The USS Pierre was christened Saturday at a special ceremony in Mobile, Alabama.
Several dignitaries attended this weekend’s christening, including Sen. John Thune and Pierre Mayor Steve Harding.
The vessel is a Littoral Combat Ship. That’s a type of fast, agile ship designed to defend against threats near the coast, according to Austal USA, the company that built the ship.
“As we christen the USS Pierre, we also celebrate the extraordinary crews that will sail this ship, employing the capabilities and versatility of the Littoral Combat Ship class, which will continue to play a pivotal role in safeguarding our nation's interests now and for years to come," said Rear Adm. Kevin Smith, Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants.
The ship is sponsored by Thune’s daughter, Larissa Thune Hargens, who broke the ceremonial bottle on the hull at the christening.
The USS Pierre next heads to her home port of San Diego.
It’s not the first U.S. Navy ship to bear the name USS Pierre. The first was a submarine chaser built in World War II. In addition, another ship, the SS Pierre Victory, was built by the War Shipping Administration in 1944, according the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated the original U.S.S Pierre was a submarine; it was in fact a submarine chaser, a type of ship built for anti-submarine warfare.