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done in the past to provide guidance to what is
traditional and appropriate for given situations.
KEEL-LAYING
The first milestone in the history of a ship is the
keel-laying ceremony. This is generally a simple
ceremony. The invitation is issued by shipyard officials,
and the ceremony is conducted by them.
CHRISTENING OR LAUNCHING
The second significant ceremony is the
christening or launching ceremony. When a recently
constructed ship is christened, it is solemnly
dedicated, named, and committed to the sea. There are
many variations in launching programs, even as to
whether it is known as a launching or christening, or
both. The desires of the shipbuilder and of the Navy
as well as existing circumstances will determine its
final form. It should be noted that the designation of
U.S. Ship (USS) is not properly used with the ship’s
name at this point for the ship has not yet been
accepted into naval service.
COMMISSIONING
The commissioning ceremony, the third and most
important ceremony in the history of a ship, is the
ceremony that designates the ship a U.S. Ship, entitles
the ship to fly the commission pennant, and is the way
the Navy formally accepts the ship.
There are two major steps in the commissioning
process. Initially, the builder turns the ship over to the
area commander. The area commander, who is the
intermediary between builder and prospective CO,
receives the ship and commissions it. The area
commander then turns the ship over to the prospective
CO who accepts the ship, assumes command, and
proceeds to act as host for the remainder of the
ceremony.
Commissioning invitations commonly take one of
two forms. The principal difference between them lies
in the consideration of who is the host for the
ceremony and in whose name, therefore, invitations
are extended. In practice, the first commissioning is
the responsibility of the area commander. For this
reason, invitations citing the area commander as one
of multiple hosts are often used (fig. 4-6). However,
invitations tendered in the name of the CO, officers,
and crew members of the ship are at least equally
traditional (fig. 4-7).
The Commander in Chief Atlantic,
the Commanding Officer, and Ship’s Company
request the honor of your presence
at the commissioning of
USS NEVERSAIL (DD-2215)
at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Viginia
on Monday, the fifteenth of August
nineteen hundred and ninety-three
at half past one o’clock
R.S.V.P.
255-5812
Figure 4-6.-Formal engraved invitation on bristol card stock.
The Captain, Officers, and Men of
UNITED STTES SHIP NEVERSAIL
request the honor of your presence
on the occasion of the commissioning of
UNITED STATES SHIP NEVERSAIL
Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, Massachusetts
on Saturday, the tenth of May
nineteen hundred and ninety-three
at three o’clock
Please present this card
at the Henley Street Gate
Figure 4-7.-Sample commissioning invitation for a 4- by
5-inch invitation card.
Although the ship is not accepted as a U.S. Ship until
midway in the ceremony, invitations customarily use the
designation USS (without periods) with the ship’s name.
Since this title is preempted for early use, it seems stuffy
to insist on the use of the designation “prospective” in
reference to the captain and crew of the ship, but it is
still seen occasionally.
The invitation may be engraved on full-size,
double-white paper, similar in style to a wedding
invitation (fig. 4-6) or, as is more usual, on a white
invitation card that is entirely plain or topped by a replica
of the commission pennant (fig. 4-7). It is incorrect to
use the word the before a ship’s name inasmuch as there
is only one ship with that name in commission at any
given time. The desired uniform or other information
such as “Cameras not permitted” is indicated at the
lower right-hand comer.
4-9
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