Hall said today is a great day for the U.S. Navy and
Marine Corps team, Huntington Ingalls Industries and our country.
"Since the keel was laid in 2009, literally thousands
of proud patriotic men and women have been designing, building, installing,
testing, outfitting and training the crew of America, and I would
like to take this opportunity to personally thank them all,"
said Hall.
Hall also thanked the crew for the outstanding efforts
and dedication they have displayed thus far in building a foundation
of excellence.
"What we do from this point forward will dictate
what kind of warship America will be. The high standards we'll set
and maintain, the professionalism we'll exhibit, and the culture of
teamwork and family that we'll promote, will ensure America's success
long into the future."
Command Master Chief (SW/AW/FMF) Chad Lunsford said
that since the first Sailor reported in 2012 the command has been
working diligently to complete instructions, training and qualifications
required for the command to operate successfully. Establishing ship
programs, such as maintenance, damage control and sponsorship, have
also been essential throughout the pre-commissioning process.
"This is an awesome day," said Lunsford.
"We have been building this team for over two years, and today
close to 1,100 Sailors and Marines come together as one team to take
custody of our nation's newest Navy ship. This is a proud moment for
America, our ship, our country!"
America is the first ship of its class, replacing
the Tarawa-class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation
"big-deck" amphibious ship, America will be optimized for
aviation and capable of supporting current and future aircraft, such
as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and the Joint Strike Fighter.
The ship will provide flexible, multi-mission capabilities
spanning from forward-deployed crisis response to maritime security
operations.
America is 844 feet long, 106 feet wide and hosts
a displacement of 44,971 long tons. Her propulsion system will drive
it to speeds in excess of 22 knots, and she will accommodate a crew
size of more than 1,100 Sailors and nearly 1,900 embarked Marines.
With the ship custody transfer complete, the crew
is now working and living aboard the ship. After a rigorous evaluation
and certification cycle, the ship will depart Mississippi and transit
around South America to her future homeport of San Diego. America
is scheduled to be commissioned late 2014 in San Francisco.
