,...
CNO Delivers Remarks at Christening Ceremony for Future USS Jack H. Lucas
A bottle is smashed against the hull of the future Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) at the ship’s christening ceremony in Pascagoula, Mississippi, March 26. Lucas is the first Flight III guided-missile destroyer, and will be equipped with the most advanced technology and weapons systems. (U.S. Navy...
USS Savannah Commissioned in Georgia
BRUNSWICK, Ga., (Feb. 5, 2022) Sailors assigned to Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) man the rails during Savannah’s commissioning ceremony. Savannah is the Navy’s 14th Independence-variant littoral combat ship. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James S. Hong) (Article...
Future USS Carl M. Levin Christened
Erica Levin, left, Kate Levin Markel, center, and Laura Levin, the daughters of late Sen. Carl M. Levin, D-Michigan, smash sparkling wine bottles to christen a warship named for the senator, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F....
LCS Santa Barbara Christened
Ship sponsor Lolita Zinke christens the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32). AUSTAL USA (This article originally appears courtesy of Seapower Magazine) Austal USA hosted the christening ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) Independence-variant littoral combat ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard Oct. 16, the company said in...
USNS Harvey Milk Christened in San Diego
(This article originally appears courtesy of navy.mil) Fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the Military Sealift Command’s newest ship, was christened during a ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. The event was attended by the family of the ship’s namesake as well...
Submarine New Jersey Christened
Crew members of pre-commissioning unit New Jersey (SSN 796) attended the christening ceremony Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 at Newport News Shipbuilding division. (HII) (Original article appears courtesy of the Daily Press) Sponsor Susan DiMarco needed two swings of a bottle of sparkling wine to christen the Navy’s next attack...
Future USNS Apalachicola Christened
Austal USA christened Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF-13) USNS Apalachicola during a ceremony at its state-of-the-art ship manufacturing facility on Nov. 13. AUSTAL USA (Original article appears courtesy of Seapower Magazine) Austal USA christened Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF-13) USNS Apalachicola during a ceremony at its state-of-the-art ship manufacturing facility Nov. 13, the...
USS Marinette Christened
Ship Sponsor, The Honorable Jennifer Granholm breaks a bottle of sparkling wine on the bow of LCS 25 during the christening ceremony for the future USS Marinette. (Lockheed Martin photograph) (Original article appears courtesy of Lockheed Martin) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 25, the future USS Marinette, completed its...
USS Daniel Inouye Commissioned at Pearl Harbor
The crew of the Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer, USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), man the rails during the commissioning ceremony of USS Daniel Inouye. Homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, DDG 118 is the first U.S. Navy warship to honor the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye, a U.S....
Navy Commissions USS Kansas City
Tracy Davidson, the ship sponsor of USS Kansas City (LCS 22), delivers the order to man the ship and bring her to life during a commissioning commemoration ceremony in San Diego, Dec. 17, 2021. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Vance Hand) (Original article appears courtesy of Navy.mil) The Navy celebrated the...
Navy Christens USNS John Lewis (TAO 25)
Ship Sponsor Alfie Wooderd Chris (USNI News) (Originally article appears courtesy of USNI News) The first of the Navy’s new replenishment oilers was christened on Saturday. In a ceremony in San Diego, Calif., the Navy christened the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), the first ship in the service’s new class...
Navy Christens Future USS Hyman G. Rickover
210731-N-GR655-298 GROTON, Conn. (July 31, 2021) – Sarah Greenert McNichol, Matron of Honor for the future USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795), christens the ship during a ceremony at General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard facility in Groton, Conn., July 31, 2021. Rickover and crew will operate under...
Navy Christens USS Nantucket (LCS 27)
Ship sponsor Polly Spencer breaks a bottle during the christening ceremony (Lockheed Martin) (Original article appears courtesy of the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror) The USS Nantucket, the first U.S. Navy ship to be named after the island in more than 100 years, was christened Saturday in Marinette,...
