Sailors Bring Three Ships to Life

The commissioning ceremony is one of the most significant milestones in the life of a Navy ship. Recently, three new ships joined the Navy's fleet with their respective commissioning ceremonies in New York, Boston and Milwaukee.

The newest guided missile destroyer USS John Basilone was commissioned during a ceremony in New York, Nov. 9, 2024, which featured naval officers, distinguished guests, the two ship sponsors and Marines and sailors.

The vessel became the second U.S. naval ship to honor Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, the only enlisted Marine to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross during World War II.

During the week leading up to the commissioning, the ship's crew studied Basilone's legacy, including his heroic actions at Guadalcanal and his ultimate sacrifice at Iwo Jima.

Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro, who spoke at the ceremony, paid tribute to Basilone's service to the nation and reminded the crew of the value of service.

"Service is not an obligation, it is a privilege, a chance to be part of something greater than ourselves and uphold the values that define us as a nation," del Toro said.

The vessel joins the fleet as part of the Navy's surface warfare backbone, equipped with dual helicopter hangars and advanced capabilities for anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare operations.

In a separate ceremony in Boston, Nov. 16, 2024, the Navy commissioned the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Nantucket, with the vessel positioned stern-to-stern with the USS Constitution, the Navy's oldest commissioned ship.

The USS Nantucket, commanded by Navy Cmdr. Kari Yakubisin, will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, where it will serve as a fast, agile platform designed for nearshore environments and equipped with advanced weapons systems. A week later, sailors gave life to a third Navy vessel, the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Beloit, in another commissioning ceremony. As a ship sponsor nominated by del Toro, retired Army Maj. Gen. Marcia M. Anderson gave the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life." Anderson, who became the first African American woman to earn the rank of major general in 2011, hails from Beloit, Wisconsin.

The USS Beloit is the 15th Freedom-variant littoral combat ship commissioned in the Navy and the first to be commissioned in naval service to bear this namesake.

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