USS Green Bay

From the Green Bay Press. You have to be proud if you are from Green Bay of even if you are from Wisconsin.

Go USS Green Bay.

"USS Green Bay commissioned
Ceremony unites city, ship

BY KELLY MCBRIDE • kmcbride@greenbaypressgazette.com • January 25, 2009 " USS Green Bay commissioned | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

LONG BEACH, Calif. — At long last, the two Green Bays heard the triumphant call they'd been waiting for.

"Will the officers and crew of USS Green Bay man our ship and bring her to life!"

Ship sponsor Rose Magnus' rally cry — met with an enthusiastic "aye, aye!" — cemented forever the relationship between Green Bay and its namesake ship as the vessel was commissioned Saturday in Long Beach.

Represented were two Green Bay communities — one from Wisconsin that includes students, dignitaries and parents of the fallen — and another, newer community built around common ideals and love of country."Ship names provide a legacy to the sailors and Marines who sail on those ships," said deputy secretary of defense Gordon England, the ceremony's keynote speaker. "USS Green Bay represents the proud people of a vibrant city that upholds American values, and a tradition that has made its name synonymous with winning — traits it shares with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps."

The ship is the fourth in the new San Antonio class of amphibious transport dock ships. It is designed to transport Marines and equipment into the war zone.

Green Bay was well-represented at the commissioning, a 90-minute ceremony held in the shadow of the USS Green Bay, LPD-20. The immense gray ship was decked with flags and red, white and blue bunting for the ceremony, which drew about 5,000 people.

Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt sat on the raised platform facing the crowd, joining Magnus and Cmdr. Joe Olson among others.

"It's very exciting for the people on the ship," Schmitt said, "but this is a big deal for Green Bay, too. I think we take our sports seriously but boy, we take our military seriously as well.

"The people that are here wanted to be part of this and show the support from the city of Green Bay, the pride the city of Green Bay has and how honored we are to have the USS Green Bay carry our name."