Committee Has Big Plans For January 16 Independence Commissioning; "Huge Celebration"
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009(Mobile) - A volunteer group of civic-minded individuals and Navy supporters are planning a huge celebration to mark the official commissioning of the Mobile-built USS Independence January 16, 2010.
Plans are in full swing by the USS Independence Commissioning Committee for a series of high-profile events, including a boat parade, fireworks, a concert by the Navy Band and a military flyover, culminating with the traditional commissioning ceremonies.
The committee's intent is to showcase Mobile's hospitality and traditions, honor area veterans and honor the local work force that brought the ship to life.
Former Mayor of Mobile Mike Dow serves as chairman of the committee. "We are extremely excited. As of this morning, the Navy has confirmed the commissioning date of January 16. This is going to be the biggest party that Mobile has seen in a long time," Dow said, "and with good reason. The fact that the Independence was built here in Mobile is not only a source of pride, it also represents a significant economic impact for the region."
Dow noted that the Independence, which was built in the Mobile shipyard of Austal USA, represents the cutting edge of naval technology. "This ship, developed right here in Mobile, Alabama, is the future of naval warfare," Dow said.
The Independence, one of two models the Navy is considering for its next generation of littoral combat ships (LCS), is designed to operate in shallow, coastal areas. The ship is meant to be fast, highly maneuverable and equipped to support a variety of missions. The LCS will offer interchangeable "mission packages," which means that with "plug and play modules" and sailors trained to fill multiple roles, this new class of warship is the most versatile ever imagined.
"There's a lot of talk about how much money this project or that project might bring to the area's economy," Dow said. "But the economic impact of the Independence is here and now." Some 1,200 workers are employed at Austal USA, which has a contract with the Navy to build a second LCS, the USS Coronado, now under construction in Mobile. "Those are twelve hundred paychecks that are pumped into our economy every week," Dow said, "buying groceries, buying clothes, paying car notes and house notes." The Navy's investment in the Independence is more than $500 million. The Coronado is expected to cost more than $460 million.
Dow said that should the Navy select the Austal design for the remainder of LCSs to be built the economic impact would be "staggering," adding, "People just don't realize the importance of these ships."
The USS Independence Commissioning Committee intends to correct that.
"Mobilians have a tradition of getting behind projects," retired Navy Capt. Hal Pierce said. "Mobile has always been a great Navy town. We just need to get the word out about this. This is truly a historic occasion for Mobile. We've had ship commissionings here before, but we haven't commissioned a warship built in Mobile since World War II."
Pierce, who serves as Dow's chief of staff on the committee, pointed to the effort that brought the battleship USS Alabama to Mobile in 1964.
"School kids all across Alabama donated nickels and dimes to help bring the battleship home. They raised $100,000. That was a lot of money 45 years ago. We'd love to see an effort like that now."
Then, as now, corporate donors were needed to make up the difference. More than $1 million was donated by businesses for the battleship project. "We don't need anywhere near that kind of money," Pierce said, "But to put on the kind of world-class celebration that this deserves takes a lot of coordination and a lot of money. You're going to see a variety of ways that people can get involved and make donations in the next few weeks. We're reaching out not only to the Mobile community but to people all across America. We want all kinds of folks to get involved, from military and veterans organizations to patriotic groups to civic organizations. Stay tuned, it's going to be great."
For more information: contact Scott Rye at (251) 476-1283 or scott@redsquareagency.com
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