Green Bay Embraces Namesake Ship

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Sheehan, Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

Citizens of “Titletown” rolled out the red carpet for their city’s namesake ship, Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) Green Bay (LPD 20), during several civic ceremonies June 25. Green Bay’s prospective commanding officer Cmdr. Calvin Slocumb and his planned relief, Cmdr. Joseph Olson traveled to Green Bay to strengthen the ship’s already strong ties to the community.

Green Bay Mayor James J. Schmitt hosted the officers at the annual Kids Day Festival at Fisk Park. The commanders mixed with the crowd, and posed for pictures. “This ship is a really wonderful thing for our city," said Schmitt. "Imagine all the places the ship will visit, and in each place it will bring our name, and the green and gold colors of our Green Bay Packers football team.” Slocumb and Olson, both natives of Wisconsin, also presented a model of the Green Bay to the city’s Neville Public Museum, where it will be displayed alongside exhibits highlighting local history and a model of the original USS Green Bay (PG 101). Nancy Croy, principal of the Green Bay’s partnership school Vince Lombardi Middle School, hosted a reception for the commanders at famed Lambeau Field, football home of the Packers.

“We have had wonderful partnership activities with the ship,” said Croy. “In January we had a geography bowl between the crew and the students. The crew barely scratched out a victory, and it was as much of a nail-biter as a Packers game in the last two minutes. Our kids have never studied so hard for the geography bowl.” “This is a great opportunity to show the community that even though our ship has not yet been completed, we are still a crew and we are involved with our namesake," said Slocumb.