BELOIT
Crew members of the USS Beloit, dignitaries and local officials joined local residents Wednesday night in a celebration of the U.S. Navy ship named after the community.
The ship’s crest was shown off by the USS Beloit crew. The emblem includes the ship’s mascot, a badger named Rocky. Rocky is named after Rock County and the river that runs through Beloit.
“We were so lucky that we were able to design our own crest for the ship,” said Le Andra Kissinger, captain of the USS Beloit. “Just from seeing the amount of care it took to design and plan the USS Beloit, it will be the best littoral combat ship in the world.”
The USS Beloit is a Freedom class, 287-foot-long littoral combat ship (LCS 29). It is named after Beloit because of the long working relationship between the Navy and Beloit-based engine manufacturer Fairbanks Morse Defense.
Fairbanks Morse Defense manufactured engines for about 80% of all U.S. Navy ships. The company is celebrating its 150th year in Beloit.
“We are very proud to have been making engines of freedom for the United States armed forces,’ said Pat Bussie, vice president for business development at Fairbanks Morse Defense.
It was back in 2018 when the U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced a Freedom class ship was going to be named after Beloit.
In the same year, Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer named the U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson as sponsor for the ship.
Anderson is the first Black major general in the U.S. Army Reserve and is a native of Beloit. She served a 36-year career in the U.S. Army.
Anderson, Baldwin and many others ventured to Marinette, where the ship was built, on May 7 for the official christening ceremony. Anderson shattered a bottle of Champagne against the ship in accordance with tradition. A short clip was shown Wednesday on the stadium’s screen of Anderson breaking the bottle and the ship launching into the water.
A challenge coin was designed by four local artists. This coin was welded to the mast, so it will always be a part of the ship.
The four local artists include Bea Champeny-Johns, Miguel Angel Olivera, Aaron Nilson and Tom West. All four of the artists have ties to the military.
Olivera, who was away visiting family, recently finished boot camp for the U.S. Navy. All the artists received a plaque from the city of Beloit.
A documentary film titled “Honor in the Heartland: The Story of the USS Beloit” currently is being created by director Julius Fomotor and Fairbanks Morse Defense.
Fomotor has worked with Fairbanks Morse Defense for more than 12 years and has previously won regional Emmy awards.
A trailer for the documentary, expected to be released later this year, was shown at Wednesday’s celebration event at ABC Supply Stadium.
George Olson, age 95, was involved with the film, as were other veterans. Olson served on the USS Twiggs during his service in the Navy.
Several local veterans were present at the event including Olson and Sam Caruana, age 101. Caruana served in the U.S. Army.
Veterans at the event who served in World War II also received plaques from the city of Beloit.
A painting of the ship commissioned by the city was unveiled during the celebration. John Hines created the painting and it will be on display at Beloit City Hall.
