by Parker H. Jimison
As the commissioning of the USS Billings gets set for August 3rd in Key West, the USS Billings Namesake Committee are prepping local street signs to be placed throughout the ship, helping give the ship and her crew more of a connection to the city she’s named for.
Left to Right: Finance director Andy Zoeller, Billings Mayor Bill Cole, commission coordinator Ron Spence, and committee member Katy Easton of the USS Billings Commissioning Committee present the street signs that will soon be gracing the decks of the first warship named for the city of Billings (Photo by Jonathan McNiven).
Signs for King Avenue, Rimrock Road, Central Avenue, Montana Avenue, and Grand Avenue will soon be gracing the corridors of the Billings. Committee Coordinator Ron Spence said he got the idea from something similar done on the USS Missouri and felt it was a good way to bring a bit of Billings to the USS Billings. Roughly three thousand people are expected to be in attendance as the ship is finally commissioned and put into use for the US Navy as the fifteenth littoral combat ship to enter service; and with the best name in the Navy, the USS Billings is sure to become a storied vessel.
The Namesake Committee is still looking for donations to help out with the cost of throwing the commissioning ceremony and you can donate online at ussbillingslcs15.org to help put together this historic event. Billings Mayor Bill Cole would also like to let everyone know that if they can attend the commissioning ceremony in Key West, Florida, Marriott is offering discounted hotel rates which can be booked through the Accommodations tab on the website.
