The USS Little Rock (LCS 9) Commissioning Committee also named Mayor Brown its Honorary Chairman, in recognition of the City’s support and assistance in bringing the history-making commissioning to Buffalo
December 8 – Mayor Byron W. Brown today joined with members of the USS Little Rock (LCS 9) Commissioning Committee for the presentation of a key to the City of Buffalo to the new ship’s commander and crew.
“On behalf of the residents of Buffalo, especially our active and retired military, and their families, I am honored to present an official Key to the City to Commander Todd Peters, and his entire crew,” Mayor Brown said. “This is the first time in the U.S. Navy’s 242-year history that a ship will be commissioned alongside its namesake, and wherever the new USS Little Rock travels, it will carry the best wishes of the City of Buffalo.”
Mayor Brown was joined by members of the USS Little Rock (LCS 9) Commissioning Committee, led by its Chairman, Maurice L. Naylon III, who surprised the Mayor with a special honor.
“When we first learned that Buffalo was selected as the host city for the commissioning of LCS 9, our first call was to Mayor Brown, because we knew this would be a great undertaking and would require the cooperation of many to pull this off,” Naylon said. “From site set-up, to logistics to security, we could not have done this without the assistance from the City and Mayor Brown. It is only fitting that we recognize this support by including Mayor Brown on the Commissioning Committee as Honorary Chairman.”
The LCS 9, which will be officially named the USS Little Rock during its commissioning ceremony on Saturday, December 16th, arrived in Buffalo with much fanfare on Monday, December 11th. Mayor Brown and other elected officials were ferried out to greet the ship by the U.S. Coast Guard, and then boarded the LCS 9 for it cruise to Buffalo’s Inner Harbor, where it is now moored, near the ship whose name it will soon share.
“It was amazing to see the crowd of people who came out to welcome the ship to Buffalo. Commander Peters and his crew continue to receive a warm reception as they take part in activities throughout our city and region,” Mayor Brown said.
The de-commissioned USS Little Rock, which is a permanent feature of Buffalo’s Naval & Military Park, was commissioned into service in 1944, and remained active until 1976.
The new USS Little Rock will depart Buffalo for its future home port, at the Mayport Naval Station, in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 17th. Built in Marinette, WI, it is the tenth craft in Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship fleet.