USS Detroit Commissioning Date Is Official - Oct 22, 2016
DETROIT, Aug. 17, 2016 -- It's official!! Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has officially confirmed the October 22, 2016 date for the commissioning of USS Detroit. The ship will arrive in Detroit on Friday the 14th for eight days of tours, VIP visits, celebrations and other events with the actual commissioning ceremony taking place on Saturday the 22nd.
Following its commissioning, the ship will make its first international port call when it sails across the Detroit River on Monday, October 24th to spend four days in Windsor, Ontario.
"A lot of people have put a lot of effort into planning and activities for this historic event, and although we've been focused on the date for some time, the Secretary of the Navy's announcement makes it official – and that's a huge relief for everyone involved," said John Peracchio, Chair, and USS Detroit Commissioning Committee.
Numerous Events to be Held the 14th through the 22nd
Numerous events, activities and commemorative activities are planned for the ship's visit in Detroit as well as in Windsor. The public is encouraged to visit the websites of these cities, as well as the official commissioning committee website and Facebook pages for event schedules, changes and updates – including tickets to the commissioning ceremony.
"The actual event is scheduled for the morning of Saturday the 22nd on the GM Riverwalk at the Renaissance Center, and seating is limited," said Peracchio. "Tickets are free to the public, and interested persons can sign up by visiting the website."
Scheduled Events Include Something for Everyone
From arrival to departure, the USS DETROIT's Commissioning Week schedule is chock-full of activities for the crew, sponsors and public. Following Welcoming Ceremonies on the ship's arrival, other activities will include: Navy Band performances, tours, luncheons, group visits and receptions.
"The GM Riverwalk will be abuzz with excitement for a week, culminating in the Commissioning Ceremony, after which USS DETROIT will depart for Windsor," Peracchio said. "It's truly going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event."
About USS Detroit and the USS Detroit Commissioning Committee
A Freedom-class littoral combat ship, the new, high-tech USS DETROIT is the sixth U.S. Navy warship to bear the city's name. She is a fast, agile ship designed for a variety of missions in coastal waters as well as humanitarian relief missions. Capable of open ocean operations, her modular design supports interchangeable mission packages, which will allow the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions as-needed.
A previous USS DETROIT (CL 8), a light cruiser, was one of the few ships to get underway during the attack on Pearl Harbor and earned six Battle Stars during WWII. She was moored with the battleship USS MISSOURI during the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay in 1945.
The new USS DETROIT was launched and christened on October 18, 2014 by Mrs. Barbara Levin, the ship's sponsor and wife of long serving, retired United States Senator Carl Levin, during ceremonies at the Marinette Marine Shipyard. The USS DETROIT will be commissioned on the Detroit, Mich., waterfront on October 22, 2016.
For more information about the USS DETROIT, sponsorship opportunities and the USS DETROIT Commissioning Committee, visit: www.www.ussdetroitlcs7.com. For USS DETROIT wearables, gifts and memorabilia, visit the official website or go directly to: www.ussdetroitwebstore.com.
Media Contact:
CAPT Gordon Cole, USN (Ret.)
P2R Associates
USS DETROIT Commissioning Committee
248-207-0525
gcole@p2rassociates.com
SOURCE USS Detroit Commissioning Committee
RELATED LINKShttp://www.ussdetroitlcs7.com
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