USS Minneapolis-St. Paul Commissioned Saturday in Duluth

(KNSI) — History was made in Duluth on Saturday as the littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul was officially commissioned and entered into service.

On a cool and rainy Saturday, a few hundred people, including Navy veterans and their families, lawmakers, and the ship’s crew, gathered at Duluth Seaway Port Authority to put the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul into service. Former deputy undersecretary of the Navy Jodi Greene, the ship’s sponsor, gave a rousing speech saying, “As a crew, you have already proven your strength and determination in getting ready for this momentous day. You prepared this ship to take her place in the fleet during challenging times. All eyes were on you as you continued to make this pathway.”

Greene then commanded from the platform, “Man our ship and bring her to life,.” As “Anchors Aweigh” was played by the Navy Band Great Lakes, the men and women of LCS-121 did the run aboard, jogging through the clapping and cheering crowd.

Attendees of the ceremony were Mayor Jacob Frey, City of Minneapolis; Mayor Melvin Carter, City of Saint Paul; Mayor Emily Larson, City of Duluth; Rear. Adm. Casey Moton, Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants; Mark Vandroff, chief executive officer, Fincantieri Marinette Marine; Capt. David Miller, Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2; Capt. Andy Gold, Littoral Combat Ship program manager, Program Executive Office, Unmanned and Small Combatants; Brian Kriese, deputy officer in charge, supervisor of shipbuilding Bath Detachment Marinette; and Matrons of Honor, Nicole Sunberg and Carly Olsen.

Built by the Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin. Minneapolis-Saint Paul was launched and christened on June 15, 2019. A design propulsion failure delayed her entry into service, and after the ship completed acceptance trials on August 21, 2020, she was delivered to U.S. Navy on November 18, 2021.

“I am incredibly proud of this crew for their dedication to shipmate and ship as we worked toward the commissioning of USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul,” said Cmdr. Alfonza White, commanding officer of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. “We are honored to carry the name Minneapolis-Saint Paul into the fleet.”

This is the first time a Navy warship has been commissioned in Minnesota. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the second naval ship to honor Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The first U.S. Navy warship named Minneapolis-Saint Paul was a Los Angeles-class submarine launched in 1983 that participated in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (SSN 708) was the first submarine to carry Tomahawk missiles specifically designed for use in strikes against Iraq during the Gulf War. Having served for over two decades with distinction, the submarine was decommissioned in 2007.

LCS-121 is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. With a top speed of 40 knots or 46 miles an hour, it is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats and can support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.