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What: |
Two media opportunities will be available for reporters to cover the christening of the amphibious transport dock Somerset (LPD 25), which is under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Avondale shipyard |
| When: | Friday, July 27 (Media Day) |
| Media Day will begin at approximately 11 a.m. (CDT) | |
| Media should arrive at the press parking lot by 10:30 a.m. for a shuttle to the site. | |
| -- Patrick White, president of Families of Flight 93, whose cousin, Louis J. Nacke II, died on board United Flight 93 | |
| -- Other Flight 93 family members | |
| -- Mrs. Mary Jo Myers, ship's sponsor and wife of Gen. Richard Myers, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| -- Irwin F. Edenzon, president, Ingalls Shipbuilding | |
| -- Ingalls' shipbuilders of Somerset (LPD 25) | |
| When: | Saturday, July 28 (Christening) |
| The event will begin promptly at 10 a.m. (CDT) | |
| Media should arrive at the press parking lot by 9 a.m. for a shuttle to the site. | |
| PLEASE NOTE: A satellite truck will provide a live video feed from the ceremony. Media requiring additional satellite truck parking to either media event should RSVP by 5 p.m. Thursday, July 26. | |
| Where: | Ingalls Shipbuilding -- Avondale Operations |
| 5100 River Rd. | |
| Avondale, LA 70094-2706 | |
| Media representatives must RSVP by 5 p.m. Thursday, July 26 for either event. | |
| RSVP: | Bill Glenn |
| Public Affairs, Huntington Ingalls Industries | |
| (228) 327-1671 | |
| William.glenn@hii-co.com |
Christening information
On Saturday, July 28, Ingalls Shipbuilding will christen the company's ninth amphibious transport dock, Somerset (LPD 25). LPD 25 is named in honor of the courage of the passengers and crew members of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pa. Patrick White, president of Families of Flight 93, whose cousin, Louis J. Nacke II, died on board United Flight 93, is the principal speaker. Additional family members of the Flight 93 heroes will be in attendance.
Mrs. Mary Jo Myers, wife of Gen. Richard Myers, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the ship sponsor and will break a ceremonial bottle across LPD 25's bow at the culmination of the ceremony. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and will be streamed on the company website, www.huntingtoningalls.com.
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Cole Hayes is the ship's prospective commanding officer. He will lead a crew of 360 officers and sailors as well as three Marines.
The 11 ships of the LPD 17 class are a key element of the Navy's ability to project power ashore. Collectively, they functionally replace more than 41 ships (the LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113 and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships), providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate with 21st century platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey.
The LPD 17-class ships are 684 feet long and 105 feet wide and displace approximately 25,000 tons. Their principal mission is to deploy the combat and support elements of Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades. The ships can carry up to 800 troops and have the capability of transporting and debarking air cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing crafts, augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft such as the MV-22. The ships will support amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions through the first half of the 21st century.
The Families of Flight 93 are dedicated to the building and funding of the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, PA. Visit www.honorflight93.org for more information and to contribute to the memorial.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe. For more than a century, HII has built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. Employing nearly 38,000 in Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and California, its primary business divisions are Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding. For more information, visit:
- HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
- HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
- HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries