USS Detroit Sails In Its Navy Trials

DETROIT, MI — The city of Detroit received an early birthday greeting Friday from the Navy men and women of the commissioning crew of the USS Detroit (LCS-7), along with the news that the ship has successfully completed its Acceptance Trials!

“Completion of the acceptance trials means that the USS Detroit has cleared the last hurdle before the Navy formally accepts the ship into the fleet at the ship’s commissioning ceremony tentatively scheduled for October 22, 2016 behind the GM Renaissance Center on the Detroit River,” said John Peracchio, chairman of the USS Detroit Commissioning Committee. “I can’t think of a better birthday gift for the city!”

Happy 315th birthday Detroit! The city of Detroit is rich in tradition and heritage. Since Detroit’s establishment in 1701 by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, Detroit has overcome adversity.

In 1805, the city was engulfed in flames but Detroit natives were not shaken. They simply rebuilt the village stronger than ever. Early in the Battle of 1812, Detroit was indefensible and surrendered to the British, but Detroit natives were not shaken. They simply banded together and, under the leadership of General Harrison, they re-established the city and Detroit was stronger than ever.

As America and its allies faced the threat of world dominion by the Nazis, Detroit natives were not shaken. They simply transformed Detroit overnight from the Motor City to the “great arsenal of democracy,” providing weaponry and airplanes that led to victory in World War II for America and its allies.

Detroit was faced with adversity, once again, during the automobile recession in 2008, but the Detroit natives were not shaken. The City of Detroit displayed great courage and resiliency and today we continue to celebrate her re-birth.

LCS Crew 103 has the distinct privilege to commission the USS Detroit (LCS 7) in honor of your great city. On behalf of our extremely proud and talented crew, we wish you a “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” with many more to come.

A freedom-class littoral combat ship, the new, high-tech USS Detroit is the sixth U.S. Navy warship to bear the city’s name. She is a fast, agile ship designed for a variety of missions in coastal waters as well as humanitarian relief missions. Capable of open ocean operations, her modular design supports interchangeable mission packages, which will allow the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions as-needed.

A previous USS Detroit (CL 8), a light cruiser, was one of the few ships to get underway during the attack on Pearl Harbor and earned six battle stars during World War II. She was moored with the battleship USS Missouri during the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay in 1945.

The new USS Detroit is being built at the Lockheed Martin Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin. The ship 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 will be commissioned on the Detroit waterfront in October, pending approval of the date by the Secretary of the Navy.