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Fort Morgan Salutes USS Independence During Friday Send-Off
3/29/2010
GULF SHORES and ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Amid cheers of God Bless America, the USS Independence bid adieu to the Alabama Gulf Coast as hundreds gathered at Fort Morgan State Historic Site on Friday, March 26. Around noon, this littoral combat ship (which is a relatively small, high-speed vessel) glided towards the mouth of Mobile Bay, where the crowd waved American flags and cheered while the fort staff fired several rounds on their largest operational canon, which is a 1833 32-pounder canon.
“We were thrilled beyond belief to see so many residents and visitors of Pleasure Island come to the fort to join us for this send-off,” said Blanton Blankenship, who is the fort’s director. “We had a beautiful day, and the ship was awesome as it passed by in the bay waters. I think everyone went away happy.”
Echoing the same patriotic sentiment, Herb Malone - president/CEO of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) - commented on the historic significance of this location: “As this ship passed in between Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, it traveled over some incredibly historic waters. They passed by a yellow buoy that marks the final resting site of the Tecumseh, where 93 Union sailors are entombed. Also, it was in these same waters where Union Admiral David Farragut issued his famous command of ‘damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.’”
Individuals are encouraged to share their photos of the USS Independence passing by Fort Morgan on the CVB’s facebook page, where they can enter to win a beach prize pack. For more information on this contest or to upload photos, go to www.Facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeach.
Built at Austal in Mobile, Ala., the USS Independence’s maiden voyage will include stops in Key West and Mayport, Fla., before arriving in Norfolk, Va., for additional testing and crew training. It will eventually move its homeport of San Diego, Calif.
This aluminum vessel showcases the latest in naval technology, including the ability to maneuver in shallow, coastal water regions less than 20 feet deep. Spanning 419 feet, this ship is propelled by four water jets, along with two diesel and two gas turbine engines, and can reach speeds topping 45 knots.
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