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Navy’s new ship, USS Anchorage, to be commissioned in its namesake city May 4

Published: November 1, 2012

The USS Anchorage heads down the Mississippi river, passing the skyline of New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon, October 30, 2012. The USS Anchorage had a christening ceremony May 14, 2011 at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, and was formally delivered and accepted by the US Navy on September 17, 2012.

Phil James — Unknown

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com

ANCHORAGE — The USS Anchorage, an amphibious transport dock ship, will be commissioned in its namesake city on May 4, 2013, according to an announcement Thursday from the USS Anchorage Commissioning Committee.

It will be the first time that a U.S. Navy vessel has been formally commissioned in Alaska, the committee said. The ceremony will be open to the public.

Buddy Whitt, a member of the committee,said the ship is scheduled to be in Anchorage for 10 days, starting in late April, and be open to groups and individuals wishing to tour the ship during that time.

The USS Anchorage is the second Navy vessel to bear that name. It was built in New Orleans and delivered to the Navy on Sept. 17. It will be homeported in San Diego, Calif.

More information about the ship's visit to Alaska can be found at www.ussanchoragenavy.com.