Commissioning

The commissioning of USS Freedom is expected to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 8, 2008.  The Navy has selected a site on the downtown waterfront at Veterans Park.  During the week before the Saturday commissioning ceremony, there will be many activities for crewmembers and their families.  For security reasons, tours of the ship will be restricted.  There will be several receptions for commissioning sponsors, Navy officials, elected officials, shipbuilders, and other dignitaries.

Requests for invitations are no longer being accepted to attend the commissioning ceremony.  Over 8,000 requests have been received from the public.  For those who will not be able to be at the commissioning, a free display on USS Freedom will be available at the Discovery World Museum from late October through November.  The display will contain pictures of the ship under construction, duing its launch at Marinette Marine shipyard, and of the ship underway in Lake Michigan.  Also on display, courtesy of Lockheed Martin, will be a four-foot model of USS Freedom.  The Museum is located at 500 North Harbor Drive, Milwaukee.