U.S. Navy Set to Commission USS. Detroit, the City’s Newest Namesake

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus has confirmed that the US.. Detroit will be officially commissioned on Oct. 22 behind the GM Renaissance Center on the Detroit River.

The announcement was made as the city prepares to celebrate its 315th birthday.

“I can’t think of a better birthday gift for the city,” John Peracchio, chairman of the USS Detroit Commissioning Committee, said in a statement.

Six naval vessels in the history of the United States have borne the name USS. Detroit, with one of those (CL 8), serving with distinction during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
The USS. Detroit would go on to earn six battle flags during World War II,and was moored along the USS. Missouri in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese officially signed surrender documents in 1945.

The newest vessel was launched and christened on Oct. 18, 2014, by Barbara Levin, the ship's sponsor and wife of long serving, retired U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, during ceremonies at the Marinette Marine Shipyard.

The USS. Detroit (LCS 7), is a freedom-class littoral combat ship that is versatile and capable of a variety of missions, such as anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions.

The navy ship arrives Oct. 14, and Detroit residents will have the opportunity to see the state-of-the-art vessel while it is moored during commissioning week.