CRUISER DETROIT'S FIRST ASSIGNMENT 120 YEARS AGO

The history of the first Navy cruiser to carry the name Detroit began with her launching on October 28,  1891 at the Columbian Iron Works in Baltimore.  USS DETROIT (C 10) was commissioned on July 20,1893.  Commander W. H. Bronson, USN, was her first commanding officer.  Bronson went on to achieve the rank of Rear Admiral.  Among his duties assignments as a Flag officer included being Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.

It wasn't long until USS DETROIT and her crew responded to her first international crisis, sailing from Norfolk on October 5 that year for Rio de Janeiro to protect U.S. citizens and interests during revolutionary disturbances in Brazil.

She remained in Rio's harbor and nearby waters until the spring of 1894, returning to her homeport of Norfolk on April 24.  Less than six months later, she sailed for 2 years of duty on the Asiatic Station, cruising the Chinese coast and making port calls in Japan and Korea. 

Her other duty assignments until her decommissioning in 1905 are documented on the Naval Historical and Heritage Command's website.  Enjoy!

USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) RETURNS FROM MAIDEN DEPLOYMENT

Members of the "Blue" crew of the USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) were reunited with their family members on December 23 when the ship returned to her homeport of San Diego, marking the completion of the first deployment of a Littoral Combat Ship.

FREEDOM deployed from San Diego on March 1, with her "Gold" crew in charge, for operations with the U.S. 7th Fleet.  Operating primarily from Singapore, the ship participated in a number of theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations.  In August, her Blue crew relied the Gold crew, continuing operations which included providing humanitarian assistance and disaster response in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan.

"This deployment was a huge success for the LCS program, for us as a crew, and for the Navy in general," said Cmdr. Dale Heinken, commanding officer of Freedom's Blue Crew. "The sailors did very well executing the mission."

You can read about FREEDOM's Christmas week homecoming in these stories published by the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.

USS MILWAUKEE (LCS 5) MAKES A SPECTACULAR SPLASH!

There's a lot of news coverage on yesterday's launching and christening ceremony for the USS MILWAUKEE (LCS 5).  Coverage on the Fox News 11 site is comprehensive and includes the You Tube video provided by Lockheed Martin.

I will update this report with input from USS DETROIT (LCS 7) BLUE & GOLD COMMITTEE member Jerry Moskwa, who attended yesterday's launching, once he checks in.

USS MILWAUKEE (LCS 5) CHRISTENING

News from the Navy League's SEAPOWER MAGAZINE news site:

Navy to Christen Littoral Combat Ship Milwaukee

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy will christen its newest littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) in a ceremony at the Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wis., on Dec. 18 at 1:15 p.m. CST, the Defense Department announced in a Dec. 16 release.
Sylvia Panetta, wife of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. Panetta will officially christen the ship Milwaukee.
Milwaukee was named in honor of the largest city in the state of Wisconsin and will be the fifth ship to bear the city’s name.
“Milwaukee’s christening serves as a tribute to this great American city, but also to the hard working people of Wisconsin and our nation’s entire industrial base,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in the statement. “LCS is one of our most important platforms and represents the future of the Navy. Our commitment to this program remains as steadfast as that of those who helped build this great ship.”
Littoral combat ships are fast, agile surface combatants optimized for warfighting in the highly trafficked near-shore regions of the world against asymmetric “anti-access” threats. Through its innovative design, LCS can be reconfigured for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and mine countermeasures. This versatility enables Navy to provide warfighters with the most capable, cost-effective solutions to gain, sustain, and exploit littoral maritime supremacy.
The launch and christening of LCS 5 and the recent launch of LCS 6 from the Austal USA shipyard together mark a milestone for the LCS program. These are the first two littoral combat ships built from start to finish using serial production processes. Serial production is important because it allows the Navy to reap benefits such as improved cost structure per vessel and reduced construction time.
The Navy has incorporated much of the knowledge gained in the build, test and operation of LCS 1 and LCS 2, the lead ships of the Freedom and Independence classes, into follow-on ships.
Milwaukee will be 388 feet in length and equipped with four axial-flow waterjet engines, which will improve performance and move nearly half a million gallons of seawater per minute which will propel the ship to speeds in excess of 40 knots.
The first USS Milwaukee was a double-turret ironclad river monitor built for Civil War service. A St. Louis-class cruiser, the second USS Milwaukee (C-21) was lost in 1916 while attempting to free a submarine that had run aground. The third USS Milwaukee (CL-5) was an Omaha-class light cruiser, which served through World War II in the Atlantic, and the fourth USS Milwaukee (AOR 2), a Wichita-class replenishment oiler, was decommissioned in 1994.

CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR USS DETROIT

On Friday, December 13, Representative Candice Miller's office issued the following press release:

________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release December 13, 2013

Rep. Miller: City of Detroit Ideal Location for the USS DETROIT’s (LCS 7) Official Launch Into Service

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) today sent a bipartisan letter with members of the Michigan U.S. Congressional Delegation to the U.S. Department of the Navy requesting the selection of the City of Detroit as the site for the official commissioning of the USS DETROIT (LCS 7).  Currently, the USS DETROIT is being constructed in Wisconsin, and the Navy is reviewing potential sites for its official commissioning.  Miller is joined by her colleagues requesting that the Navy give the City of Detroit their full consideration for this honor launching the USS DETROIT (LCS 7) into service.

“The USS DETROIT (LCS 7) will be a vital asset to our Navy as they meet their mission protecting Americans and our allies in coastal waters and in the open sea.  This new and agile combat ship is designed to defeat the ever-growing maritime threats posed, such as by modern day pirates, by providing a fast and dominate response to those who wish to do harm,” Miller said.  “The USS DETROIT (LCS 7) will bear the Motor City’s name, echoing the city and its citizens’ longstanding patriotism and military support provided throughout our nation’s history.  The city is making strides to rally through a difficult time and uniting in courage and perseverance towards a strong comeback.  There would be no greater honor or recognition of the city’s rebirth then to have our City of Detroit be selected as the site of this new ship’s commission into service.”

_____________________________________________________________________

 

The letter was signed by Miller and 13 members of the Michigan Congressional Delegation, including Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Representatives Gary C. Peters, Sander Levin, Bill Huizenga, John D. Dingell, John Conyers, Jr., Tim Walberg, Mike Rogers, Kerry Bentivolio, Dave Camp, Fred Upton and Dan Kildee. 

 

Our thanks to Representative Miller and her fellow members of Congress for their support of our namesake warship DETROIT!

 

 

IMPRESSIVE ROLL-OUT OF LCS MILWAUKEE

Here's an impressive video of the Littoral Combat Ship MILWAUKEE being moved to her launch position on the Menominee River.  She will be launched and christened by Mrs. Sylvia Panetta, wife of the former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, on December 18.  We will have a member of our USS DETROIT BLUE & GOLD committee attending this event.  Let's hope for good weather!

GREAT VIDEO ON LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS

John Peracchio, vice chairman of our USS DETROIT BLUE & GOLD COMMITTEE, just shared this excellent video on LCS class ships. It was produced by National Geographic.  Enjoy!

QUICKEN LOAN'S JAY FARNER TO BE HONORARY CHAIR OF USS DETROIT COMMITTEE

Jay Farner, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quicken Loans, Inc. has been named honorary chairman of the USS DETROIT (LCS 7) Blue & Gold Committee.

The committee, formed by the Metropolitan Detroit Council of the Navy League of the United States, will play a key role in supporting the crew and family members of this new Littoral Combat Ship, the ship’s launching and Christening in 2014 and her commissioning in early 2016. 

Farner was chosen by the Navy League due to Quicken Loans’ commitment to hiring veterans and involvement in the community. 

