Kacey Roberts
HII has christened the U.S. Navy’s third America-class amphibious assault ship, named after Bougainville Island in the Solomons in honor of a World War 2 campaign that dismantled the Japanese stronghold.
Ellyn Dunford, wife of former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Joe Dunford Jr., sponsored the christening of USS Bougainville, the company said Saturday.
James Adams III, nominee for deputy commandant for programs and resources at the Marine Corps, paid tribute to those who served, stating, “Bougainville’s christening symbolizes their enduring legacy.”
“As was the case with Bougainville, the nation needs modern amphibious ships. They are the cornerstone of our nation’s global expeditionary crisis response force,” Adams added.
Navy Undersecretary Erik Raven highlighted the significance of ships like the Bougainville for a robust global response, “ready to respond to crises and disasters.”
Ingalls Shipbuilding completed the first America-class assault ship, USS America, in 2014, followed by the second, USS Tripoli, in 2020. Currently, construction is underway for USS Fallujah, the fourth in its class.
