KITTERY - The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will soon play host to a very special event as the New Hampshire, the Navy's newest Virginia-class submarine, is commissioned there on Oct. 25.
The last time the shipyard hosted a commissioning ceremony was for the USS Maine back in 1995. With this month's event, both states most closely associated with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will have seen their namesake submarines honored at their own navy yard.
When the shipyard was selected as host for this month's ceremony, Shipyard Commander Capt. Robert W. Mazzone spoke of the meaning of this honor, describing the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as a "prime choice for New Hampshire's commissioning" and stating that "this event is a remarkable opportunity for our shipyard and the surrounding Seacoast communities."
The USS New Hampshire Community Commissioning Committee, which is coordinating the events surrounding the commissioning itself, is offering many ways for residents to be a part of this historic occasion during the entire week leading up to the commissioning. Special events will include celebrations to honor the submarine's officers, crew and families, and to welcome the dignitaries and visitors expected to gather in the region to witness the ceremony.
According to an announcement issued by the committee, commissioning ceremonies are high-profile, tradition-laden events for the U.S. Navy that historically attract senior Navy officers and legislators. For this event, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 visitors are expected to attend, including families of the submarine's 132 crewmembers.
"The commissioning fits in the long, historical relationship between Portsmouth, the shipyard and the Navy," the committee wrote in an announcement of its work to plan celebrations around the event.
And according to the shipyard, the submarine's sponsor herself also has a poignant connection to the nation's history.
Cheryl McGuinness of Portsmouth, N.H., whose husband, Tom McGuinness, was the copilot of American Airlines flight 11 and lost his life in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, has been named by the Navy as sponsor of this fast-attack submarine, which is fifth in a class that has been specifically designed to counter post-Cold War threats.
Meanwhile, for residents of the Seacoast region as a whole, the shipyard itself has been hailed as an important asset not only as the nation's oldest Navy yard, but also as a key contributor to the region's economy.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's primary mission is the overhaul, repair and modernization of the Navy's Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, and the shipyard's proven record of exemplary service spared the yard from the nation's most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round just a few years ago, keeping thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in the Seacoast's economy.
In addition to Navy personnel, the shipyard employs a host of civilian workers in jobs ranging from engineering services and production to off-site support. In York and Ogunquit, for example, the shipyard contributes approximately $11 million to the local economies in salaries alone.
The most recent Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Economic Impact Report, compiled by the Seacoast Shipyard Association, includes fiscal 2007 data listing York among the top 10 communities in Maine in terms of residents who are employed at the shipyard, with a total of 170 employees earning a combined $10,811,678 during that year. Ogunquit has an additional four employees at the shipyard earning a combined salary of $248,946, according to the Seacoast Shipyard Association.
Supporters of the yard have long hailed its contributions to the region, and members of the Commissioning Committee have stressed this is a wonderful opportunity for residents to show visitors to the region the importance of the shipyard to local residents.
"We know the community will enthusiastically extend the hospitality of Portsmouth, the Seacoast and New Hampshire to the officers and crew of our namesake, USS New Hampshire," said Bruce A. Clark, chairman of the Community Commissioning Committee and president of the Portsmouth Council of the Navy League.
To those ends, those who wish to be a part of the shipyard's historic celebration have many ways to get involved. The Commissioning Committee's special events begin on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. when Portsmouth's downtown merchants present "Scarecrows in the Port," a harvest celebration and welcome to the submarine's crew and families.
On Oct. 24, the crew and families will be honored during a lobster bake on Jamaica Island at the shipyard, hosted by the N.H. Propeller Club.
The commissioning ceremony itself is set for Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. Although access to the shipyard is limited, free public viewing of the commissioning will be available from Prescott Park in Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth Rotary will offer a cookout lunch following the event. Tickets to the luncheon are $15 and may be ordered by calling (603) 610-5527.
In addition to being a part of the celebration, residents can assist in supporting the nonprofit committee's work by purchasing USS New Hampshire "Support Our Submarine" Commissioning Buttons for $3 each to help defray the costs of the celebration. Those who purchase the buttons may register the numbers on the back of their buttons at the committee's website for a chance to win a collection of official USS New Hampshire Commissioning memorabilia.
To learn more about the upcoming events, to assist the committee in its work or to purchase a commemorative button, visit www.ussnewhampshire.org.
