The USS Fort Worth sets sail today for its new home port of San Diego. The Navy commissioned the Freedom-class littoral combat ship on Saturday at the Port of Galveston in Texas. (You'll find video of the commissioning ceremony at the top of this post.)
The USS Fort Worth has two rotational crews, the blue and the gold, according to U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs. The two crews work on a rotational basis. The ship has two commanding officers: Cmdr. Randy Blankenship heads up the blue crew, and Cmdr. Warren Cupps, the gold crew.
Cupps said at Saturday's commissioning ceremony:
"The Sailors you see before you manning the rails are truly the best and brightest America has to offer today. As the commissioning crews, these Sailors are the ones that set the culture, the standard, the reputation, and the personality of a ship. It took grit and tenacity to ensure Fort Worth’s survivability when it was just on an Army outpost on the Western frontier, and it will take grit and tenacity for these great Sailors to make Fort Worth successful throughout her life as a naval warship.”
Littoral combat ships are quick, easily maneuverable crafts designed for shallow waters.
