On Monday, June 2, First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, other Navy officials, Electric Boat workers, and dignitaries from Rhode Island, Connecticut and Illinois gathered at Electric Boat's manufacturing plant in North Kingstown for a keel laying ceremony for the USS Illinois, a new Virginia-class submarine to be built in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Mrs. Obama is the ship's sponsor. During the event she wrote her initials on a metal plate, and a welder inscribed them; the plate will later be mounted on the submarine. This event marked the ceremonial beginning of the ship's construction and the start of work stemming from the 10 sub, $17.6 Billion contract announced by the Navy, Electric Boat and Sen. Reed in April 2014
Monday's event was a great tribute to the men and women of the US Navy and Rhode Island's defense industry.
