Mobile Bay (CG 53) - Naval Cruise Book

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VOYAGE THROUGH HISTORY ,4, Hey!!! Ya gots mah razor? Below: Civil War reenactors and MOB honor guard render a salute for fallen comrades. Below. Lt. (Reverend) Bill Cave lays a wreath in honor of past warriors. f

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THE BEGINNING MOBILE BA Y was the sixth Aegi s cruiser produced by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. Mississippi. America ' s Shipyard uses efficient modular shipbuilding techniques in which the ship is built in three hull and superstructure sections. Propulsion, electronic equipment and other heavy machinery, piping, ductwork and electrical cabling are installed in the ship as sections are constructed. The ship is then moved over land via Ingalls ' wheel-on-rail transfer system, and onto the shipyard ' s launching and recovery drydock. The drydock was ballasted down and MOBILE BAY floated free. The ship was moved to her outfitting dock in preparation for and completion of outfitting and testing. The birthplace of FREEDOM ' S FLAGSHIP at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. Mississippi, better known as GOULA. The adventure begins: MOBILE BA Y ' s keel is layed. Massive 200 ton gantry cranes gently lower the deckhouse in place. The hull is constructed in three sections which are then integrated using sophisticated laser technology- Final preparations for launching day. The Captain discusses ship ' s progress with General Ship Superin- tendent Jim Coon.

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Above: MOBILE BAY passes in review by Fort Morgan. Serving the masses MOBILE BA Y style. Heading up the Bay to Commissioning With over 800 crew and guests embarked. MOBILE BA Y departed Pascagoula on February 16 for a historic Voyage Through History enroute her commissioning site in Mobile. Alabama. As the ship transited the battleground for which she is named, crewmembers and Civil War reenactors ashore replayed the famous 1864 battle. Cannons erupted from the mighty cruiser, to be answered in kind from the Fort. As the smoke cleared, the ship ' s Honor Guard fired a gun salute and a wreath was laid to honor fallen warriors of the USS TECUM- SEH. Our unique Voyage served as an exhilerating and memorable ribbon-cutting to Commissioning Week events. Below: We ' re here. Mobile!