The USS Augusta will arrive in Eastport early next week to be commissioned into the U.S. Naval Fleet on Sept. 30. Currently the ship is sailing en route from the Alabama shipyard where the 419-foot long vessel was constructed. LCS-34 is the U.S. Navy's latest littoral combat ship designed for near-shore missions.
U.S. Navy officials named Commander Chris Polnaszek as the USS Augusta's commanding officer last Spring. Though he had never visited Maine before that time, he's since visited Augusta numerous times to learn more and establish a connection to the vessel's namesake. The ship's official Navy crest — designed by his crew and displayed on their uniforms — features a pine tree, blueberries, and a moose.
"We've really embraced the fun sides of being associated with Maine," Polnaszek said. "If you ever come visit the ship, you'll see moose antlers or paintings of moose all over the ship. Our sailor of the month is called 'The Bull Moose of the Month,' where they affix moose antlers to their ball cap."
Representatives from Augusta will take part in the commissioning ceremony. At its conclusion, the ship's sponsor will give the traditional first order to 'man the ship and bring her to life.'
"That's when the entire [70-person] crew Run aboard the ship," Polnaszek said. "Then they bring the ship to life by moving all of the Combat Systems rotating and rotating the radar systems blowing the whistle and showing that the ship has actually come to life with the crew of Augusta in front of the people of Eastport."
With a top cruising speed of 40 knots, the USS Augusta will be stationed in San Diego following the ceremony.
