Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class STEVEN HOSKINS | GROTON, Conn. (Oct. 29, 2018) The Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine USS Indiana...... read more read more
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GROTON, Conn.– The Virginia-class, fast-attack submarine USS Indiana (SSN 789) made her way up the Thames River and arrived at her new homeport of Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, Oct. 29.
Indiana joins Submarine Squadron 4 to further train and test the crew.
The submarine made the transition from a shipyard project to a fully operational, combat-ready vessel when she officially joined the fleet exactly one month ago, Sept. 29, during a commissioning ceremony in Port Canaveral, Florida.
Throughout its construction and now in service to our nation, many symbols of the state of Indiana have been woven into the fabric of both the submarine itself and its crew’s hearts. Sailors onboard SSN-789 are referred to as Hoosiers – just like Indiana natives. A common phrase heard around the boat when completing a mission, a task or a simple meeting is “Hooyah Hoosiers.” The official chant used by the boat is “Indiana Strong! Hoosier Proud! Hooyah Hoosiers!”
As the crew pulled into their new port today, there were their new shipmates from Squadron 4 and other local supporting submariners, on the pier in formation, cheering them on with that same chant to welcome them to their new home. As the crew of Indiana yelled out loud and proud, “Indiana Strong! Hoosier Proud!” The quick reply from the crowd on the pier came, “Hooyah Hoosiers!”
The State of Indiana has a wide ranging manufacturing industry and many of the parts that went into building Indiana were originally made by companies located in its namesake state and assembled at the Huntington Ingalls Shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, where Indiana was built.
USS Indiana (SSN 789) is the third commissioned U.S. Navy vessel to bear the Indiana name. It is the first not designed as a heavy battleship. USS Indiana (SSN 789) is the third ship to be named for the State of Indiana. The first was USS Indiana (BB 1), a battle ship that participated in the Spanish – American War. The keel for a planned Indiana (BB 50) was laid down in 1920, but construction was halted due to the terms of the Washington Treaty for Naval Limitation following World War I, and it was never commissioned. The second was USS Indiana (BB 58), a battle ship that fought in World War II and earned nine battle stars.
The ship’s crest depicts various symbols of the Submarine Force and the state of Indiana. It is framed by a gold outline of the state and at the top of the crest there is a torch with stars that are symbols from the state flag. The torch represents liberty and enlightenment; the rays surrounding the torch represent their far-reaching influence. There are nine silver stars on the crest around the torch. These represent the nine battle stars that USS Indiana (BB 58) earned during World War II. The ship’s name and a depiction of the submarine are below the torch. At the bottom of the crest are two ship profiles. These are the silhouettes of the two previous ships to bear the name Indiana. Below the silhouettes are two submarine dolphins, framing a set of gears on the right and a shock of wheat on the left with “SSN 789” in the center. The dolphins are symbols of the Submarine Force and represent the technical prowess and excellence of its officers and enlisted members. The gears and wheat represent the industry and agriculture native to the state of Indiana. Finally, the background of the crest is a checkered flag which represents the famous racing history and culture of Indiana.
That same racing history is present not only in a crest, but also in the daily life of Sailors onboard the submarine. The USS Indiana (SSN 789) galley is called the “Brickyard Bistro.” This name is in reference to the racing culture of Indiana, specifically to the finish line at the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway which is called the “Brickyard.”
Indiana has the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land areas, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare; mine delivery and minefield mapping; and special forces delivery and support. It weighs 7,800 tons, is 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet, and can operate at more than 25 knots submerged. Its reactor plant will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship – reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.
Indiana (SSN 789) is the 16th Virginia-class fast attack submarine and the sixth Virginia-class Block III submarine. This next-generation attack submarine provides the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea superiority well into the 21st century.
| Date Taken: | 10.29.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.29.2018 20:57 |
| Story ID: | 298117 |
| Location: | GROTON , CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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