Photo By Lt.j.g. Riley Gavigan | 260805-N-FY310-0005 BELOIT, WI (September 5, 2026) - Sailors assigned to USS Beloit...... read more read more
BELOIT, WI (September 6, 2026) - U.S. Navy Sailors from the Freedom class littoral combat ship USS Beloit (LCS 29) traveled to Beloit, Wisconsin, over Labor Day weekend to honor the ship’s namesake city and strengthen ties with the community through a series of engagements with local residents, students, veterans, and city leaders.
Beloit is one of the smallest cities in America to have a U.S. Navy warship named in its honor, a recognition of the city’s outsized contribution to the nation’s defense industry over generations. Commissioned November 23, 2024, in Milwaukee, USS Beloit is the first commissioned Navy ship to bear the city’s name, and Wisconsin leaders have pointed to the state’s long shipbuilding legacy as central to that honor. The ship’s motto, “Forward for Freedom,” reflects both its Freedom class heritage and its ties to the Wisconsin community that shares its name.
“We are so fortunate to have a close-knit community in Beloit, Wisconsin who continues to support not only our ship, but also other US Navy platforms that have engines manufactured in Beloit. The Beloit residents welcomed us with open arms.” said Cmdr. Jason DeJesus Commanding Officer, USS Beloit (LCS 29). “We are so lucky to have our USS Beloit Legacy Foundation that scheduled multiple events across the city ensuring there was an opportunity for everyone to interact with the crew.”
Seven Sailors from USS Beloit arrived in the city on Friday, September 4, kicking off a weekend of engagement events. On Saturday, September 5, the crew began the day with a meet-and-greet with the public at the Beloit Farmer’s Market, hosted alongside the Downtown Beloit Association. In the afternoon, Sailors played pickleball with community members at Wooten Park before heading to The Lincoln Academy for a tour and meeting with the school’s Navy Junior ROTC Cadets. The evening capped off with “USS Beloit Night” at a Beloit Sky Carp baseball game, where Sailors sat alongside members of the local VFW and NJROTC unit and met with fans.
On Sunday, September 6, the crew visited Beloit Senior Living to spend time with WWII veteran George Olson, joined by members of the veteran support organization VetsRoll. Later that morning, Sailors visited Turtle Island playground to spend time with local children before a scheduled afternoon visit with leadership and members of the local VFW chapter.
USS Beloit is designed as a fast, agile, mission-focused platform built for operation in near-shore environments while remaining capable of open-ocean missions. The ship is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence operations. USS Beloit is homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2026 18:44 |
| Story ID: | 574214 |
| Location: | BELOIT, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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