Greene County Daily World: Hoosier businesses essential to USS Indiana
January 10, 2017
Via Greene County Daily World As part of its Namesake Tour, representatives of the USS Indiana visited the area Tuesday to discuss the first with a Hoosier moniker in more than 70 years. USS Indiana Commissioning Committee Chairman Ray Shearer, Captain Jesse Zimbauer and Master Chief Lafrederick Herring stopped by WestGate Academy and Conferencing Center to discuss the Virginia Class Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine. Captain Zimbauer said the ship is built and is currently in the testing phase, with a christening date set for April and believes the ship will go into commission this time next year. The ship -- which should stay in commission for 32 years -- is 337-feet long, weighs about 7,600 tons and has a 135-man crew. He said the “floating city” will work on a variety of missions of up to 120 days, including mapping to under ice travel to surveillance to torpedo to sending out Navy Seals if needed. “We have our own barbershop, we make our own water, our own oxygen and heat. We have cooks, plumbers and doctors,” Zimbauer explained. Committee Chairman Shearer said there are more than 100 Indiana businesses who have contributed to the USS Indiana in some form or another. To continue reading, follow this link.