7/13/2009
Shipbuilder holds keel ceremony
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| U.S. Congresswoman Kay Granger speaks during a ceremony to “lay the keel” of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 3 at Marinette Marine on Saturday. Granger’s home district includes Fort Worth, Texas, which the LCS will be named for when completed in 2010. At right is Richard McCreary, president/CEO/general manager of Marinette Marine. EagleHerald/Zac Britton |
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By ZAC BRITTON
EagleHerald staff writer
MARINETTE - U.S. Congresswoman Kay Granger liked the perfect weather displayed in northeastern Wisconsin Saturday.
The Republican representative for the 12th District in Texas is expected to be back often over the coming months, opening her sponsorship of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 3 at Marinette Marine by helping lay the keel on the vessel to be called Fort Worth.
"It's been a wonderful day," said Granger of Fort Worth, which the 377-foot vessel will be named. "I didn't know about the initials were going to be welded until I got here. It's very exciting. It's been wonderful."
The brief ceremony, which included representatives from ship designer Lockheed Martin, U.S. Navy, Congressman Steve Kagen (D-Appleton) and Marinette Marine, closed with Granger's initials being welded onto a steel plate that will be placed on the LCS 3.
Granger was one of the final speakers, standing at a podium placed in front a ship module decorated with the Texas state flag. She briefly recounted her days as mayor of Fort Worth and its local military ties, then telling a story of how the region petitioned the Navy to name a vessel after it.
"We even had schoolchildren painting pictures and send letters and finally, after 62,000 letters were sent, I received a call from the Secretary of the Navy," explained Granger, drawing a few laughs. "He said 'Kay, we understand that there's interest in (naming a ship after Fort Worth). We've got that, but there's also other criteria for it.'"
Granger concluded her remarks, marking her initials on the plate before a Marinette Marine welder made her sponsorship permanent. She and Kagen, along with key representatives with the U.S Navy and Lockheed Martin, also received small sample pieces of steel topped with a glass engraving for the occasion.
The ceremony, changed from the days of building ships with wooden keels but considered no less important, is anticipated to be one of many in Marinette
"We're very enthused about how (Marinette Marine is) doing so far on the next ship," said James Murdoch, a captain in the U.S Navy that serves as the LCS program manager. "We are looking at this point at a very large class - 55 ships - and Marinette will be a key shipyard in building that class. We're really trying to build one after the other after the other."
The Marinette shipyard has already been responsible for the first member of the LCS fleet Freedom, which was commissioned in November 2008.
"This will be the second built here at Marinette and certainly not be the last, if we have anything to do with it," said Richard McCreary, president/CEO/general manager at Marinette Marine. "These are important ships for our nation and we have every intent of building at least our half here in Marinette."
That means a few more trips from Granger, including for the christening and launching of the Fort Worth. The vessel is expected to be finished in 2010, completing trials and commissioned in 2012.
"I'll be making more trips here," assured Granger, who serves on the Defense Appropriations Committee among other responsibilities in Washington D.C. "I came at the right time, the weather is gorgeous."
Zac Britton can be reached at 715-735-6611 Ext. 146 or zbritton@eagleherald.com
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