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Washington christened

Submarine is right on track

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I christen thee United States Submarine Washington. May God bless this submarine and all those who sail in her," declared Elisabeth Mabus, at the christening ceremony for the Navy's 14th Virginia-class submarine last Saturday in Newport News, Virginia. Ms. Mabus then smiled and added, "Alright! Stand back!" before striking the bottle twice across the bow smashing it in a spray of American sparkling wine and bringing shouts and applause from the crowd.

Moments earlier the audience of several hundred Navy officials, local congressmen, commissioning committee and Navy League representatives, and dozens of the shipyard workers responsible for the actual build of the submarine listened as Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, extoled the virtues of not only the United States Navy, the quality of the work performed at Newport News Shipbuilding, and the USS Washington herself, but also of the young woman who serves as her sponsor.

"I will admit that I am not an objective observer here, but I think the USS Washington has an absolutely amazing sponsor in my wonderful daughter, Elisabeth Mabus."

Ms. Mabus shared her admiration of the submarine as well and the years of work required to prepare for her launch saying, "It has been astounding to see the ship go from steel and cable and wire to being a living vessel with a full crew."

The Washington has come a long way since construction began over five years ago, and many milestones have been met in the ensuing years. She was announced as the USS Washington, the first submarine to be named for the Evergreen State, in 2012, and a Naming Ceremony was celebrated in Seattle in early 2013. With less than a year and a half between her keel laying in 2014 and her Christening last weekend, the Washington is right on track to be commissioned early next year before making her way to her permanent home in Hawaii.

RADM (ret.) Mike Sharp, Chairman of the USS Washington Commissioning Committee, was honored to be among the delegates in attendance at the Christening and is looking forward to the Committee's part in preparing for the USS Washington's Commissioning Ceremony.

"We were very pleased with HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries) and the ceremony they put together on Saturday, and we took notes. We're making big plans for the Washington's Commissioning Ceremony."

While it hasn't been announced yet, Sharp says it is likely that the Washington will be commissioned in Newport News, Virginia, but the Commissioning Committee is making certain the state of Washington is well represented. Beer and wine from local producers and coffee and water from Tacoma local, Mountain Mist, were featured at receptions before and after the Christening. Additionally, in a break in tradition never before seen at Newport News Shipbuilding, the christening bottle was dipped in a container filled with water from the Puget Sound to solidify the bond between the Washington and her namesake.

After the Commissioning, the Committee will disband and turn the responsibility of serving the USS Washington over to the Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula Navy League who have adopted the ship and look forward to a long relationship with the submarine, her crew and their families.

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