Due to COVID-19 limitations, 400 guests attended the socially distanced ceremony for the littoral combat ship named in honor of the city in which it was built.

The Honorable Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator of Alabama, delivered the ceremony’s principal address.

“The United States has been the greatest source of good in the history of the world and we will continue to be a force for good because of the brave men and women that we have here today,” said Tuberville.

Guest speakers for the event also included the Honorable Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama, the Honorable Sandy Stimpson, Mayor of Mobile and the Honorable James Geurts performing the duties of the Undersecretary of the Navy.

“The ships that this city has built are literally sailing on every ocean right now,” said Geurts, referencing ship manufacturer Austal USA, based in Mobile, Alabama.

Mrs. Rebecca Byrne, president and chief executive officer of The Community Foundation of South Alabama and wife of former U.S. Representative of Alabama Bradley Byrne, provided remarks as the ship’s sponsor.

“We have the distinction of the USS Mobile being built and commissioned in its namesake city here in the historic port of Mobile,” said Byrne. “We welcome the ship to the United States fleet that bears our great name and comes on great Navy tradition.”

During the ceremony, Mobile’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Christopher W. Wolff, reported the ship ready and Byrne gave the traditional order to “Man our ship and bring her to life!”

“The commissioning of the fleet’s newest warship is an awesome occasion and with it comes the equally awesome responsibility to prepare ourselves to go forward and conduct our nation’s business,” said Wolff.

The ceremony completed a weeklong series of events celebrating the ship and its namesake city. USS Mobile is the fifth ship named in honor of the port city on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Mobile will homeport in San Diego with sister ships USS Independence (LCS 2), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Montgomery (LCS 8), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), USS Omaha (LCS 12), USS Manchester (LCS 14), USS Tulsa (LCS 16), USS Charleston (LCS 18), USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), USS Kansas City (LCS 22), and USS Oakland (LCS 24).

The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments while capable of open-ocean tasking. The LCS can support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit DVIDS - Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

For additional information about the ship, visit USS Mobile (LCS 26).