 Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome you to submarine base, New London for the commissioning of USS Oregon. I am Lieutenant Commander Colin Hedges, the ship's executive officer. On behalf of the crew of your submarine, Oregon I would like to express our sincere gratitude for joining us here today. Before our celebration begins, please silence your cell phones. Thank you. We are here today to celebrate the commissioning of USS Oregon, the fourth ship to bear the name of the Beaver State. The first USS Oregon was a brig that served in the United States Navy from 1841 to 1845. She conducted exploration expeditions and surveys throughout the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The second USS Oregon was a monitor that was previously named Quinn Sigmund and Hercules. She was renamed Oregon before she was broken up into slipways and never launched. The third USS Oregon, BB3, was the final member of the Indiana class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the United States Navy in the 1890s. The three ships were built as part of a modernization program aimed at strengthening the American fleet to prepare for a possible conflict with the European Navy. Designed for short-range operations in defense of the United States, the three Indiana class ships had a low freeboard and carried a main battery of four 13-inch guns and a pair of gun turrets. Oregon and her sister ships were the first modern battleships built for the United States. After entering service in 1896, Oregon briefly served at the Pacific Squadron before being transferred to the East Coast as tensions with Spain over Cuba grew in early 1898. She completed a 14,000 nautical mile journey around South America in the span of 66 days. Arriving shortly after the start of the Spanish-American War, she then took part in the blockade of Santiago de Cuba, which culminated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on 3 July, where Oregon contributed to the destruction of the Spanish Squadron in Cuba. After the war, Oregon was deployed to the Asiatic Squadron, serving during the Philippine-American War in the Boxer Rebellion in Qing China. The ship returned to the United States in 1906 and was placed in reserve for the next five years during this time she was modernized. Reactivated in 1911, Oregon spent the next several years cruising off the West Coast of the United States, frequently going in and out of service. During the Allied intervention of the Russian Civil War in 1918, she escorted a convoy for the Siberian expedition. Oregon was decommissioned in 1919 and was loaned to her namesake state for use as a museum ship. After the start of World War II, she returned to service as an ammunition hulk for the upcoming invasion of Guam in 1944. She remained off the island through the mid-1950s before being sold for scrap in 1956. We are honored to continue the tremendous legacy established by the previous ships to proudly bear the name Oregon. The new Oregon, more before you, affectionately referred to as a boat by the members of the submarine community and the crew will soon join America's Silent Service. Oregon is a Virginia-class submarine and with her sister ships, she represents a revolution in submarine design, construction, and mission capability. Brimming with leading edge technology, advanced engineering, this vessel brings versatility and firepower to the fleet. Oregon and the Virginia-class are among the most effective platforms in the United States Navy and this warship takes another step forward in advancing the superiority of our submarine force. Capable of operating in the far corners of the world's oceans undetected while connected to air, sea, and land-based forces, these submarines are equipped to wage multi-dimensional warfare around the globe. Oregon's adaptability makes it highly responsive to changing mission requirements and provides the nation with the capabilities required to be the decisive factor in any conflict. In addition to anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, countermine warfare, Oregon will support surveillance, special operations, and covert strike missions. Thank you for allowing each of us the privilege to serve in our nation as part of your Navy while probably bearing the name Oregon. Construction began on the submarine you see behind me in July of 2017 and it was christened on October 5th, 2019 in Groton, Connecticut. Today, the USS Oregon is tested and battle ready. We are all very proud to serve on the newest attack submarine in the United States Navy. The commissioning ceremony is a time-honored tradition that began with the commissioning of the Navy's first ship. It captured British Schooner, the Margareta, and 1775. Since then, thousands of ships have undergone the transition from silent hull to a fully alive warship. My shipmates, our crew, hereafter known as plank owners, are information and ready. In just a few moments, the Navy band and the saluting battery will render honors to the honorable Kate Brown. Will the guests please rise and remain standing for the arrival of our official party, honors, presentation of colors, and our national anthem and the invocation. Ladies and gentlemen, our platform guests. Commander David Dupre, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy, our ceremony chaplain. Senior Chief Arlo Gatchel, United States Navy retired, our long-glass presenter. Mr. Jim Lasher, Co-Chairman, USS Oregon, commissioning committee. Mr. Kevin Graney, President, Journal Dynamics, Electric Boat. Captain John Stafford, United States Navy, Commander, Submarine Squadron 4. Rear Admiral Marty Muckian, United States Navy, Commander, Undersea Warfare Development Center. Rear Admiral David Goggins, United States Navy, Program Executive Officer, Attack Submarines. Mr. Tommy Ross, Performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development, and Acquisition. Admiral Frank Caldwell, United States Navy, Director, Naval NUCO Propulsion Program. The Honorable Joe Courtney, United States Representative, State of Connecticut, Second District. The Honorable Richard Blumenthal, United States Senator, State of Connecticut. Ladies and gentlemen, our ship's sponsor, Miss Dana Richardson, escorted by Master Chief Petty Officer Brian Randall, Oregon's Chief of the Boat. Ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Kate Brown, Governor, State of Oregon, escorted today by Commander Lacey Laudmell, Oregon's Commanding Officer. Ladies and gentlemen, honors to the honorable Kate Brown. Advance the colors. We'd like to thank the Navy Band New England, Navy Submarine Base New London Saluting Battery, and the Silver Dolphin Color Guard for their participation in our ceremony today. Ladies and gentlemen, Chaplain Dupre will deliver the invocation. Let us pray. Almighty and gracious God, we are gathered here before you on the banks of the Thames River, where for over 100 years our Submariners and their families have offered their prayers, as we have sent our boats and crews to sea. In days of war and peace, this silent force and their loving families have paid a dear cost for our nation's freedom and defense. Separation, silence and sacrifice, difficult to imagine by others. As we ask your blessing on the commissioning of USS Oregon, we know that this boat and crew are a continuation of this valiant heritage, which we honor this Memorial Day weekend. We hold tribute to all who paid the ultimate price to secure our liberty, and we now pause for a moment of silence to honor them. With these heroes behind us, and with our mission before us, please bless this ceremony, that together we may hail the motto of the great state of Oregon, Alice Volat Propeis. She flies with her own wings. So may she fly with your blessing, dear God, even through the deep. Amen. Thank you, chaplain Dupre. Will the guests please be seated? Oregon, parade, rest. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable Joe Courtney. Good morning. On this Memorial Day, it is an honor to welcome all of our out-of-town guests, particularly the Oregon Commissioning Committee, to the Submarine Capital of the World in Southeastern Connecticut. Mr. Gatchel and Mr. Lesher, who were here for the christening in 2019, deserve bonus points for getting us through the COVID period and getting us to the final end of their mission. And again, you have a great turnout today from the state of Oregon, including your governor. I want to begin by thanking Captain Ken Curtin and his team, the 9,000 sailors and officers of the submarine base for hosting the submarine, the ceremony at the oldest submarine base in America. For all their work, keeping this base's operations on task. The 16 attack submarines that deploy from this installation do not miss one day of schedule during the height of COVID. And as you can see with the construction cranes nearby, it is undergoing huge upgrades and modernizations that will ensure that this base has a long and enduring future. It is also an honor to welcome Governor Cape Brown. Governor, I want you to know that we've all been practicing the pronunciation of Oregon and not Oregon, which at the christening Congressman Greg Walden chastised all of us for again getting it wrong. And I want you to know I spoke to Governor Lamont yesterday who expressed his appreciation for your visit to our state. He unfortunately could not be here today. But we are joined by Senator Blumenthal, a strong supporter of the work done here as the member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And also I want to take a moment to recognize my colleague who's seated here in the front row, Congressman Jim Langevin, from next door at the State of Rhode Island, who is my seatmate on the Armed Services Committee. He co-chairs the submarine caucus and he has done so much to push for higher production of the undersea fleet. Jim announced his retirement this coming December and I want to publicly thank him for all of his great work and friendship. And lastly, welcome to the real star of the show today, Mrs. Dana Richardson. Mrs. Richardson and her husband, former CNO, John Richardson, are no strangers to sub-base or the work that goes on here on board Oregon. Captain Ladmel and the crew could not have a more knowledgeable and caring ship sponsor. To the crew of Oregon, you've endured a lot since the christening in 2019. There was some slip and schedule, which during the pandemic was inevitable. But I think the record should be clear that despite that unprecedented disruption, you showed up for work every day and did your job. And all of you now and forever will bear the well-earned title of Plank Owners, and after your service, you will undoubtedly follow the actions of this vessel for the rest of your lives with great pride. Please know that as you embark on your deployments, the people of this state in Rhode Island will be 100 percent behind you and you will always be welcome here. Today's achievement is also shared by the proud men and women of Electric Boat and Kevin Graney, its leaders, present with us here today, and Newport News and the suppliers who built this impressive submarine. For you, the journey began in 2014 when Congress authorized procurement of SSN 793. Three years later, Mrs. Richardson's initials were welded at the Kielang, and it has been nonstop for the shipbuilders ever since. And as we speak today, they are still furiously at work, meeting the call for two attack submarines per year in addition to the new production of the Mammoth Ballistic Summarine Fleet, the Columbia class. This huge demand signal from Navy and Congress mandates growing a highly skilled workforce very fast, and enterprise that is happening right now in welding and sheet metal classes right up the road from here at Grosso Tech and Three Rivers Community College. It cannot be understated. Growing the submarine industrial base is essential to the security and prosperity of the American people. And that's not just hometown cheerleading. Last December, President Biden issued an executive order designating the workers supporting Virginia class submarine construction as essential