Fairfield Harbour resident organizes USS Gabrielle Giffords commissioning

We’ve all met people who go above and beyond the call of duty. Ernie Connor is one such individual, whose latest accomplishment was acting as Chief of Staff of the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) Commissioning Committee.

(photo left: Fairfield Harbour resident, Ernie Connor, is flanked by former US Representative Gabby Giffords and her husband, astronaut Scott Kelly, at the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gabrielle Giffords last summer.)

Ernie Connor retired from the Navy in 1980 after serving 21 years in their submarine service. His last duty was on a nuclear submarine. A few years after his Naval retirement, he served as Chairman of the Galveston Naval Foundation for 15 years. During his tenure, Ernie supported the commissioning of five US Navy Ships, two US Coast Guard Ships, the re-commissioning of a US Naval ship, the change of command of two USCG ships, and supported port visits to Galveston by over 25 Navy and Coast Guard ships.

Ernie officially retired in 2013 and moved to Fairfield Harbour with his wife Maureen in January of 2016. In December 2016, Ernie received a call from former astronaut Scott Kelly asking him to come out of retirement to assist in the commissioning of the USS Gabrielle Giffords. He was given six months to pull the entire event together, including the funding. Not only did Ernie and his committee succeed, they managed to raise nearly $400,000 in donations, arranged for all of the attendees, materials, logistics, and pre-commissioning activities leading up to the event that approximately 3000 people attended. Not one penny of taxpayer money was used for any of the many commissioning events. Members of the commissioning committee included Tilman Fertitta, former President George H. W. Bush, Honorable James A. Baker III, retired Rear Admiral William W. Pickavance, Jr., astronauts Mark Kelly and Scott Kelly, Dr. Jill Biden, and others. The entire committee were volunteers.

While the christening of a ship is the ceremony of naming and launching her, commissioning a ship is the ceremony of placing a ship in active service and turning it over to our country’s military forces. During the actual ceremony, the crowd assembles at the dock, the ship in the foreground, dark and lifeless. Speeches are given and gifts are bestowed. The final words are issued by the ship’s sponsor, in this case, Dr. Jill Biden, “Captain, bring our ship to life!” Music blares, crewmen who are quietly positioned behind the crowd shout out, run towards the ship which comes alive, lights up, and blasts its horn. The USS Gabrielle Giffords was now ready for service. Among the notable guests at the commissioning of the USS Gabrielle Giffords were the ship’s namesake, former US Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Nancy Pelosi, Tilman Fertitta, Hillary Clinton, Captain Mark Kelly, and others.

The USS Gabrielle Giffords is an independence-class, littoral-combat ship. She is a 420-foot-long trimaran with maximum speeds of 40+ knots reached with two marine gas engines, two diesel engines, and four water jets. Her crew consists of 11 officers and 42 enlisted. The LCS 10 is armed with cannons, missiles, machine guns, mission package weapons, and is supported by a marine helicopter and MQ-8 Fire Scout.

Although Ernie Connor is still officially retired, he is making plans for another commissioning event. If you would like more information about the commissioning of the USS Gabrielle Giffords, Ernie would welcome your email or call. You can contact him at 409-789-1837 or dec2342@suddenlink.net.