Navy to Christen Littoral Combat Ship Sioux City
The Navy will christen its newest Freedom variant littoral combat ship, USS Sioux City (LCS 11), during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony Saturday, Jan. 30 in Marinette, Wisconsin. Sioux City, designated LCS 11, honors the city of Sioux City, Iowa. Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of Naval Operations, will serve as principal speaker. Mary Winnefeld, wife of retired Adm. James “Sandy” Winnefeld, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by Winnefeld breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored Navy tradition. "The christening and launch of LCS 11, the future USS Sioux City, marks an important step toward this great warship's entry into the fleet," said The Honorable Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy.
Admiral's Wife Has Initials Set in US Warship's First Steel
The Navy and Lockheed Martin, with Marinette Marine Corp., have held a keel laying ceremony for the future 'USS Sioux City' (LCS 11), the Navy's 11th littoral combat ship (LCS). Ship sponsor Mary Winnefeld, wife of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James "Sandy" Winnefeld, Jr., authenticated the keel by having her initials welded into a sheet of the ship's hull. "I'm both honored and delighted to be back in my home state of Wisconsin as the sponsor of Sioux City," said Mrs. Winnefeld.