to national defense and invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate its job training. There was no other defense program in the Pentagon, the entire Pentagon, with a higher designation. And an even more powerful statement of the importance of the work that goes out in these yards. Last September, the President signed the AUKUS Security Agreement with our allies, Australia and the United Kingdom, whose centerpiece is supporting Australia's goal to build their own nuclear-powered submarine fleet. This is a massive undertaking. And again, we are honored to have here today the Admiral, who is going to be quarterbacking that amazing task. And there's a lot of work to take to organize that. But there is no doubt that this region's unique expertise will be called upon to execute at least part of that endeavor. To conclude, this is a great day for the states of Oregon, Connecticut and Rhode Island. But its meaning extends far beyond our borders as this submarine begins its amazing journeys across the world's oceans. To the crew, from this day forward, the few few will fully know the risks that you take, the missions you execute, and the sacrifice you make. Congratulations on a job well done, and all you will do in the future. Thank you. Thank you, Representative Courtney. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Kevin Graney. Good morning. Today's celebration on Memorial Day weekend, I think, is altogether fitting, given that we are surrounded by submarine history. On Subbase New London, the streets are named after the boats and the men lost in service to our great nation many, many years ago. And so I feel it's appropriate, as Americans, that we celebrate here today. It's also personally meaningful. Cheryl and I celebrate 35 years together next week, and we began at our first house right about that hill, just across Shark Boulevard. So meaningful for a couple of reasons. As always, I'm honored to represent the men and women of General Dynamics Electric Boat, 18,000 strong, who proudly work to deliver Oregon to our Navy. As we celebrate the newest nuclear-powered submarine to join our nation's fleet, the first historic ship Nautilus sits just a few piers away in that floating dry dock, where she's being renovated by Electric Boat, the company who designed and built her. Nautilus was commissioned in 1954, and in the years since, more than 200 nuclear-powered submarines have joined the fleet, and a great deal has changed in submarine design and construction. Oregon, the 20th ship of the Virginia class, can dive deeper, travel faster, perform more missions, and operate with more stealth and weaponry than anyone could have imagined 68 years ago. While the products we deliver and the work processes have changed over the years, what hasn't changed at Electric Boat is the dedication of our shipbuilding team. People from every corner of our great nation have worked to make USS Oregon a reality. This team includes engineers and designers, vendors, supply chain professionals, and planners, all who have toiled to ensure that the welders, fitters, electricians, painters, carpenters, and testers have what they need to go do their jobs. Our current generation of shipbuilders, just like those who have come before them, know what's at stake. We remain united and committed in our mission to give our sailors every unfair advantage we can to keep them safe and equipped to defend freedom the world over. What's also remained a constant is the important role of the ship's sponsor, whose spirit is imparted with the boat upon christening. In 1954 on Nautilus, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower sponsored that ship. Today, the woman performing that important role is someone who has also served our nation through her work helping Navy families navigate the unique challenges of service life. It's a pleasure to again see Dana, our sponsor, and her plus one, my George Marshall shipmate, John Richardson. By the way, we're joined by a torpedo man who served with us, Mack. Where are you? There he is. Good to see you, an old shipmate. Crew of Oregon, I'm sure you already know what a wonderful friend you have in Dana Richardson. Finally, I want to acknowledge the contributions of Commander Laudmell and his crew. I had the privilege to ride with the crew the very first time they took Oregon to sea, and I wish every American could see what I see on these boats. It is eyewatering, unsurpassed technology, and it is crewed by American sailors who are dedicated, confident masters at submarine warfare. Commander Laudmell, we wish you and the crew of Oregon a safe, sorry, Oregon, a safe and distinguished tour of duty. May the USS Oregon serve you and our nation long and well. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Grandy. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable Richard Blumenthal. Thank you. Welcome, Governor Brown of Oregon to the submarine capital of the world. To everyone here from Oregon, welcome, and thank you for making the trip. It's really an exciting day. As many times as I've come to these ceremonies, I will tell you, it never gets old. And as excited as I am to see the Oregon, I'm also really awed by the folks who are in the audience today, many of them veterans and heroes, patriots. I'm going to just ask all of the veterans who are here today, please raise your hand so that we can salute and thank you for your service to our nation. Thank you. Thank you, every one of you. I want to thank Dana Richardson. You know, she and Admiral Richardson met in high school, 1976. I know I can divulge the year because it's in the book. And for a lot of time, they have been real partners in this effort. And her service, and I do mean her service over the years, I think epitomizes what we all know about our military, that it works because of families and the families serve. So today, I want to salute all of the families of active duty service or veterans who are here today. Thank you for your service. This boat behind me is one of the technological marvels of the world. Anybody