Houma keel-laying of Cherokee Nation

HOUMA, La. - A keel laying ceremony was held Feb. 12 for the future USNS Cherokee Nation (T-ATS 7), the second ship of the Navy's Navajo class of Towing, Salvage, and Rescue vessels, near Gulf Island Shipyard at the Houma Terrebonne Civic Center. The keel laying ceremony formally marks the start of a ship's life and the joining of the ship's modular components. The keel serves as the symbolic backbone of the ship. In attendance to authenticate the keel was Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, The Honorable Chuck Hoskin, Jr. and the ship's sponsor and Deputy Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, The Honorable Victoria Mitchell Vazquez. During the ceremony, the keel authenticators etched their initials into the keel plate and declared it to be "truly and fairly laid." In addition to the future USNS Cherokee Nation, Gulf Island Shipyard is constructing the future USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6) and is under contract for the detail design and construction of the future USNS Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek (T-ATS 8). (Source: Team Ships 02/12/20) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112093.