Shaheen Welcomes USS Manchester Crew, Joins for Visit with Manchester West High School NJROTC Students

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ship Sponsor for the USS Manchester, welcomed crew members, including Commander Ralph Lufkin, back to Manchester and joined them for a visit with Manchester West High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) students. The USS Manchester crew members delivered a presentation to the NJROTC students and other faculty and students on the ship’s recent deployment, Navy career opportunities and the importance of civic duty. Photos from today’s event can be found here. 

“I was excited to welcome members of the crew of the USS Manchester back to their ship’s namesake city, and to join them in speaking to Manchester West High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps students,” said Senator Shaheen. “As future defenders of freedom and the epitome of civic duty, I was pleased these aspiring Naval cadets were able to meet and speak with Commander Lufkin and some of his crew.”  

As the Ship Sponsor of the USS Manchester, Shaheen led the Ship’s Commissioning in Portsmouth in May 2018 and is considered a permanent member of the ship’s crew. The USS Manchester is part of the Independence Class of Littoral Combat Ships. These ships are designed to face asymmetrical threats in shallow areas of coastlines and primarily perform surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare and mine countermeasures.