who's visited an electric boat even once, and I've been too many times to count, knows the miraculous work that is done on that boat to make it what it is, the most versatile, stealthy, strong, and adaptable of any of our weapons platforms. It can launch missiles, torpedoes, special operators. It can do surveillance. It can counter forces way bigger than it is. And it is one of the pillars of our undersea superiority and make no mistake. The United States is superior undersea, and we need to continue to make it so. And that means investing in two Virginia-class submarines every year and investing in the Columbia class. It is vital to our national security, and I'm proud to be working with Joe Courtney, he and the House, and I on the Armed Services Committee in the Senate, to make sure that our colleagues are aware every day of what it contributes. And if we had any doubt about the importance of our submarine and undersea superiority and the importance of that pillar of deterrence, Ukraine should leave no question. Many may say, well, Ukraine is a land war. But the fact is that the critical pillar in deterrence of our Russian adversary there is, in fact, our strength undersea. And we should never forget that defending and making possible the fierce and brave Ukrainian warfighters defending their land is essential to our national security. They are at the tip of the spear right now, but I can pledge to you that I will work and continue to advocate for the weapons and arms they need and the humanitarian assistance that they need as well to continue to defend their land. And our superiority undersea is part of the deterrence that we do in that effort. There's another lesson of Ukraine, and it's an unfortunate one for the Russians, but it is about the quality of their fighting force or the lack of quality. And as much as this boat is a technological marvel, ultimately it is the men and women of our armed services, the men and women who are the best trained, the bravest, the strongest in any military anywhere in the world. And ultimately it is those men and women who are the strongest part of our national defense. So I wish you well to the crew of Oregon, and we will be with you in spirit as you embark on this tremendously challenging and important journey. I love the Oregon state motto. She flies with her own wings. Next time we're going to name an F-35 after Oregon, and we make a lot of those too here in Connecticut. But I'm really proud to be here very seriously on this Memorial Day. It's one that will be among the most memorable because today we salute one of the great ships in our fleet and the men and women who will take her under sea. Thank you. God bless. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal. Ladies and gentlemen, Admiral Frank Caldwell. Good morning. Good morning. It is an absolute honor to be here today to bring our 20th Virginia class submarine to life. I welcome all of our distinguished guests, Governor Kate Brown, our proud Oregon families, our sponsor Miss Dana Richardson, and all of our submarine veterans. Welcome. This is a great day for Oregon. It's a great day for our shipbuilders, and it's a great day for our submarine force. Now Governor Brown, Oregon has always had a strong connection to our Navy. For many years Portland has been home to the Rose Festival, one of the premier events in celebrating our operating fleet. And in the history of our Navy, 27 warships have names emanating from the state of Oregon. And now our newest submarine is the fourth to bear the state's name. Congratulations to you, Governor, and thank you for your enduring support. I am absolutely confident that this boat will carry on the proud Oregon legacy. Congratulations. And to our sponsor, Miss Dana Richardson. Dana, you have been leading submarine families for years alongside your husband, and now that legacy will continue in a new way. Thank you for your faithful service and congratulations. I know for certain that you will watch over Oregon sailors and their families, that you will guide them, that you will celebrate their service alongside of them, and that you will keep Oregon strong and always ready. Congratulations, Dana. Ladies and gentlemen, we are living in a world of strategic competition, where our competitors seek to challenge our dominance in the undersea domain. Our nation must continue building and maintaining the finest submarines in the world. We must continue selecting and training the best sailors in our Navy. And we must continue outfitting our boats with the most advanced sensors and warfighting systems that we can find. Oregon and the other Virginia-class submarines will not only sustain, but will exploit our edge in undersea warfare. Soon, Oregon will employ her stealth, her flexibility, her superior firepower, and her endurance to travel silently throughout the world's oceans, undetected, collecting intelligence, preparing for battle, and if necessary, striking from the deep swiftly without warning to answer the nation's call. Now none of this would be possible without our strong support of our congressional leaders, especially those on the platform here today, as well as in the audience, sir. Nor would it be possible without the phenomenal team of our shipbuilders from Electric Boat, Newport News Shipbuilding, and vendors from around the United States. I've walked the factory floors. I've been to sea with our shipbuilders on this boat, and I can tell you Oregon is ready because of the hard work and the amazing dedication of this team. Collectively, our shipbuilders build the most complex and capable vessels ever put to sea, and they do it with tremendous skill, pride, and patriotism. And finally, to Commander Lacey Lodmellan, the fantastic Oregon crew, much has been demanded of you during final construction and sea trials. Today, all of your hard work will be realized, and you will become the lifeblood of this magnificent machine. Stay true to your model. Oregon will indeed fly on her own wings and the wings of all who sail in her. Our Navy and our nation are depending on you. Congratulations. Thank you, and God bless USS Oregon. Thank you, Admiral Caldwell. