A COMMISSIONING DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR A NEW SUBMARINE THAT WILL BE KNOWN AS THE U.S.S. IOWA.
THE VIRGINIA-CLASS ATTACK NUCLEAR SUBMARINE IS SET TO BE FORMALLY COMMISSIONED SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH AT THE NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON IN GROTON, CONNECTICUT.
NAVAL, CIVIC, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL SPEAK AT THE EVENT WHICH WILL BE HELD PIER SIDE AND IN FRONT OF AN ESTIMATED TWO THOUSAND ATTENDEES.
THE SHIP’S SPONSOR, CHRISTIE VILSACK, FORMER IOWA FIRST LADY, WILL ALSO ATTEND.
U.S.S. IOWA WILL BE THE 24TH VIRGINIA-CLASS SUBMARINE, MOST OF WHICH ARE NAMED FOR STATES.
THIS U.S.S. IOWA WILL BECOME THE FOURTH SHIP TO BEAR THE NAME OF THE HAWKEYE STATE.
THE MOST RECENT WAS AN ICONIC BATTLESHIP THAT SERVED FROM 1942 TO 1949 DURING WORLD WAR TWO AND AGAIN FROM 1951 TO 1958 IN THE KOREAN WAR AND FINALLY FROM 1984 TO 1990 WHEN SHE WAS OFFICIALLY DECOMMISSIONED.
THAT SHIP NOW SERVES AS A MUSEUM IN LOS ANGELES.
THE COMMISSIONING EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER TICKETING IS REQUIRED AND STRICTLY CONTROLLED BY
THE US NAVY.
PLEASE VISIT http://www.SSN797.com FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING ATTENDING THE COMMISSIONING CEREMONY.
PHOTO COURTESY U.S. NAVY