Chancellorsville (CG 62) - Naval Cruise Book

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Cvwiim- Q . S gi FVJ l' . . K 54 8 7 Commissioning a The Tradition of avy hip The Commissioning Ceremony signifies the acceptance for service and the entry of a ship into the active fleet of the United States Navy. At the moment of the breaking of the commissioning pennant, USS CHANCEL- LORSVILLE CCG 625 becomes a proud ship of the line. The Com- manding Officer, together with the ship's officers and crew, then accepts the duties and responsi- bilities of making and keeping her ready for any service required by our nation, in peace or war. The Commissioning Ceremony has been a tradition of all navies for centuries and in the United States Navy since its beginning. It marks the formal entrance of a man-of- war into the naval forces of her nation. It is the final and most significant event of the triad that brings a ship to life: keel laying, launching and christening, and commissioning. In the early periods of our Nation's history, no exact proce- dure for the Commissioning Ceremony was prescribed. Thus, a ship's date of commissioning was recorded as any one of a number of days - when the colors were first raised, when officers and crew reported on board, when the first log entry was made, or when the ship was first put out to sea. Throughout the years, however, one visible and significant mani- festation ofthe commissioned ship has remained constant: active ships of the United States Navy, from the days of the handsome frigates under sail to the era of the modern Aegis guided missile cruiser, have proudly flown a com- missioning pennant and the Stars and Stripes. The commissioning pennant has for centuries been the unique symbol of the man-of-war. Today, it is flown as the distinctive mark of a ship in commission, except when displaced by the personal flag of an Admiral aboard the ship. The origin of the commis- sioning pennant, like many of our traditions, can be traced to the British Navy. After whipping an adversary, the British Admiral William Blake hoisted a long, narrow commissioning pennant in remembrance of the original horsewhip as its distinctive symbol of a man-of-war-a tradi- tion adopted by many world navies. The modern U.S. Navy commis- sioning pennant is blue at the hoist with a union of seven white stars, and a horizontal red and white stripe at the fly.

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Symbolism Heraldic symbols were first used by our armed forces during the Revolutionary War, and have been a part of our tradition ever since. CHANCELLORSVILLE's coat of arms represents the ship's heritage. J A Q71 Kia' I szi45. SHIELD Dark blue and gold are the traditional Navy colors. The dark blue and gray refer to the colors of the Union and Confederate Armies. The predominate gray refers to General Robert E. Lee's spectacular military strategies and his dominance in this battle. The Civil War battle of Chancel- lorsville, a victory for General Lee, was bought at a heavy cost because General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded. The inverted wreath commemorates General J ackson's death. The embattled division and Separation of the Union and Confederate colors represent the country divided. The battlements, which resemble a stone wall, allude both to General Jackson and the fortress like quality of an Aegis ship. The border, red for valor and bloodshed, symbolizes the Union's attempt to keep the country unified. The sword stands for combat readinessg its upright position emphasizes the vertical launch capabilities of USS CHANCELLORSVILLE. The bugle horn, adapted from Civil War insignia, calls the fighting men to PRESS ON CThe motto echoes the favorite words of General J acksonl. CREST The trident is symbolic of sea power. Its three tines represent the USS CI-IANCELLORSVILLE's anti-air, anti-surface and anti- submarine warfare capabilities. The Aegis shape and Civil War cannon embody new and old weaponry.