Christening Information
NAVY ANNOUNCES CHRISTENING OF COASTAL PATROL SHIPS
FIREBOLT (PC 10) AND WHIRLWIND (PC 11)
The U.S. Navy's newest coastal patrol ships, Firebolt
(PC 10), and Whirlwind (PC 11), will be christened
in a dual ceremony on Saturday, September 24, 1994,
at Bollinger Machine Shop & Shipyard, Lockport,
Louisiana, commencing at 10 a.m. Andrea Danzig, wife
of Under Secretary of the Navy, Richard Danzig, will
be the Sponsor for Firebolt (PC 10), and Betty Ann
Tanner, wife of Representative John S. Tanner of Tennessee,
will be the Sponsor for Whirlwind (PC 11). Each Sponsor
will break a bottle of champagne over the bow in the
age old Navy tradition, and formally name the ship.
Representative Tanner will be the ceremony's principal
speaker. Richard Danzig will also speak. Firebolt
and Whirlwind are the 10th and 11th of 13 Cyclone
class ships authorized by Congress. These ships are
named for weather elements. No previous U.S. Navy
ships have been named Firebolt. One previous ship
has been named Whirlwind, a steamer (1917-1918) which
served during World War I. The ships' primary mission
is maritime special operations, which includes conducting
coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance -- an
important aspect of littoral operations outlined in
the Navy's strategy, "Forward ...From the Sea."
These ships will also provide full mission support
for naval special operations forces. Coastal patrol
ships are armed with one Stinger missile station,
40MM grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns and
25MM chain guns. Each ship will be manned by a crew
of four officers and 24 enlisted personnel, is 170
feet in length, has a beam of 25 feet and displaces
approximately 331 tons fully loaded.
Commissioning Information
NAVY WIRE SERVICE - A WIRE (NWSA) - 03 July 1995
- ... NWSA777.
Coastal patrol ship Whirlwind commissioned WASHINGTON
(NWSA)
The coastal patrol ship Whirlwind (PC 11) was commissioned
on July, 1, 1995, at the Mississippi riverfront in
Memphis, Tenn. Chief of Naval Operations ADM Mike
Boorda was the ceremony's principal speaker. Representative
John Tanner of Tennessee made opening remarks and
introduced Boorda. Whirlwind's sponsor is Congressman
Tanner's wife, Betty Ann, who also attended the ceremony.
Mrs. Tanner christened the ship in September 1994.
Steven S. Honigman, General Counsel of the Navy, and
General Wayne A. Downing, Commander-in-Chief, U.S.
Special Operations Command, also spoke. Whirlwind
is the 11th of 13 Cyclone-class ships authorized by
Congress to be built. Named for a weather element,
one previous ship has borne this name, a steamer (1917-1918)
which served during World War I. The ship's primary
mission is coastal patrol and interdiction surveillance,
an important aspect of littoral operations outlined
in the Navy's strategy, "Forward...From the Sea."
The ship will also provide full mission support for
Navy SEALs and other special operations forces. Coastal
patrol ships are armed with a Stinger missile station,
40mm grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns and
25mm chain guns. Whirlwind has a crew of four officers
and 24 enlisted Sailors, is 170 feet in length, has
a beam of 25 feet, and displaces approximately 313
tons fully loaded. Lieutenant David Dale Schweizer,
USN, a native of Vienna, Va., is the ship's commanding
officer.