“The USS Detroit Committee will play a key role in supporting the Navy men and women who will form the crew of our city’s namesake ship,” Farner said.  “I am very proud to be selected honorary chair and look forward to supporting the USS Detroit, her crew and their families, not only for the launching and commissioning ceremonies but for many years to come as part of the Navy’s fleet.”

 A previous USS DETROIT (CL 8), a light cruiser, was one of the few ships to get underway during the attack on Pearl Harbor and earned six Battle Stars during WWII.  She was moored with the battleship USS MISSOURI during the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay in 1945.

A Freedom-class littoral combat ship, the new, high-tech USS DETROIT will be a fast, agile ship designed for a variety of missions in coastal waters against submarines, ships and fast surface craft, as well as minesweeping and humanitarian relief.  Capable of open ocean operations, her modular design supports interchangeable mission packages, which will allow the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions as needed.

The new USS DETROIT is being built at the Lockheed Martin Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin.  Mrs. Barbara Levin, wife of Senator Carl Levin, was selected by the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to be the sponsor of the ship.  As sponsor, she fills an important role in supporting Detroit crew members and their families, as well as serving in traditional roles for the ship’s launching and commissioning.

METDET NAVY LEAGUE HOSTS VISIT OF COMMANDER MIKE WOHNHAAS

The Metropolitan Detroit Council, Navy League of the United States, hosted CDR Michael R. Wohnhaas, USN, for his first visit to the City of Detroit in early September.  CDR Wohnhaas is the Prospective Commanding Officer of the Littoral Combat Ship DETROIT (LCS 7).

CDR Wohnhaas arrived in Detroit on Tuesday evening, Sept. 3.  On Wednesday morning, John McCandless, chairman, USS DETROIT BLUE & GOLD COMMITTEE, hosted a breakfast meeting at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC), attend by committee members Gordon Cole and Jim Semerad.  From there, the group journeyed to the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority offices in Port Detroit adjacent to the Renaissance Center.  Joined by committee co-chair John Peracchio, CDR Wohnhaas was hosted by D/WCPA executive director John Jamian for an informative brief, as well as a tour of the Port Detroit facility.  Peter Berry, Harbourmaster, Port of Windsor, and Ben Bostic, D/WCPA director of security provided important information during this visit. 

At noon, CDR Wohnhass addressed members of the Detroit Rotary Club during their weekly luncheon meeting.  Afterwards, he was interviewed by Detroit News columnist Neal Rubin during a visit to the Naval Recruiting District offices in downtown Detroit.

That evening, the MetDet council hosted a cocktail reception at the DAC in honor of CDR Wohnhaas and Mrs. Barbara Levin, the ship’s sponsor.  The reception, supported by generous financial support from Quicken Loans (thanks to the efforts of committee member Beth Jones!) was attended by over 75 Navy League members and community and business leaders. 

(Left to Right) Kevin MacFarland, John McCandless,

CDR Mike Wohnhaas, Barbara Levin and Jerry Moskwa.)

A brief program, emceed by Kevin MacFarland, MetDet Council president, included remarks by Mrs. Levin and CDR Wohnhaas, as well as special plaque presentations to our guests of honor.  Special thanks to: Jerry Moskwa for preparing the plaques, handling the invitations and making all DAC arrangements; Lois MacFarland and Marcia Kuypers for handling registration duties and Lois MacFarland for providing photographic coverage that evening.

On Thursday morning, CDR Wohnhaas and John McCandless started their day with a visit with WJR’s morning show host Paul W. Smith.  An eight minute in-studio interview provided Paul’s many listeners in a multi-state area with key information on the seventh US Navy ship to bear the name DETROIT.

Detroit Historical Society CEO and Executive Director Bob Bury, along with senior curator Joel Stone, shared breakfast with CDR Wohnhaas and committee members prior to a visit to the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle.  The museum recently completed an extensive renovation.  John Peracchio is leading the effort to have the museum develop an exhibit on “Ships named DETROIT”. 