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Tommy Ross. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal, Representative Courtney, Representative Langevin, Governor Brown, Admiral Caldwell, Admiral and Mrs. Richardson, Mr. Graney, distinguished guests, officers, and crew of the Oregon. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I'm delighted to be here today representing the Secretary of the Navy at the commissioning of this great submarine, the Oregon. Due to COVID, this is the first in-person commissioning ceremony of a submarine in more than three years. It's a long time to delay celebrations like this one, so it's really wonderful for me to be here to share in this important rite of passage with all of you. I'd especially like to thank the Oregon Commissioning Committee. You guys tripped me up. I never had that problem before today. I'd especially like to thank the Oregon Commissioning Committee, which has worked extremely hard to arrange today's events, namely the transition of a boat under construction to a powerful fleet asset. Let me join in my fellow speakers today in honoring the many service members who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep this great nation free and to the veterans in the audience today. On this Memorial Day weekend, thank you for your service to our nation. To the Navy and industry program offices, you have labored tirelessly to deliver the 20th Virginia-class submarine and the second block four of these boats. Well done. As we commission Oregon today, the torch has passed from our storied naval history to the present. You've heard from our previous speakers a little bit about the history of the Oregon in service to the Navy. Commander Laudmel, as you and your crew sail forth, embrace this history and this proud legacy. Embrace your namesake, the pioneering state of Oregon. As Secretary Mabas said when he named this boat in 2014, sailors and marines like the citizens of Oregon throughout history are pioneers. They are explorers who look willingly toward the unknown, wanting to know what is over the horizon. As our Navy calls upon you to maintain maritime dominance, please bring that pioneering spirit with you in defense of your namesake and your nation. Officers and crew of Oregon, as you bring your ship to life today, you are also blessed with a wonderful sponsor, Ms. Dana Richardson. She has bestowed you with grace and responsibility. Take heed and carry her spirit with you as you sail. It's my great honor and privilege to introduce our principal speaker today, Governor Kate Brown. Governor Brown has served our nation in public office for more than 30 years in Oregon's legislature, as Secretary of State, and for eight years as Governor. She has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all Oregon citizens since becoming Governor in 2014. She has prioritized the health and safety of her citizens throughout the COVID pandemic, responding to climate change, and improving the transparent and accountable governance in Oregon, all while leading her state's economic recovery. I had the opportunity last night at dinner to sit with the table full of Oregonians and I said, hey, does anyone have a good fact, you know, fun fact about Governor Brown? And I was touched that very quickly someone spoke up and said, yeah, I've got a fun fact. I have never met someone in politics with a bigger heart than Governor Brown. Governor Brown, thank you for joining us today. Thank you for your leadership, and thank you for your continued support to our Navy. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Governor Kate Brown. Good morning, everyone. Thank you to all who made sure that the Oregonians felt welcome with this great Oregon weather here today. We feel right at home. It is an absolute honor to be here today for the commissioning of the USS Oregon. I am very grateful to Secretary del Toro for inviting me to join you on this incredibly joyous day. To Commander Lacey Lidmell and all the officers and crew of the USS Oregon, on behalf of the great state of Oregon, allow me to say thank you for your service. Thank you for defending our nation with courage, commitment, and conviction. Oregonians are deeply honored that the 20th Virginia class submarine will bear the name of our state. And to my fellow Oregonians, the commissioning committee, including our sponsor, Ms. Dana Richardson, thank you for all of your work to make this amazing moment possible. The naming of this ship holds special meeting as Oregon has a proud tradition of supporting the U.S. Navy. Portland, Oregon was home to the Kaiser shipyards during World War II, proudly supplying the Navy with more liberty and victory ships during the war than any other shipyard in the nation. We set several records for shipbuilding, including the assembly of the Liberty ship SS Robert E. Perry in just five days. It was at the Kaiser shipyards where Eleanor Roosevelt noted that so many employees of the shipyards at that time were working mothers, and she worked with Henry and Edgar Kaiser to construct 24-hour childcare centers on site, a truly innovative investment in working families for its time. While the shipyards are not active today, our relationship with the Navy remains strong. Each year, Portland, the city of Roses, is proud and fortunate to be one of the few U.S. ports of call for a courtesy visit from the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Royal Canadian Navy. We love welcoming the brave officers of the U.S. Navy to Oregon for the annual Fleet Week tradition. Fleet Week tradition, there I got it right. And now, another aspect of Oregon's cherished relationship with the U.S. Navy will be the USS Oregon. To our officers and crew, please know that no matter where your duties take you, you will always be welcomed in Oregon with open arms. As you all know by now, the USS Oregon will share a motto in common with the state of Oregon. Alice Wallott-Propius, she flies with her