USS Sioux City

USS Sioux City

A naval ship named for Iowa’s fourth largest city will be launched this weekend.

Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott is among a group of city leaders in Marinette, Wisconsin for events surrounding the dedication of the U.S.S. Sioux City.

“From now, for at least 50 years, there will be a ship out on the ocean that’ll have our name on it and I think that’s kind of cool,” Scott said. The littoral combat ship is designed to detect mines. The commander of the ship, Kevin Ralston, and a dozen crew members visited Sioux City back in September.

“I think they have a greater appreciation for Sioux City and we have a greater appreciation for what this ship is all about,” Scott said. The U.S.S Sioux City will eventually be based in Mayport, Florida. It will operate across the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and in the Middle East. The $700 million, 378 foot long ship will be manned by a crew of 53 sailors.

(Reporting by Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City/ Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)