1ST STATE, 1ST SWING
With a decisive smash, Jill Biden christens attack sub Delaware
With one mighty swing, Jill Biden christened the submarine Delaware at Newport News Shipbuilding Saturday, bringing it one step closer to joining the fleet.
“This submarine will be strong like the sailors who make up her crew,” said Biden, the ship’s sponsor and wife of Joe Biden, the former vice president and longtime Delaware senator.
An enthusiastic contingent from Delaware made the trip south to Newport News. It marks the first time in more than 100 years that a Navy warship will bear the name of the First State, and they clearly enjoyed the moment.
Delaware Gov. John Carney called it “an incredibly proud day” for residents of his state. Sen. Tom Carper led the crowd
in a chant of “Good morning, Delaware” for folks back home watching the live-streamed event.
But the spotlight shone brightest on Biden, a career educator who used her national platform as second lady to focus on the challenges of military families.
In her remarks, she reserved special praise for military families and friends, calling them “the steadiness and continuity for our sailors.”
Biden recalled a 2012 visit to Lee Hall Elementary School in Newport News where she spoke on the Joining Forces initiative. She and then-First Lady Michelle Obama launched that effort to better meet the needs of military-connected children and their families.
“You take care of each other,” she said, “and you lift each other up.”
Slam-dunk smash
Over the history of Navy christenings, the bottle has sometimes failed to break on the first try. In February 1988, sponsor Jo Ann K. Webb braved bitter cold at the christening of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in Newport News, only to have the bottle bounce off the hull three times.
With Biden, it was never in doubt.
Taking a deep breath to settle herself like a pitcher on the mound, she wound up and smashed the bottle against the ship’s hull, showering herself in sparking wine. She needed a towel to dry off.
Then came a newer tradition: the obligatory selfie.
Crowding together on the platform with Biden were Carper, Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin and Cmdr. Brian P. Hogan, the submarine’s commanding officer.
A unique day
The Delaware is more than 90 percent complete but still must undergo final outfitting, testing and a series of sea trials.
The Navy is scheduled to take delivery of the boat in 2019.
It is the 18th Virginia-class submarine and the ninth to be assembled and delivered at the Newport News shipyard, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The shipyard builds the nuclear submarines in a unique teaming arrangement with General Dynamics Electric Boat of Groton, Conn. Each yard builds components of the submarines, then takes turns in final assembly and delivery to the Navy.
Electric Boat was also busy Saturday, christening the future USS Vermont.
It marked the first time in the Virginia-class program that two submarines were christened on the same day, made possible because the threat of Hurricane Florence postponed Delaware’s original christening date in September.
A new chapter
Six previous warships have been named for Delaware. Only one was built at the Newport News yard: a 20,000-ton dreadnought battleship that was commissioned in 1910.
Carper talked about the history of the other Delaware ships, noting that they never achieved fame in the annals of naval history.
He suggested that would soon change.
“Turn the page,” he said, pointing to the submarine behind him. “Look at what we got.”
Delaware’s signature claim to fame comes from being the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Turning to the assembled crew, he said, “You’re going to make us even more famous.” Lessig can be reached by phone at 757-247-7821.