From December 8 to 16, the Buffalo and Erie County Military Park will be hosting tribute ceremonies for the future USS Little Rock (LCS 9). The military craft is currently undergoing a new paint job in preparation for the official commissioning, scheduled to take place at Canalside on 16 December 2017. The commemoration will mark the Navy ship’s entry into service with the US military. According to the event organizers, “It will be the first time a Navy ship has been commissioned in Buffalo and the first time a Navy ship is given the same name alongside its decommissioned namesake (USS Little Rock CL-92).”
The USS Little Rock crew will arrive in Buffalo on December 8, to partake in the week long celebration.
“The mission of our committee is to pull together a first-class event – something fitting of the historical significance of this commissioning,” said Maurice L. Naylon III, Chair of the local Commissioning Committee. “We also have the responsibility of raising money to fund initiatives that will honor and preserve the legacy of both ships that carry the name USS Little Rock. I was delighted to receive word from CDR Todd Peters, Commander of the future USS Little Rock (LCS 9), that the ship’s commissioning will officially take place on 16 December 2017 at Canalside in Buffalo.”
