The Virginia-class fast attack submarine Oregon officially joined the U.S. Navy fleet on Saturday, marking the first submarine named after the Beaver State in more than a century.
The USS Oregon, which can dive to depths greater than 800 feet (240 meters), was originally christened in 2019. But the COVID-19 pandemic created some “slips in schedule” for the crew, said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., whose district includes General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat Shipyard where the 377-foot (115-meter) submarine was constructed.
“But I think the record should be clear that despite that unprecedented disruption, you showed up for work every day and did your job,” Courtney told the crew of approximately 136 Navy personnel during Saturday’s ceremony, held at the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton.
