USS Indianapolis and USCGC Angela McShan commissioned with ceremony

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Indianapolis (LCS 17), with a ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 26, in Burns Harbor, Indiana.

The future USS Indianapolis, designated LCS 17, honors Indiana’s state capital and largest city. It will be the fourth ship to bear the name.

Lisa W. Hershman delivered the commissioning ceremony’s principal address. Jill Donnelly, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, is the ship’s sponsor. The ceremony was highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when Mrs. Donnelly gave the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

The USS Indianapolis will be homeported in Naval Station Mayport following her commissioning.

It belongs to one of two variants in the LCS class, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls). The Independence variant team is led by Austal USA (for LCS 6 and the subsequent even-numbered hulls).

USCGC Angela McShan:

Another commissioning ceremony at same day was held for USCGC Angela McShan of the U.S. Coast Guard. The new cutter’s name comes from the first black woman to rise to the service’s rank of master chief. Cape May will be the homeport of the Coast Guard’s 35th 154-foot Fast Response Cutter (FRC), named after Master Chief Petty Officer Angela M. McShan, who died of cancer in December 2000.

An Alabama native, McShan joined the Coast Guard in 1979. She served more than two decades with great honor and devotion and is remembered as an exemplary leader and professional, Field said, commanding officer of the McShan.

The cutter will be commissioned with the help of McShan’s seven brothers and sisters: Reginal E. McShan, Marilyn M. Williams, Alan K. McShan, Rhonda M. Gilliard, Timothy McShan, Christopher McShan, and David J. McShan.

Since the McShan departed the shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana, the cutter has made stops at Key West, Florida, Miami, Charleston, South Carolina, Norfolk, Virginia, Annapolis, Maryland.