Navy Christens LPD USS Fort Lauderdale
Official christening of amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). (Credit: Derek Fountain/HII) (Original appears courtesy of Naval Technology) Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has held the naming ceremony of the US Navy’s newest landing platform/dock (LPD) 28 at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The...
Navy Commissions USS Vermont (SSN 792)
210828-N-GR655-018 GROTON, Conn. (August 28, 2021) – The crew of the USS Vermont (SSN 792) stand at attention during a commissioning commemoration onboard Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., Aug. 28. Vermont and crew operate under Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) FOUR, whose primary mission...
Navy Lays Keel of Future USS Santa Barbara
MOBILE, Ala. (Oct. 28, 2020) Lolita Zinke, left, the sponsor of the future littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), welds her initials into the ship’s keel plate during a keel-laying ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, Oct. 27, 2020. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of...
Keel Laying Ceremony for future USS Massachusetts (SSN 798)
The initials of Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) Sheryl Sandberg were displayed at the ship’s keel authentication ceremony. Sandberg (center left) delivered pre-recorded remarks during the event, which marks the ceremonial start of construction. (Picture source Huntington Ingalls) (Original article appears courtesy of Navy Recognition) The Virginia-class attack submarine Massachusetts SSN 798...
Keel Laid for Future USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF 13)
(Photo Credit: Austal) (Original article appears courtesy of Naval Today) The future USNS Apalachicola is the second ship named in honor of the city of Apalachicola, Fla: the first, a large harbor tug (YTB-767), served from 1965 to 2002. The newbuild is part of the US Navy’s...
Keel Laid for Future USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr.
The future USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. (DDG 124) namesake, Col. Harvey “Barney” Barnum, Jr. (USMC, Ret.) (center) and his wife and ship sponsor, Martha Hill (left) monitor as Bath Iron Works welder Marty Fish (right) inscribes Col. Barnum’s signature onto the keel plate at General...
Keel Laid for Future USS Cleveland
A welder authenticates the keel of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 31, the future USS Cleveland, by welding the initials of the ship’s sponsor, Robyn Modly, wife of a Clevelander and former U.S. Navy secretary, who has embraced the city as her own. (LOCKHEED MARTIN) (Original article appears...
Navy Christens USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123)
Former Ingalls Shipbuiding President Brian Cuccias and DDG 123 Prospective Commanding Officer Douglas Brayton watch as ship sponsors Virginia Munford, Pickett Wilson and Louisa Dixon officially christen guided missile destroyer Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123). (Photo by Derek Fountain/HII)(Original article courtesy of Huntington Ingalls) Huntington Ingalls Industries...
Navy Christens USS Canberra (LCS 30)
The christening of the USS Canberra, LCS 30, at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, Saturday, June 5. (AUSTAL USA) (Original article appears courtesy of Seapower Magazine) Austal USA hosted the christening ceremony for the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) Independence-variant littoral combat ship on June 5, the company said in...
USS Oakland Commissioning
Oakland, Calif. (April 17, 2021) Oakland Mayor Libby Schaff provides opening remarks at the USS Oakland (LCS 24) commissioning ceremony. The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open ocean tasking. The LCS can support forward presence, maritime...
Navy Commissions USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5)
SAN DIEGO (May 8, 2021) The crew of the Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) salute guests during the ship’s commissioning ceremony. Miguel Keith is the Navy’s third purpose-built expeditionary sea base (ESB). While originally created to operate as a support ship under Military...
Navy Commissions Littoral Combat Ship USS Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. (May 22, 2021) – The crew of USS Mobile (LCS 26), man the ship during the commissioning ceremony of Mobile. Mobile is the Navy’s 13th Independence-variant littoral combat ship. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Millar/Released) (Original article appears courtesy of Navy.mil) The...
Keel Laying for Future USNS Harvey Milk
General Dynamics/NASSCO Original article appears courtesy of General Dynamics/Nassco. On Thursday, September 3, General Dynamics NASSCO laid the keel for the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the second of six vessels in the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler program for the U.S. Navy. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, and...