Later that morning, CDR Wohnhaas and committee members were hosted by General Motors chief diversity officer Ken Barrett and committee member Doug Waite for a tour of the GM World Headquarters in the Renaissance Center.  The tour included a visit to GM’s Command Center, as well as a roof-top visit to the 39^th floor of RenCen’s Tower 100.  Following the tour, CDR Wohnhaas was interviewed by Channel 4 reporter Tim Pamplin at Port Detroit.

That afternoon, committee member Mark Petroff arranged for a tremendously impressive visit to the downtown campus of Rock Ventures/Quicken Loans, led by Quicken Loans Detroit relocation ambassador Bruce Schwartz.  This company has been the driving force behind the revitalization of downtown Detroit. 

To cap the afternoon, CDR Wohnhaas met with United Way CEO Michael Brennan and his team to be briefed on the many initiatives the organization is behind to make Detroit and Southeastern Michigan a better place to live. 

Prior to departing for points East on Friday morning, CDR Wohnhaas and committee members enjoyed a casual dinner at the Bayview Yacht Club on the Detroit River.  Although the commander had switched to casual clothes for the evening, the word quickly got around that the skipper of the new Naval ship to be named DETROIT was in the clubhouse.  Many well-wishes stopped by to wish him “Fair winds and following seas!”

USS FREEDOM ARRIVES IN GUAM

This news release from Commander, Pacific Fleet, will be of interest to all USS DETROIT supporters:

http://www.cpf.navy.mil/news.aspx/030155

SANTA RITA, Guam - USS Freedom (LCS 1), the Navy's first littoral combat ship, arrived in Guam, the furthest western U.S. territory, March 29, during her first Pacific deployment.
While in Guam, Freedom's "Gold" crew will participate in community service opportunities, including mentoring island children, caring for the elderly during the Easter holiday weekend and experiencing local culture.
The ship will also conduct scheduled maintenance, resupply and make any necessary repairs, including the Ship Service Generators (SSDGs), Freedom recently experienced some issues related to these systems and four Naval Sea Systems Command in-service engineering agents met the ship on the pier to ensure any further complications will not occur.
"The crew has worked really hard on this ship to get it ready to go, both in a training aspects and an operational aspect for her first deployment," said Cmdr. Timothy Wilke, Freedom's Gold Crew commanding officer. "As we continue to march westward, we are the first littoral combat ship pulling into Guam and the first time pulling in for 7th Fleet."
The littoral combat ship design is unique in what Wilke calls a "plug and play" ship. Freedom is fast, agile and mission-focused designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for numerous operational needs including maritime interdiction, anti-drug operations, mine counter measures and anti-submarine warfare.
"Depending on what you want to do, it is incredibly maneuverable," Wilke said. "Driving the ship, we can spin on the nose, spin center line, back the ship up (or) walk the ship sideways. These are features that are really needed and what the ship was really built for, in shallow waters, we need to be maneuverable."
Due to the 14-foot draft of the ship, entering into shallow waters, including swamps and other wetlands, will enable Freedom to accomplish many of her proposed surface operational demands. In addition, Freedom employs a paint design that disorientates and confuses the human eye, helping the ship's hull avoid visual detection.
"We are deployed to conduct a whole myriad of tasks across a wide spectrum of operations. That is what we were trained for, it's what we have been certified for, and that's what we bring to 7th Fleet," Wilke said. "We stand ready on the 7th Fleet waters to serve that commitment."
Freedom will continue to sail west to engage and bolster regional partnerships with navies in Southeast Asia during her eight-month deployment, showing a clear signal of the Navy's enduring commitment to maintain secure and stable security in the Pacific.

