THE U.S. Navy on Saturday commissioned its newest expeditionary sea base vessel, the USS Miguel Keith, which will operate from Saipan.
The commissioning ceremony took place at 10 a.m. PST, May 8, at Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, California.
Special Assistant to the Governor for Military Affairs Glenna Sakisat Palacios said based on the information provided to the CNMI, the USS Miguel Keith will be part of the Forward Deployed Naval Force operating from Saipan to âprovide logistics movement from sea to shore, supporting a broad range of humanitarian and military operations.â
Adm. Craig Faller, commander, U.S. Southern Command, delivered the commissioning ceremonyâs principal remarks.
Shares
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machine gunner with Combined Action Platoon 1-3-2. During the early morning L/Cpl. Keith was seriously wounded when his platoon was subjected to a heavy ground attack by a greatly outnumbering enemy force.
Despite his painful wounds, he ran across the fire-swept terrain to check the security of vital defensive positions and then, while completely exposed to view, proceeded to deliver a hail of devastating machine-gun fire against the enemy. Determined to stop five of the enemy soldiers approaching the command post, he rushed forward, firing as he advanced. He succeeded in disposing of three of the attackers and in dispersing the remaining two.
Expeditionary sea base USS Miguel Keith to be commissioned on Saturday
By (0) The expeditionary sea base vessel USS Miguel Keith will be commissioned by the U.S. Navy on Saturday. Photo courtesy of General Dynamics/NASSCO The expeditionary sea base vessel USS Miguel Keith, seen here under construction, will be commissioned by the U.S. Navy on Saturday. Photo courtesy of www.miguelkeith.org
May 7 (UPI) The expeditionary sea base vessel USS Miguel Keith will be commissioned in a weekend ceremony, the U.S. Navy announced on Friday.
The commissioning ceremony, reduced in scope in light of COVID-19 precautions, takes place Saturday morning at Naval Air Station North Island in California.
Navy to Commission Expeditionary Mobile Base USS Miguel Keith
The Navy will commission its newest expeditionary mobile base, the future USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5), during a 10:00 a.m. PST ceremony Saturday, May 8, at Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, Calif.
Due to public health and safety concerns related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the commissioning ceremony is private with a limited audience.
Adm. Craig Faller, commander, U.S. Southern Command, will deliver the commissioning ceremony s principal remarks. Mrs. Eliadora Delores Keith, Lance Cpl. Miguel Keith s mother, is the ship s sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Eliadora Keith gives the order to man our ship and bring her to life!