USS Montana submarine christened in virtual ceremony
Phil Drake, Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune via the AP
1 hour ago
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GREAT FALLS, Mont. — She’s touted as a force to be reckoned with. And after nearly a 100-year absence, a U.S. Navy vessel now bears the name “Montana.”
And when she takes to the water, you better beware of the “Vigilantes of the Deep.”
The U.S. Navy recently christened its newest nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, the USS Montana, at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia in a ceremony that featured some flavor of the Big Sky state.
“I christen thee United States Ship Montana!” former Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, the ship’s sponsor, said Sept. 12 as she smacked a bottle of sparkling wine against the bow. “God Bless this submarine and all who sail in her!”
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/09/20/uss-montana-submarine-christened-in-virtual-ceremony/
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The christening of the USS Montana, also known as SSN 794, was a virtual celebration due to COVID-19 restrictions, meaning the Montanans who have been watching the progress on this submarine since its inception in 2015 had to watch online. It was the first christening of a U.S. Navy ship since the coronavirus outbreak began, officials said. The event was held at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia. Huntington Ingalls is America’s largest military shipbuilding company.
The celebration started with an honor song offered by the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes, which represented the 12 tribes of Montana. CSKT Councilman Martin Charlo noted that Native Americans serve in the Armed Forces at a higher percentage per capita than other ethnic groups in the United States.
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