Courtesy Photo | 250811-N-31610-1002 DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 11, 2025) Cmdr. Greg Coy, commanding...... read more read more
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DES MOINES, Iowa -- The crew of the newly commissioned Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Iowa (SSN 797) presented the submarine’s commissioning pennant to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds during a Veterans Day Parade kick-off at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 11, 2025. The cased pennant commemorates the commissioning of USS Iowa which took place at Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. on April 5, 2025.
Mrs. Cristie Vilsack, the ship’s sponsor, joined Cmdr. Greg Coy, the commanding officer of USS Iowa, and Al Morales, the protocol officer of Submarine Forces Atlantic, in a presentation of the pennant to Iowa state citizens, nearly six years to the day that Iowa’s keel was laid.
Governor Reynolds, who served as the keynote speaker during USS Iowa’s commissioning ceremony in April at Naval Submarine Base New London, expressed her pride in the crew and the boat’s connection to the state of Iowa.
“This is a deeply meaningful moment for our state,” said Reynolds. “This commissioning pennant serves as a proud reminder of the enduring connection between the citizens of the state of Iowa and the sailors who now carry our name beneath the sea as they protect our freedoms across the globe.”
SSN 797 is the fourth U.S. Navy ship to be named after the Hawkeye State, with the most recent USS Iowa being the highly decorated WWII-era battleship BB-61.
Nearly two-thousand Iowans were present to observe the dedication ceremony at the Iowa State Fair, including former sailors who served aboard the Battleship Iowa.
In a unique gesture linking the two ships, a collaboration with Battleship Iowa Museum CEO Johnathan Williams, allowed for a wooden display case to be constructed with reclaimed teak wood from the decks of the battleship. The custom frame was hand-crafted by museum carpenter Stand Sato, and now displays the pennant that was flown aboard USS Iowa SSN 797 on commissioning day, symbolizing the beginning of a new chapter in the state’s proud naval tradition.
The Protocol Officer of Submarine Forces Atlantic, Al Morales, touched upon the important connection between U.S. Naval history and the citizens of Iowa, along with the continuity of those relations which will continue for generations to come.
“This one-of-a-kind piece bridges generations,” said Morales. “Encasing the commissioning pennant from the new USS Iowa in wood from the decks of the previous USS Iowa links the sailors who once walked those teak decks with those who now carry her legacy into the depths of the world’s oceans.”
The pennant and accompanying display case will be on display indefinitely at the Iowa State Capital for those interested in viewing.
Fast-attack submarines are multi-mission platforms enabling five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities – sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence.
They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.
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| Date Taken: | 08.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2025 13:10 |
| Story ID: | 545730 |
| Location: | DES MOINES, IOWA, US |
| Hometown: | GROTON, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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