PROFESSIONAL READING: AN INTERVIEW WITH A LCS EXPERT

I've been a member of the U.S. Naval Institute for many years and enjoy the articles in their monthly Proceedings magazine.  Recently, USNI has expanded its electronic outreach with a daily post of news items under the banner USNI NEWS.  Today's edition has an extensive interview with Capt. Kenneth Coleman, USN, a former skipper of USS INDEPDENCE (LCS 2).

Between Proceedings, their monthly Naval History magazine, the daily USNI NEWS, as well as professional seminars, the Naval Institute has a lot to offer.  Although many of their electronic media channels are offered at no cost, a full membership is not expensive.  Join as a new annual member and I'll guarantee you that you'll continue your membership for many years.

LAUNCHING OF USS DETROIT LESS THAN A YEAR AWAY

The skilled team of shipbuilders at Lockheed Martin's Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wis. are hard at work this winter building the USS DETROIT (LCS 7).  Earlier this week, the company was awarded contracts to build the seventh and eight LCS Freedom class ships.

Current plans are the DETROIT to be launched in February 2014 and commissioned in the summer of 2015. 

USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) is currently underway and will make a port call at Pearl Harbor next week.  She departed San Diego on her maiden deployment a week ago with a new camo design on her hull and superstructure.

FREEDOM OF THE SEAS

This three minute video sums up the need for freedom of the seas.  Enjoy!


WORTH READING - PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE BY RADM TOM RODWEN

The first quarter of this year turned out to be in short "busy, for a semi-retired guy."  This Sunday afternoon, I'm just getting caught up on some Navy-related professional reading, including the January 2013 of PROCEEDINGS, the monthly professional journal published by the United States Naval Institute.  The cover story is by Rear Admiral Tom Rodwen, USN, Director, Surface Warfare Division, N96, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

He provides an excellent overview of the challenges faced in the LCS program and status to date.  To obtain the full article, you'll need to become a member of the Naval Institute, (I highly recommend the $49 investment in the annual membership fee!)  Click here to read a short authorized summary from the usni.org. 

Let me offer up some comments on this excellent article:

RADM Rodwen comments:

Three points must be made up front.

First, the LCS was conceptualized nearly a decade ago to address warfighting capability gaps that still exist today: littoral surface warfare (SUW), littoral antisubmarine warfare (ASW), and mine countermeasures (MCM). Second, LCS remains the most economical available ship to address these gaps while providing global forward presence. Finally, we have very little experience with modularity and how to man, train, equip, maintain, modernize, sustain, and tactically employ this ship. The Navy is incorporating lessons learned with a sober sense of the necessary cultural, organizational, and operational changes required to ensure that LCS is successful.

The LCS program has faced many challenges since conceived and the first two ships were designed and built under competitive contracts.  But with Friday's deployment of USS FREEDOM (LCS 1), the Navy has achieved an important milestone on adding this highly effective warship to our fleet.  Although still in "development" as far as crew size, modular war-fighting packages and operational experience, the dedication of the Navy leadership, contractor teams and the Blue and Gold Crews of all LCS ships is to be greatly admired.

Other key points from his article:

First and foremost, LCS is a warship. Our emphasis today is on ensuring LCS’s successful Fleet introduction and performing those three previously mentioned warfare missions proficiently in a hostile environment. The ships have remained consistent with our original assessments and recurring analysis of the warfighting requirements of today and tomorrow. The ship attributes and capabilities include:

Speed and Endurance: The ship would have to be quick and agile with low speeds for most mission operations, economical speeds for transits, and high-sprint speeds of 40–50 knots. High-sprint speeds were desirable for responsive mobility, increased search volume, and threat evasion. Navy leaders were willing to trade endurance to achieve those speeds.

Unmanned Systems and Modularity: LCS was envisioned to employ a variety of manned and unmanned surface, air, and undersea vehicles capable of real-time data exchange. Its modular mission remains the heart and key strength of the LCS concept.