own wings. I've always loved that motto for obvious reasons. It conveys a deep sense of pride, of passion, and purpose. Beyond the words themselves, may the USS Oregon and the state of Oregon continue to hold in common an embodiment of the values of which these words represent. For instance, Oregonians are adventurous. In Oregon, we have a proud tradition of exploring the beauty and bounty around us, because there's so much to see, from 363 miles of publicly accessible coastline to stunning lakes, rivers, mountains and high deserts. May this crew share the same sense of adventure. May you be ready and willing to serve new missions and new places in defense of democracy and freedom. Oregonians are also courageous. We see this reflected in our homegrown service members, military families, National Guard members and first responders. They protect Oregonians and Americans, often putting themselves in harm's way. We saw this courage recently that Oregonians displayed during several seasons of unprecedented wildfires. National Guard members, law enforcement officers and volunteers running towards danger to help their community members evacuate. Firefighters working around the clock to extinguish these fires and families who'd lost everything, coming together at a time of struggle to carry on and rebuild. I know that this crew is courageous too. It takes great bravery and great sacrifice to leave the safety of one's home and the company of one's family and friends to protect our freedom and democracy. You put your life on the line and step into harm's way in service of this nation and her people. For that, we are eternally grateful. Oregonians are also collaborative. When our state faces problems, crises and disappointments, we roll up our sleeves and get to work together. We have tough conversations. We listen. We find common ground. It's what we call the Oregon way. May this spirit of collaboration be the USS Oregon way as well. All of you officers and crew serving together, knowing that there is strength in teamwork, knowing you have each other's backs and knowing when you face challenges there will be a solution and you will find it by working together. And finally, Oregonians are compassionate. We have seen this over and over again in recent years as Oregonians step up to keep each other safe and help those in need. Neighbors, families, friends, even complete strangers lending a helping hand whenever they can. May this crew remember that at the heart of service is compassion and love. Love for this country, love for her people, and love for her values. May this compassion be a source of strength and conviction as you embark on your missions. And may you always return home safely to the communities and people that you love. The USS Oregon's ship crest features a Chinook salmon, our state fish, an important part of the cultural and spiritual beliefs of our indigenous and tribal people in our state. Our indigenous and tribal communities in Oregon have a rich history of service in our armed forces with one of the highest rates of military service per capita of any ethnic group in Oregon. In fact, an estimated 300, 3856 of Oregon veterans are members of our nine federally recognized tribes. We are eternally grateful for their service and will continue to honor and remember all of those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. And there is another reason why the Chinook salmon is such a fitting symbol for this ship. These salmon begin their lives in fresh water, head out to the deeper waters of the ocean, and then return again to their home waters. In much the same way, we thank you for the journeys you will undertake abroad in service to freedom and democracy for our nation and allies. And we will be so eager each time to welcome you safely home, be it right here in Connecticut or in your other home, the great state of Oregon. So while this morning I've spent plenty of time discussing the state of Oregon's motto, I am a bit biased, but it is after all the USS Oregon's crest. I will leave you with the state of Connecticut's motto, Qui trans tu let sustenie, or he who transplanted still sustains. Essentially meeting wherever you go, God continues to watch over you. May God continue to watch over you and bless the USS Oregon and her crew wherever you go. Thank you. Thank you, Governor Brown. Secretary Ross, I would be honored if you would now place Oregon in commission. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the President of the United States and for the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby place United States Ship Oregon in commission. May God bless and guide this warship and all who shall sell in her. Thank you, Secretary Ross. Executive Officer, hoist the colors and commission pennant. Aye, aye, sir. Ships company, attend, hut. The commission pennant and professional national navies began to take form late in the 17th century. All ships at that time were sailing ships, and it was often difficult to tell a naval ship from a merchant man. Navies began adopting long narrow pennants to be flown by their ships at the main mass head to distinguish themselves from merchant ships. The commission pennant will fly continuously until the ship is decommissioned. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise. I direct your attention to the ship's mass as we hoist the colors and commission pennant. Core master, hoist the colors and commission pennant. Aye, aye, sir. Captain, the colors and commission pennant are flying proudly over USS Oregon. Very well. