The newest vessel in the U.S. Navy's fleet pays honor to the Cherokee Nation.

 

Over the weekend, the U.S. Navy and members of the Cherokee Nation and christened the USNS Cherokee Nation, the Navy’s newest towing and rescue ship named in honor of all Cherokee citizens who served in the Navy and Marine Corps.

 

The T-ATS 7 is the second ship in its class and will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. The christening ceremony was held Saturday at the Bollinger shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. The USNS Cherokee Nation is about 10,000 tons and built for a crew of more than 60.

 

Once fully complete, the ship will play a critical role in the country’s national defense strategy, providing a wide range of missions including open ocean towing, deep dive, humanitarian assistance and wide area search and surveillance.