231109-N-RC359-1001 CHARLESTOWN, MA (Nov. 9, 2023) This video was created to showcase the oldest commissioned warship afloat, USS Constitution. (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class George Cardenas)
Cmdr. Billie Farrell relieved Cmdr. John Benda as commanding officer of USS
Constitution during a change of command ceremony, Jan. 21. Cmdr. Farrell became Old Ironsides’ 77th commanding officer and the first woman to serve as the ship’s commanding officer in the ship’s 224 years of history, dating back to 1797.
USS Constitution’s first female commanding officer will take command of Old Ironsides during a change-of-command ceremony, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 21, at noon.
Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) Force Master Chief David Twiford visited USS Constitution to interact with the crew, July 8. This is Twiford’s first visit to USS Constitution, where he served as command senior chief from 2009 to 2011, since reporting to NAVIFOR.
The free lottery to win a spot aboard USS Constitution’s July 4th underway
demonstration opened today, May 28.
The lottery is open to the general public and will be used to select 25 people to join USS
Constitution’s crew as they go underway in Boston Harbor.
Each person selected is allowed to bring one additional guest.
Passengers
Retired Lt. Cmdr. Claire Bloom, former executive officer aboard USS Constitution, visited the command to speak to the crew as part of the ship’s observance of Women’s History Month, March 30.
Bloom made history during her time at Constitution by becoming the first female officer to serve aboard the ship and participating in the 1997 sail, the first time Old Ironsides sailed under her own power since 1881.
