Ship Sponsor Visits USS Mobile (LCS 26)

by Petty Officer 2nd Class Vance Hand

14 October 2021 NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES -- Rebecca Byrne, the ship sponsor of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26) visited the ship on Oct. 13.

A ship’s sponsor is traditionally a female civilian who is appointed by the secretary of the navy to bestow luck to the vessel.

“We’re thrilled to be here, even more so to be able to celebrate the Navy’s birthday with the crew,” said Rebecca Byrne, Mobile’s ship sponsor. “Mobile’s ship motto is ‘born to celebrate’, and they have embraced it.”

This was Byrne’s first visit to the ship since Mobile’s commissioning ceremony held on May 22, 2021 in Mobile, Ala., as well as her first visit since Mobile’s arrival to its home port in San Diego.

“It’s great to have Mrs. Byrne with us in our homeport of San Diego after having the opportunity to spend time with her in her hometown of Mobile, where the ship was built,” said Cmdr. Christopher Bland, Mobile Blue Crew executive officer. “Also, this will be her first time meeting Mobile Gold Crew, and we’re excited to have her here with us.”

The Littoral Combat Ship is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/