Wisconsin ships more than just cheese
D. A. Sharpe
Aurora, TX
December 6, 2010
The
U.S Navy has been developing a new fighting ship to be the most mobile, fastest
and versatile fighting ship to date.
The Littoral Combat Ship has had two editions made so far, the Freedom and the Independence. The
third ship is the LCS 3, which is being named after Fort Worth, the first of
these ships to be named for a city.
Our, Congressional Representative Kay Granger, former mayor of Fort Worth, was instrumental in wining for
Fort Worth the honor of being named as one of these new high tech fighting
vessels. The USS Fort Worth has been under construction for some 20 months, and
the 3,000 ton $480 million ship, at 80% completion, was now ready for
Christening and launching into the water on this December 4, 2010 at the
Lockheed Martin facilities on the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin. The River empties out into Green
Bay. Ultimately the USS Fort Worth will sail out through
Green Bay into Lake Michigan, then through the Erie Canal through to the
Atlantic Ocean. Its most likely homeport
later will be San Diego.
Activities
for this historic event took place on Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4. Many months ago the USS
Fort Worth Committee was formed through the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce to
promote the naming of the new ship after Fort Worth and to be a catalyst for
plans of ceremonies and events that would take place as a show of support by
the Metropolitan Fort Worth citizens. Former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, and a
long time Tarrant and Parker County businessman in the automobile industry,
heads the Committee.
There
were 100 citizens from Fort Worth and surrounding counties who were selected to
attend the Christening events.
A Lockheed Airlines aircraft (a B737-700) took 60 of us on a flight of truly
first class experience. We
departed Alliance Airport in Fort Worth early Friday morning and arrived in
Wisconsin around noon.
My
presence in the group was as leader of a five-member contingent of Admirals in
the Texas Navy Association, specifically of the Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
Squadron of the Texas Navy. We
were able to have our spouses with us.
Actually two of the Admirals are married to each other. So, our Texas Navy group was eight of
the 100. Those Admirals were
Robert Callanan, Robson Ranch, Denton County; Jack Dyess, Diane Bransom-Dyess and
Jim Sutton, all of Haltom City, Tarrant County; and myself, hailing from
Aurora, Wise County. All three Haltom City Admirals are
members or former members of the Haltom City Council. Admiral Callanan is the immediate Past Vice President of the
Texas Navy Association. I am the
Executive Officer of the Nimitz Squadron.
We
were taken to the Lockheed Martin Ship Yards for the Mast Stepping
ceremonies. That is an occasion
whereby various coins and memorabilia are put into a metal container, which is
then welded under the first step on the mast of the ship as a gesture of good
fortune. There were perhaps 1,000 in attendance for this.
After
that, we returned to the hotel for a Reception to honor Representative Kay
Granger, who was named the shipÕs sponsor for it s lifetime of service and even after it's de-commissioned! Then we were bussed to a country club
where a magnificent meal was laid out before us. There was an evening of speeches by various luminaries who
are part of this whole process.
The
second day of the weekend was all about the USS
Fort Worth Christening. We had
an early start from the hotel Saturday morning, as the ceremonies were to begin
at 10:00 AM (ten hundred hours for the language of the military people). We gathered in a huge hanger, which
seemed as though it had 1,500 or more people in it. There was an extensive agenda of speakers making
remarks. Two Wisconsin Congressmen
spoke as well as our own Kay Granger.
Several military people of high rank spoke, as well as executives from
the Lockheed - Martin team of contractors who built this marvelous ship.
The
Littoral Combat Ship is the smallest ship in the arsenal of the US Navy. However, as you stand near it, it seems
huge. Its length is 489 feet and
its height is 113 feet from keel to the top of the mast. It has two gasoline turbine engines and
two diesel engines. The ship is
not powered with the traditional blade, but rather by jets streams of water
being forced out the rear of the ship.
Over 100,000 horsepower is generated, enabling the shipÕs speeds at over
40 knots per hour (thatÕs over 46 miles per hour). Actually, the real horsepower and speed are classified and
obviously are greater than these published figures.
The
climatic event of the weekend was departing the hanger and gathering at the pier
where the USS Fort Worth was dry
docked, waiting to be Christened and launched into the Menominee River. A very high scaffolding rig was
present to enable Representative Granger and the three Matrons of Honor (her
daughter and her two daughters-in-law) and a couple of Naval personnel and
Lockheed officials to be at the level suitable for crashing the traditional
bottle of Champagne. The act was
accomplished efficiently and without any snags. Immediately after the broken bottle was smashed on the
bow, the ship started its slow, but rapidly increasing slide off to the side
and into the River.
The
awesome feeling one had, standing close by as we spectators were, was almost
overwhelming. To see such a
large mass as this ship, seemingly toppling over into the River was breath
taking. Amazingly, the ship
righted it self like a fishing cork with no trouble at all!
Various
significants concluded the awe-inspiring day after the busses returned us to
the Country Club for a final lunch and round of accolades and remarks. Rear Admiral David Lewis commented that
heÕd never seen a ship Christening take place that had as much enthusiasm and
expressed support from the home area after which it was being named. Fort Worth and area truly
represented itself well in this gracious and strong show of support for our US
Navy and its mission to defend our nation.
The
next 15 months or so will be a testing time and the completing of equipping the
ship with all the high tech equipment and weaponry needed. The actual Commissioning with the first
crew and the shipÕs first mission will be in mid-2012. The USS Fort Worth Committee of citizens continues to work for its
namesake, seeking to have the Commissioning take place in Texas. Many, many more Texans could be present
for that.
Other
activities are taking place to enhance the future of Fort WorthÕs association
with the crew and its captains.
The Ephraim M. Daggett Chapter in Fort Worth of the Sons of the Republic
of Texas is studying a plan to award best sailors each year in some way. ItÕs my honor to be on that
committee. My Nimitz Squadron also
is studying a plan to give a replica of the 1836 Colt Revolver to the
ship. The Texas Navy of the
Republic of Texas was the first military organization to purchase ColtÕs
revolutionary new handgun.
Citizens are developing scholarships and other continuing
activities. Friends, this USS Fort Worth ship is really a BIG
DEAL!
The author:
Dwight Albert Sharpe
805 Derting Road East
Aurora, TX 76078-3712
H: 817-638-5560
C: 817-504-6508