PORTAGE, Ind. —The new USS Indianapolis will be commissioned at an Indiana port.
The Port of Indiana – Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan will host the ship’s commissioning ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 26.
The USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship designed for warfare in areas close to shore. The LCS can be used in various roles, including anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and minesweeping.
The USS Indianapolis is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel since World War I to bear the name of Indiana’s capital city.
The first Indianapolis was a steamer commissioned into the Navy in 1918.
The saga of the second USS Indianapolis, a cruiser, is well known. After delivering components of the atomic bomb to the island of Tinian, the cruiser was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine on July 30, 1945. About 880 survivors were stranded in the Phillippine Sea; most of them died of exposure or were eaten by sharks.
“The future USS Indianapolis honors more than a city, it pays tribute to the legacy of those who served during the final days of World War II on board USS Indianapolis,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “This ship will continue the proud legacy of service embodied in the name Indianapolis.“
The third Indianapolis was a Los Angeles-class submarine that served from 1980 to 1988.
“It is a great honor to celebrate and commemorate the lives of all who have served on the first three Indianapolis ships. The USS Indianapolis will be a proud representation of the spirit of service embodied in the lives those of us who have called Indiana and Indianapolis our home,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Anyone interested in attending the ceremony can visit ussindianapolislcs17.org for more information.
Watch the launch of the USS Indianapolis
(Photo by the US Navy.)
