Today, Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09) delivered the following remarks at the christening ceremony of USS Carl M. Levin at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The Naval ship is dedicated in honor of Rep. Levin's late uncle, Senator Carl Levin, Michigan's longest-serving senator.
"I want to thank the Navy for the honor of speaking on this very important day for our family, alongside my dad, my dear cousins, and so many distinguished colleagues.
"Uncle Carl was very much himself right until the end. I sat with him just a few weeks before he passed, and he was very sharp, very thoughtful and very engaged in the world. Above all, he remained focused on the christening of the Carl M. Levin.
"I suppose a lot of people might say, ‘Well, I was the chair of the Armed Services Committee for all these years, so having a mighty ship named after me is a fitting tribute.' That is not how Uncle Carl viewed this situation, at all. He was so overwhelmed by this honor. He could scarcely believe it. Let me ask you, how many of us will hold onto our humility throughout our lives like this man did, even though he met regularly with kings, queens, presidents and admirals?
‘If you saw Carl Levin with sailors, soldiers, Marines or airmen in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq or anywhere else, you could tell he was as happy and engaged as he ever was as a senator. He considered it his sacred duty to spend time with troops, to hear how they were doing directly from them. He would eat with sailors on a mess deck. And he would soak up everything they said, like it was his most vital intelligence. Because he truly thought it was.
"Don't get me wrong, he spent a lot of time with admirals and generals and commanders of all kinds in the field. He thought it was crucial to hear directly from them, not just the civilian leadership in the Pentagon.
"But above all, he loved the commitment, sacrifice, patriotism and fellow feeling of ordinary Americans like those who will serve on this ship. And he considered protecting them and giving them everything they need to succeed to be one of his most important responsibilities.
"That's why I think Uncle Carl was so blown away by this honor. Because the Carl M. Levin is literally the embodiment of what he saw as his highest calling – to honor, protect and provide for those who serve. Look at this vessel! It is flat-out awesome. It is outfitted with the latest technology, it has everything they need. OK, absent a lot of creature comforts. And it will bear his name and do right by thousands of sailors for decades to come.
"So, thank you for honoring a true American original and one of my heroes. I can honestly say, amidst all the accolades he received in fifty years of public service, this one meant most to him, and it truly captures his devotion to our nation."
The USS Carl M. Levin, with the official motto "Tenacious in the Fight," is a 510-foot-long Arleigh Burke-class vessel and the 70th in the class. The ship was named after Senator Levin in 2016.
Source:https://andylevin.house.gov/media/press-releases/levin-honors-late-uncle-christening-ceremony-uss-carl-m-levin
