USS Beloit to be commissioned on Nov. 23

BELOIT — The USS Beloit will go into active service on Nov. 23, the U.S. Navy announced Monday.

And there will be enough money to support the crew and properly celebrate, the USS Beloit Commissioning Committee announced as well.

The ship, which is the first Navy ship to be named after Beloit, will be commissioned at Veterans Park in Milwaukee at 10 a.m. Following the ceremony, the ship and its crew will depart for Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Fla.

Since June, the commissioning committee has been raising money to support the series of events related to the commissioning ceremony, creating a legacy fund to support the USS Beloit crew in times of need and to decorate the ship. The initial goal was to raise $350,000. Headed by VetsRoll co-founder Mark Finnegan, the committee has secured more than $419,000 in donations and pledges as of Monday.

The effort has gotten a lot of local support. Organizations such as ABC Supply Co., Fairbanks Morse Defense and the Morse Group are among the major donors. The effort has received regional support as well, including a $50,000 commitment from InPro Corp. of Muskego.

Now that there’s an official date, the commissioning committee will be finalizing details about the ceremony and how to request tickets.

The event will be the culmination of a six-year process. In 2002, the Navy began developing a new class of vessel called littoral combat ships. In 2018, the Navy announced that it was naming the next LCS after Beloit in honor of the city’s contributions to the Navy and national defense. Fairbanks Morse Defense, based in Beloit, has been a long-standing partner with the Navy, producing engines for naval vessels.

A christening and launch ceremony for the USS Beloit was held in Marinette, Wisconsin on May 7, 2022. On Oct. 1, the Navy accepted delivery of the vessel.

The commissioning committee is still accepting donations at www.ussbeloit.org.