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. I will now read my orders. From Commander Naval Personnel Command to Commander Lacey Laudmel, United States Navy, subject, Bupers order number 9580 of 1 April 2020, when directed by reporting senior, detached from present duty and report to pre-commissioning unit Oregon as commanding officer. Upon commissioning of USS Oregon, report for duty as commanding officer. Admiral Caldwell, United States ship Oregon is in commission and I am in command. Executive Officer, set the watch. Aye, aye, sir. Officer of the deck, set the first watch. Aye, aye, sir. The officer of the deck is the commanding officer's direct representative, and while on watch is responsible for the safety and smooth operation of the ship. The long glass is the traditional symbol of an officer of the deck's authority in a ship of the line. We are honored to have senior chief submarines, Arlo Gatchel, United States Navy retired and our and our committee co-chair with us today. Senior Chief Gatchel is a veteran of 17 deterrent Cold War patrols aboard fleet ballistic missile submarines. He will assist in setting the first watch by passing the long glass to our first ship's duty officer, Lieutenant Thomas Joseph McSweeney from Herman, Nebraska. The petty officer of the deck is Yeoman submarine's seaman apprentice Esteban Esayi Marquez from Germantown, Maryland. The top size entry is information systems technician submarines second class Tristan Eugene Isley from Hutchison, Kansas, and the boats and made of the watch is boats and made first class Brent Lofgren from Free Point, Freeport, Illinois. Set the watch on deck, section one. The watch is set, sir. Very well. Captain, the watch is set. Very well. The spirit of a U.S. Navy warship is the embodiment of her sponsor. Our sponsor, Ms. Dana Richardson, a Navy spouse of 35 years and champion of Navy Family Services programs, christened this ship here in Groton on October 5th, 2019 and imbued this ship and crew with her sense of commitment and grace. Dana, I would be honored if you would give the order to man our ship and bring her to life. Well, hello everyone. I do have a few remarks first, so just sit tight. 20 more minutes. All right. Gotta have my time, right? It is such an honor and a privilege to be here. I can't even tell you. This is such a great day. Alice Volat Proprias, she flies with her own wings. The Oregon State Model personifies the spirit of the USS Oregon. And what a fantastic day this is. We have the perfect Oregon weather. Thank you. A time to celebrate our nation and our Navy and our sailors and our families. Thank you for taking the time to be a part of this glorious occasion and to support our nation's future. I'd like to thank the Oregon Commissioning Committee for all of their hard work and for making me and my family a part of their family. You have been gracious and kind, and I'll never forget the parades, tours, and visits with the submarine veterans over the past five years and in this great state of Oregon. Thank you to the ship builders in Connecticut and in Virginia. Only you know what goes on behind the scenes to bring these boats to this day. Hundreds of people work tirelessly to make this moment happen, and I hope you feel extreme pride on this day. Thank you to Mr. Al Morales, who among his many duties coordinates events, manages people, and keeps a smile throughout. I don't know how he does that. We could all take lessons from you and how to remain calm during ever-changing schedules and ever-changing weather. Thank you to the crew. Please give them another round of applause. Your work lies ahead of you, but you've done amazing things to be where you are today. Thank you to the families of the USS Oregon. Your tireless sacrifice is our nation's strength. There is a saying, strength of the families is strength in the fleet. It's true, and you are awesome. And finally, yes, I think we need to applaud you, all of you. Thank you to my family, some who are here today, my sister Tanya Silva and my cousin Howard Worth from the great state of Oregon, my husband and best friend of 40 years, the 31st CNO of the Navy, and our five kids who have remained a proud Navy family for over 35 years and who are continuing to serve, Nate, Katie, Dan, Cassandra, Rachel, Jesse, Veronica, Brett, and Matt. By the way, I promise I wouldn't call them out. Thank you so much for being here today. Crew of the USS Oregon, it's an honor and a privilege to be your sponsor, a very proud sponsor of the USS Oregon. This is the biggest joy of my life. Trailblazers! And now, the moment we've all been waiting for. Will the crew of the USS Oregon man your ship and bring her to life? Ladies and gentlemen, the crew of USS Oregon salutes you. We are proud to serve in America's Navy. Ready? To. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Captain, the ship dues manned and ready. Very well. We're Admiral Muckian, United States ship organ is manned and ready and reports for duty. Admiral Caldwell, request permission to break your flag, sir. Executive Officer, break the flag of Naval Reactors. Aye aye, sir. Corps Master, break the flag of Naval Reactors. Aye aye, sir. Captain, the flag of Naval Reactors is proudly flying over USS Oregon. Ladies and gentlemen, Commander Lacey Laudmel, United States Navy, commanding officer, USS Oregon. Good morning. All right. Welcome to Groton. Governor Brown, Senator Blumenthal, Congressman Courtney, Mr. Ross, Admiral Caldwell, Ms. Richardson. Distinguished guests, citizens of Oregon, family and friends, thank you for being here today to celebrate the commissioning of USS Oregon. If you can't tell, I haven't been able to get this grid off my face for the past two days. So, as my topside washdainers have heard me say on numerous occasions, that right there is a fine looking ship. But as you all know, it would only be a hunk of metal without the crew. To the crew, you are now finally plank owners. Many of our original crew members have already left the ship, and many of them are in the audience here. So some of the shipmates I've seen as I've locked up, been very thrilled to see you guys come back to witness this. And I salute the efforts of Captain Dan Patrick, Oregon's first commanding officer, and the former officers and sailors who are now honorary plank owners. The passion, grit, and enthusiasm of Oregon's crew has carried the ship to sea and were vital to the completion of construction and testing. I have been deeply honored to see you grow into a team that is ready to undertake any mission we are assigned. This