Mid-life combat-system upgrades necessary to pace evolving threats are usually intensive and expensive. LCS’s open architecture (OA) combat system and modular design allow for accelerated, comparatively cost-effective, noninvasive retrofit and upgrades, and the incorporation of emerging technologies over the course of the ships’ 25-year expected service lives.

Self-Defense and Survivability: LCS is envisioned to operate independently, with a surface-action group, or in support of a carrier/expeditionary strike group. It will operate with other ships in higher threat situations, relying on the anti-air warfare capabilities of other Fleet assets with the ship’s survivability characteristics linked to self-preservation as opposed to continued warfighting.

Cost: Affordability was a primary programmatic concern for LCS. In 2002, the Navy was struggling to contain shipbuilding cost growth. Therefore, both the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and leaders wanted LCS to be a low-cost ship built in numbers. OSD expected the Department of the Navy to buy at least three missionized LCSs for the price of one Arleigh Burke –class destroyer, equating to a target cost of approximately $400 million per ship, including mission packages (in Fiscal Year 2005 dollars), whereas the Navy wanted $250 million per ship without a mission package. ³ A “threshold” cost of $400 million and an “objective” cost of $250 million presented significant challenges to the requirements community and industry teams.

His article concludes with the following observations:

We envision two or three LCSs operating with carrier strike groups or amphibious ready groups. For example, if we have three LCSs in the Persian Gulf in addition to three DDGs from a strike group, the DDGs can fulfill other critical missions, including ballistic-missile defense, intelligence collection, and air defense. Meanwhile, one SUW mission package-capable LCS conducts anti-piracy patrols, a second MCM mission package-capable LCS surveys Q-routes in the Strait of Hormuz, and a third LCS conducts patrols in the International Recognized Transit Corridor. ⁶

In short, the LCS is essential to filling the warfighting gaps in the littorals. This ship has a very clear purpose—to fulfill defined, enduring, and Joint Requirements Oversight Council-approved warfighting gaps. Concurrently, fiscal realities dictate that we need LCS because it is a cost-effective and capable solution. The Navy is proceeding responsibly and enthusiastically in putting these ships to sea rapidly to meet our requirements around the world. Combatant commanders are eager for this addition to the joint force, and leadership remains committed to the success of this program. We are regaining our track at full speed and will continue to refine our course as appropriate to meet the Navy’s operational needs.

I encourage you to become a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, as well the the Navy League of the United States.  Both are excellent organizations and will add to your ability to support our young men and women of the United States Navy who serve our nation and protect our freedoms.

USS FORT WORTH (LCS 3) POSTED NEW PHOTO ON HER FACEBOOK PAGE

For your viewing pleasure.

USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) UNDERWAY FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA

FLIGHT QUARTERS!  --  USS FREEDOM LCS (1) lands

her MH- 60 Sea Hawk helicopter after departing San Diego.

 

 

SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2013  --  USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) sailed today on her maiden deployment to Southeast Asia and her forward deployed base in Singapore. 

 

According to a Navy press release, during the eight month deployment, Freedom will complete the first of many planned rotational deployments to the Western Pacific for the new LCS platform.  Freedom will conduct maritime security operations with regional partners and allies.  After making initial port visits in Hawaii and Guam, Freedom is expected to participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) in Singapore and in select phases of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series in Southeast Asia.

 

Freedom's "Gold" crew set sail under commander of the ship's Gold Crew commanding officer, Commander Timothy Wilke, USN.

During this first deployment of the Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship, Freedom will demonstrate her operational capabilities and allow the Navy to evaluate crew rotation and maintenance plans. Fast, agile, and mission-focused, LCS platforms are designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for three separate purposes: surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare.

"One of the things we're working on is communicating what we can and can't do with this ship," said Wilke in remarks quoted in the news release. "We need to figure out how to best employ littoral combat ships in our Navy and figure out how we can best use them when working with partner nations."

