Photo By James Cleveland | KITTERY, ME. Aug. 31, 2023, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard: USS North Dakota (SSN 784)...... read more read more
The Virginia-class attack submarine USS North Dakota (SSN 784) held a change of command ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, Aug. 31.
Commander Towney Kennard III relieved Cmdr. Robert Edmonson III as commanding officer during the event.
The Honorable Doug Burgum, Governor of North Dakota, also attended the ceremony, telling Edmonson and the North Dakota crew, “the patriotic residents of North Dakota are extremely proud of the USS North Dakota.”
Edmonson, who assumed command of North Dakota in February 2021, said of his crew, “I am proud to look back on this tour and share that this crew with their families has proven themselves bold and lethal and have surpassed all expectations.”
“Thank you, it has been an honor to be here and an honor to serve.”
Kennard, who previously served aboard North Dakota, thanked his previous leadership and chiefs over the course of his career that, “along the way shaped the course of my career.”
“The mission ahead will not be easy, and it will demand much from every member of the North Dakota family,” said Kennard. “I look forward to all the successes this team will achieve and get our boat back into top fighting shape.”
The ceremony ended with Kennard and the North Dakota crew yelling the submarine’s motto: “Strength from the Soil! Reapers of the Deep!”
North Dakota arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for scheduled upgrades and maintenance on April 28, and is currently in Dry Dock 2.
Commissioned on Oct. 25, 2014, North Dakota is the second U.S. warship named for the state of North Dakota, the first being WWI-era battleship USS North Dakota (BB 29). North Dakota is more than 377 feet long and can displace nearly 7,900 tons and operates under Commander, Submarine Squadron 2 in Kittery, Maine.
Attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence. They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is America’s leader for attack submarine maintenance, repair, and modernization. The on-time completion of submarine availabilities is critical to maintaining the U.S. Navy’s maritime superiority. As a NAVSEA-operated field activity, Portsmouth is committed to expanding our undersea advantage and maximizing the material readiness of the fleet by safely delivering first-time quality, on time, and on budget.
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2023 11:10 |
| Story ID: | 452657 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 443 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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