is without a doubt the finest crew I have ever had the pleasure to serve with. It's been a long challenging road to finally arrive at this ceremony today. It required an exceptional team effort by literally thousands of hardworking, dedicated Americans, both uniformed and civilian. First to the shipbuilders, a General Dynamics Electric boat, and Newport New Shipbuilding, I want to thank every one of your personnel who put this fine ship together. From the carpenters to the welders, the painters to the test organizations, you built a fine ship that will faithfully take us to sea for the next 30-plus years of service to the nation. Thank you, sir. To the many organizations that support our team, I thank you as well. Commander Submarine Force Atlantic, Submarine Squadrons 4, N-12, Submarine Readiness Squadron 32, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, Submarine Base, New London, and nearly every submarine on the Groton waterfront has helped our crew in countless ways over the past five years since we stood this crew up. We could not have reached this milestone without you. To the people of the state of Oregon, we wholeheartedly thank you for your support and the honor of carrying your state's name and history onboard our ship. And I literally mean history. For those of you that were at the Chairman's reception yesterday, the Maritime Museum presented us an amazing gift which is a port hole from the battleship Oregon to bear onboard our ship and take with us. An amazing gift and Cobb is still figuring out where he's going to put it. The people of Oregon have been exceptionally warm from our crew's trips to visit the state, to the events we have shared over the past few days, all the way to the positive comments on social media. We could not have done this without the fantastic help of the USS Oregon Commissioning Committee who kept us on track through a once-in-a-century global pandemic. To Jim Lasher, Arlo Gatchel, and the members of the committee, thank you. We anticipate outstanding future cooperation with the state of Oregon, and we definitely need to plan that luau when the ship reaches Hawaii. To Ms. Dana Richardson, we could not have picked a more perfectly experienced and supportive sponsor. And who knew that they were going to celebrate with us with those wonderful sirens? To have a sponsor who understands perhaps better than anyone else, the challenges of being a military spouse, and in particular a submarine spouse, is a true blessing and your ongoing work supporting military families is amazing. Thanks for offering your spirit to this ship, your support to the crew and their families, and your own family's enthusiasm. Finally, oh yes, finally to the people that make this all possible, to Oregon, the crew of Oregon's families, you have already endured the long nights of import duty, the interminable stretches of shift work, and unpredictable underways. Thank you for your flexibility, for your sacrifices, and your unwavering support. I will always be in awe of the dedication of our embudsman, Mrs. Destiny Flores, and our family readiness group, and I look forward to growing and strengthening the Oregon family. We could not do this without you. Over a century ago, the battleship USS Oregon became a household name, finally referred to as the Bulldog of the Navy, for her exceptional performance during the Spanish-American War. Now I won't completely rehash that right now, you should go look it up Wikipedia is our friend. But she was wakened from a comfortable West Coast slumber, and famously steamed over 14,000 nautical miles from Bremerton, Washington to San Francisco, and then passed the southern tip of South America through the Strait of Magellan, and then to Cuba to engage the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Santiago on July 3rd, 1898. Reading the stories amazing, she quickly put to sea and steamed at sustained high speeds for the time, almost 17 knots, trained a green crew and augmented it by reservists while conducting the transit, and rapidly transitioned from a peacetime mindset and a beautiful white peacetime paint job to the dull gray paint and the steely look of a ship and crew that were ready for combat. Today, it seems the world is trending towards instability again. Trailblazers, it is your charge to defend freedom of the seas and deter aggression with this wonderful ship. Construction and testing are complete, you have left the shipyard behind, you have tested the ship's systems, and you have already steamed over 14,000 nautical miles yourselves onboard our ship. If called to arms like the battleship Oregon was, there will likely be no time to change our paint job, recruit reservists, or train ourselves to be successful in combat. It is our duty and responsibility to be ready to answer the call anytime, anywhere, and with decisive force, and I have absolute confidence in this crew's readiness and commitment. Congratulations, Trailblazers, and now it's time to go get organized. Oregon, attention! Trailblazers! Oh, you can do better than that. Trailblazers! Thank you. Well, the guests, please rise. Javelin Dupre will deliver the benediction. Let us pray. Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave. This is our Navy hymn. Formed of the Earth's ore, and powered by the Earth's minerals, you have blessed this boat and this crew with the frontier spirit of Oregon. It has been a long trail here, with thousands on the journey from design and construction through sea trials. And even as we end this portion of the journey with today's celebration, we are prepared to embark again, to the silent depths and unseen courses, to take our turn in protecting liberties forged in the sacrifices of our gallant forebears. And so we offer a submarine verse of this great hymn. Lord God, our power evermore, whose arm doth reach the ocean floor. Dive with our force beneath the sea. Traverse the depths protectively. O hear us when we pray and keep them safe from peril in the deep. And may the blessing of God Almighty rest upon you and remain with you always. Amen.