Last modified Wed., April 02, 2008 - 04:42 PM
Originally created Thursday, April 3, 2008

Georgia's flag comes home to Kings Bay

By MCSN Dmitry Chepusov, Periscope Staff

Two NSB Kings Bay Naval Sea Cadets (behind speaker) present the Georgia State Flag while Georgia Flag Project Coordinator Don Giles speaks during the Georgia Flag Ceremony. This particular Georgia State Flag traveled through all 159 Georgia counties and was presented to USS Georgia Commanding Officer Capt. Brian McIlvaine March 27.
Photo by MCSN Dmitry Chepusov

The day before the USS Georgia (SSGN 732) was officially returned to service and manned, the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay Naval Sea Cadets presented the submarine's new commanding officer, Capt. Brian McIlvaine, with a Georgia flag that had traveled through all 159 Georgia counties. The ceremony was held at the USS Bancroft memorial outside the Franklin Gate March 27 and represented the flag's final stop, as the Camden County Board of Commissioners, City of Woodbine Mayor Burford Clark, City of Kingsland Mayor Kenneth Smith, City of St. Marys Mayor Rowland Eskridge, and various other Camden County representatives signed the Georgia Flag Log Book, which was presented by Governor Sonny Perdue to McIlvaine during the return to service ceremony March 28.

The flag started its journey Jan. 14, when Perdue and the USS Georgia Return to Service Committee began the project.

"This was an exciting project because it allowed all Georgians to take pride in our armed forces," said Perdue. "It is noteworthy that this tour allowed all 159 Georgia counties to participate in welcoming the USS Georgia home."

The Master of Ceremonies was Keith Post, Co-Chair Logistics of the USS Georgia Return to Service Committee, who introduced NSB Kings Bay Commanding Officer Capt. Wes Stevens as the first speaker.

"This is just a small example of the kind of outpouring of community support for the Navy and this base we've had during the past 10 years it has taken us to bring the USS Georgia home," said Stevens. "Local community leaders like the Navy League, the Camden Partnership, Chamber of Commerce, and many others across the state, recognized that a national asset was going to go to waste with the decreased need for SSBNs. It took their hard work to make our political leaders in Washington and in the Navy see the vision of the usefulness of the USS Georgia and her sister SSGNs."

"It has been a very breathtaking ride to be a part of this transformation," said McIlvaine.

"It's a full time job to be the captain of a Submarine, and when I was thrown into the social schedule that the USS Georgia Return to Service has generated, my job became more difficult, but it also became much more rewarding."

McIlvaine also took the time to reenlist and award dolphins to a few USS Georgia Sailors.

"I want to show you the hard work and dedication that the Sailors of the USS Georgia are doing to make our ship one that you can continue to be proud of," said McIlvaine before the reenlistment and awarding of dolphins.

"I feel a lot of pride in the expertise and desire that the USS Georgia Sailors have demonstrated."

Two Kings Bay Naval Sea Cadets, both of whose fathers served aboard the USS Georgia SSBN and SSGN respectively, then displayed the Georgia flag and posed for photographs with McIlvaine and others atop the USS Bancroft memorial. Camden County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Katherine Nisi Zell then read a proclamation, designating March 28, 2008 as USS Georgia Day.

"We wanted the folks who wear the uniform to know how much we support them and appreciate them," said Georgia Flag Project Coordinator Retired Capt. Don Giles. "I saw an outpouring of support throughout the state that I never even imagined would happen during this project. I hope that this flag reminds the crew of the USS Georgia that they have people behind them supporting everything they do for their country. That is the attitude I saw throughout Georgia during the Georgia Flag Project."