Grit and Tenacity
D. A. Sharpe
Aurora, TX
Grit and tenacity are the
words adorning the Crest of the USS Fort Worth,
the first United States Navy fighting ship to bear the name of our neighboring
city, Fort Worth, Texas! Its
journey to life, even before its naming, began some three years ago in Marinette, Wisconsin where the Marinette Marine Corporation in the Lockheed Martin
consortium starting building this ship known as LCS 3.
It stands for Littoral Combat Ship, the third ship in a series of a projected fifty-five $500,000,000 Littoral
Combat Ships, designed for high tech efficient maneuverability in shallow
inland waters around the continents of the world.
A slimmed-down crew of only
40 officers and sailors sail this ship.
All other classes of Navy ships use crews of 200 and more. Two crews rotate assignments known as
the Blue Crew and the Gold Crew. Each member of the crew undergoes
vigorous training for particular high-tech functions for over two years before
assuming duty on the ship. This
past Saturday, September 22, 2012 marked the delivery into full service of the
USS Fort Worth when we witnessed the ceremonies of the Commissioning into
service at Pier 21 in Galveston, Texas.
It also marked the climax of
a mighty community effort to cement the bonds of citizens in the Fort Worth
region to the ship and to its crew!
It is an honor with superlative virtue that often is not appreciated
fully, until people see what such a relationship with the defense of our nation
can mean. Each Naval ship has
a Sponsor, and the Sponsor of USS Fort Worth is our Congressional Representative
Kay Granger. This Fort Worth home town woman who has
given community leadership for Fort Worth as teacher, as business owner, as
City Council member, as Mayor of the City and as our Representative in Congress,
led the campaign to have the ship named for Fort Worth. This included working closely with a
Fort Worth icon, our own Gordon R. England, another native who has served the nation well in national
responsibilities, including being Secretary of the Navy twice, Deputy Secretary
of Defense and the first Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. It also including getting 50,000 school
children to make drawings of the LCS-3 ship mailed to the Navy in DC to show strong
intention of community support that could be expected!
The campaign bore the
leadership marks from then Mayor
Michael J. Moncrief, followed by
current Mayor Betsy Price. Fort Worth native Roger
Williams is the honorary Chairman of
The USS Fort Worth Committee.
Retired Navy Captain T. D. Smyers, long-time commander of the Fort Worth Naval Air
Station, is Committee Chairman.
The Wise County Messenger reported on the USS Fort Worth in depth with its
article on the Christening of the ship, published December 16, 2010. The almost two years intervening
were used in installing high tech equipment, testing it for proper operations
and sailing the ship in various conditions for confirmed seaworthiness. In its state of readiness, the ship was
prepared for the send-off celebrative weekend just experienced.
USS Fort Worth docked in
Galveston September 17 and opened almost immediately with tours for the public
to admire this superlative element in our national security. Friday evening kicked off the Black Tie
& Boots Gala in the Galveston Island Convention Center. Presentations by various
community groups were made for the two Commanders and Crew before a formally
attired guest list of 3,200.
Tuxedos and cocktail dresses were the motif of the evening, along with
cowboy boots and hats worn with the formality. The occasion captured the opportunity to
interface with Naval officers, the enlisted crew, as well as with numerous
elected, governmental, industrial and military officials.
The Gala began with the two
Naval Commanders, Warren Cupps
(Gold Crew) and Randy Blankenship (Blue Crew), escorting Ship Sponsor Kay Granger into the grand
ballroom. As Commanders Cupps and Blankenship
assumed position on center stage, Mark Kelsey, Commander of the Admiral Chester
W. Nimitz Squadron of the Texas Navy, appeared to present them with two personalized
Texas Stetson hats. The Texan
character of the Commanders then was established. The silk headliners inside bore a large
image of the Crest of the USS Fort Worth.
Several unique paintings and
various forms of artisan accomplishments and sculpture were presented to the
Commanders to receive on behalf of the Ship and the Crew.
Congressional member Kay
Granger gave a bronze
Sculpture, Grit and Tenacity, a Fort Worth Texas
Ranger mounted on his horse. It is
a unique creation, and a limited number will be cast by the
artist, the funds for which will benefit the USS Fort Worth Committee.
Dozens of specially
meaningful tokens were displayed on the front tables. The Sons of the Republic of Texas,
the Fort Worth Chapter, is planning an annual prize to be won by a
sailor-of-the-year selection made by the Commanders.
The Fort Worth-based Captain
Jeremiah Brown Squadron of the Texas
Navy gave an 1851 Texas Navy Colt Revolver replica on a plaque, with its
engraving commemorating the Battle of Campeche. That is the only maritime
battle between a Navy sailing ship and a Navy steam powered ship whereby the
sailing vessel was victorious, and it was won by our Texas
Navy! Also, the Republic of
Texas purchased for its Texas Navy Officers the first military order from Colt
for its original revolver in 1836.
Saturday began at 8
bells (8:00 AM) at the historic Galvez
Hotel. A Chairman provided continental breakfast
and briefing about logistics of the day were addressed to about 400 guests, all
of whom were transitioned at 9:30 AM in ten charter busses to Pier 21 for the
Commissioning site. Reserved
seating of about 700 chairs were in place on the pier,
with many visitors standing. The
covered pavilion in place at the starboard side of the ship (right) was the
central focus for the Commissioning contingent. Addresses began at 10:00 AM with much explanation
for the audience about what was being done and why. We thrilled to the raising of the
American Flag and the Commissioning Pennant Flag, following the charge by Representative Kay Granger, Man your ship, and bring her to life. It was an act of birth, bringing life to
the ship, realizing its assigned mission.
At the correct moment, the crew was sent charging up each end of the
ship to occupy their places. This
represented new life and new birth in the ship.
One aspect that struck
me favorably was the number of times speakers, especially the Navy personnel,
gave reference to the grace of God and His protection regarding the ship and
crew.
A football-sized
open-air tent in the parking area near the ship provided bar-b-cue lunch for
several thousand people, cheerfully and efficiently served by Queens
Bar-B-Cue caterers of Galveston. It has been a mainstay culinary resource
for 36 years. Our interview Sunday
with the proprietors reported their provision of 1,200 pounds of chopped beef as
well as bar-b-cue turkey, with beverages, chips and cookies. Suzanne and I had another delightful
lunch with them Sunday after church.
Almost 200 photographs
of the weekend are posted on the Facebook account at Dwight Albert Sharpe, for your viewing pleasure.
The next step for the
USS Fort Worth is to move from s assigned port of the San
Diego Naval Base. Over land, that is about 1,600 miles,
but the way our ship goes, through the Panama Canal, it is an 8,000-mile journey. My only question is, since the ship
operates in shallow water, and the Trinity River empties into Galveston Bay,
why could not our ship take a quick visit up Trinity
River to Fort Worth? Well, we all could dream! We bid farewell and the speed of God to
the crew and ship as we maintain our friendships for them in our hearts and
minds.
D. A. Sharpe
805 Derting Road East
Aurora, TX 76078-3712
C:
817-504-6508
H: 817-638-5560