 

Following initial port visits in Hawaii and Guam, Freedom is expected to participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) in Singapore and in select phases of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series in Southeast Asia.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander, Admiral Cecil Haney, was also commented on Freedom's deployment:  "Freedom's maiden deployment is another clear signal of the Navy's enduring commitment to maintain security and stability in the vital Asia-Pacific region," said Haney.  "Rotationally deploying our new littoral combat ships improves our warfighting capability and directly supports the Navy's rebalance strategy to the Asia-Pacific."

Freedom's "Gold" crew of 91 sailors include mission package personnel and an aviation detachment to operate an embarked MH-60 helicopter. Midway through Freedom's deployment, a crew swap will be conducted with her "Blue" crew, commanded by Commander. Patrick C. Thien.

Freedom will remain homeported in San Diego throughout this rotational deployment to Southeast Asia.  Freedom's Facebook page has seven photos posted of underway operations after departing San Diego.

 

 



USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) DEPLOYS TOMORROW

Fair winds and following seas to the captain, officers, chiefs and crew of USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) as they set sail tomorrow from San Diego to her forward operating base in Singapore. 

Here's an excellent story posted a few hours ago:

http://defense.aol.com/2013/02/27/navy-littoral-combat-ship-sails-for-singapore-with-new-camo-pain/?a_dgi=aolshare_linkedin&goback=%2Egde_53927_member_218213054

v/r

CAPT John McCandless, USN (Ret)

MEET THE PCO OF USS DETROIT (LCS 7)

Commander Michael R. Wohnhaas, USN, has been selected as the PCO (Prospective Commanding Officer) of USS DETROIT (LCS 7).  A native of Barnesville, Pennsylvania, he is a 1996 graduate of the United States Naval Academy.

Official Portrait of
Michael R. Wohnhaas
prior to his promotion
to the rank of Commander

Currently assigned to the Future Ships Requirements (LCS and DDG 1000) Office at Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (SURFPAC) in Coronado, Calif., he has held many assignments as a surface warfare officer. 

His sea duty assignments include: Communications, Main Propulsion, and Gunnery Officer on USS ANZIO (CG 68) and Damage Control Assistant on USS SUPPLY (AOE 6).  As a department head he served as Combat Systems Officer in USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG 48) forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan; and as Force Protection, Combat Systems, and Training/Readiness Officer for Commander, Destroyer Squadron TWO SIX.  He was the plankowner Executive Officer of USS WILLIAM P LAWRENCE (DDG 110).

Ashore CDR Wohnhaas taught Damage Control and Gunnery at the Surface Warfare Officers School Division Officer Course in Newport, RI.  More recently he served as the Maritime Operations Officer at the Joint Forces Command Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JFCOM JECC), a deployable headquarters element, where he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2007 CDR Wohnhaas earned a Master of Military Arts and Sciences degree in Strategy from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, where he also earned Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase I.  He completed JPME Phase II at the Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA in 2009 and is a Joint Qualified Officer.

His personal awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal. 

The USS DETROIT (LCS 7) BLUE & GOLD COMMITTEE, as well as all members of the Metropolitan Detroit Council, Navy League of the United States, looks forward to welcoming CDR Wohnhaas to Detroit soon.  If you'd like to become a member of the Navy League and the "METDET" Council, let me know by sending me an e-mail at  j.mccandless@comcast.net  Our Council added 56 new members this past year and we have many programs planned to support our Navy and other other sea services.

FACTS AND DATA ON LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS

Over my morning coffee, I came across a very interesting and informative website from the Lockheed Martin LCS Team.  As the USS DETROIT begins her fourth month of construction, we are only a year from the ship's launching.  Commissioning is slated for the summer of 2015.

During the keel-laying of the future USS Detroit Nov. 8 at the Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin, ship sponsor Barbara Levin, the wife of Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, authenticated the keel by having her signature welded into it.

The website provides a wealth of information.  A four minute video provides a great overview of the capability of these Freedom-class warships.