USS BILLINGS
LCS 15
  
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The Billings (LCS 15) is the eighth ship in the Freedom-class littoral combat ships and the first ship in the United States Navy to be named after the largest city in Montana.

November 2, 2015 The keel authentication ceremony for the LCS 15 was held at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corp. shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

July 1, 2017 The Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Billings was christened and launched during an 11 a.m. CST ceremony at Marinette Marine shipyard. Mrs. Sharla D. Tester, the wife of Sen. Jonathan Tester (D-MT), served as sponsor of the ship. Cmdr. Nathan D. Rowan is the prospective commanding officer.

November 18, 2018 The Billings departed Marinette shipyard for the first time to conduct Builder's (Alpha) trials on Lake Michigan; Day-long underway for acceptance trials on Dec. 6.

February 1, 2019 U.S. Navy officially accepted delivery of the future USS Billings during a short ceremony aboard the ship at Marinette Marine shipyard.

June 7, The Billings (Crew 116), commanded by Cmdr. Michael R. Johnson, departed Marinette, Wis., for the last time; Moored at passenger dock in downtown Detroit, Mich., from June 9-15; Transited the Welland Canal on June 16; Moored at Port of Montreal, Quebec, on June 18.

June 21, PCU Billings made contact with a general cargo ship Rosaire A. Desgagnes, moored at Berth 32, while underway from Port of Montreal at approximately 2 p.m. and moored back at Berth 31 for damage assessment.

June 28, Capt. Michael S. Johnston, Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron (LCSRON) 2 relieved of duty Cmdr. Michael R. Johnson due to a "loss of confidence in his ability to command." Cmdr. Nathan D. Rowan, CO of the USS Wichita (LCS 13) Blue, assumed temporary command of the Billings.

July 1, The littoral combat ship departed Port of Montreal en route to its homeport of Mayport, Florida; Moored at HMC Dockyard Jetty NH on Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax, Nova Scotia, from July 4-6; Moored at Berth 4, Pier 9 on Naval Station Norfolk from July 9-10.

July 12, PCU Billings moored at Wharf D1 on Naval Station Mayport, Fla., for the first time; Underway again on July 26.

July 28, LCS 15 moored at N/S/I (North Side Inner) Mole Pier on Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., for a week-long port visit in preparation for its commissioning ceremony.

August 3, USS Billings was commissioned during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony at NAS Key West.

August 7, The Billings moored at Wharf C1 on Naval Station Mayport; Underway again from Aug. 16-19 and Aug. 20-22; Moved to Wharf D3, outboard the USS Little Rock (LCS 9), on Aug. 23; Emergency sortied due to approaching Hurricane Dorian on Aug. 30.

September 1, USS Billings moored at Berth 5, Pier 5 on Naval Station Norfolk for a three-day port call; Moored at Pier 6N on Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn., from Sept. 6-9.

September 12, The Billings moored outboard the USS Detroit (LCS 7) at Wharf D4 on Naval Station Mayport; Moved to Wharf B3 on Sept. 14; Moved to Wharf C1 on Sept. 17.

October 4, The Billings moored at Wharf D2 on Naval Station Mayport after a four-day underway in the Jacksonville Op. Area; Underway again on Oct. 18; Brief stop in Naval Station Mayport on Oct. 19; Returned home on Oct. 21.

October 28, USS Billings departed homeport for magnetic treatment (DEPERM) in Norfolk; Moored at Berth 6, Pier 5 in Naval Station Norfolk on Oct. 30; Moved to deperming crib on Lambert's Point Magnetic Treatment Facility on Oct. 31; Underway for degaussing runs on Nov. 4.

November 6, The Billings moored at Wharf D4 on Naval Station Mayport; Underway again on Dec. 11; Moored at Wharf C1 on Dec. 12; Moved to Wharf D4 on Dec. 13.

January 13, 2020 USS Billings moved from Delta Wharf to Wharf C1 on Naval Station Mayport; Moved back to Wharf D4 on Jan. 2?; Underway again from Feb. 5-6.

February 28, The Billings moored at Wharf B1 on Naval Station Mayport after a one-day underway in the Jacksonville Op. Area; Moved to Wharf D4, outboard the USS Wichita (LCS 13), on March 4; Moved to Wharf C1 on March 6; Underway again from March 25-26.

April 3, Cmdr. Aaron L. Helgerson relieved Cmdr. Nathan D. Rowan as CO of the LCS Crew 116 during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the Billings.

April 28, USS Billings moved "dead-stick" from Wharf C2 to a floating dry-dock on BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair facility, for a Post Shakedown Availability (PSA).

July 1, The Rotational LCS Crew 119 (Gold), commanded by Cmdr. Brian A. Forster, assumed command of the LCS 15 during a crew exchange ceremony in front of the dry-dock.

July ?, USS Billings undocked and moored pierside on BAE Systems shipyard; Moved to Wharf D4 in Naval Station Mayport on Oct. 7; Moved to Wharf C2 for a brief stop to onload ammo on Nov. 24; Moored at Wharf F1 after a day-long underway for sea trials on Dec. 8; Underway again on Dec. 9; Moored at Wharf D4 on Dec. 11.

January 22, 2021 The Rotational LCS Crew 116 (Blue), assumed command of the Billings during a crew exchange ceremony in the ship's pilot house.

January 22, The Billings moved from Berth 4 to Berth 2, Delta Wharf on Naval Station Mayport; Underway again from Feb. 22-23 and Feb. 25-26; Moved to Wharf C2 for ammo onload on March 8; Moved back to Wharf D2 on March 11; Underway again from March 18-19.

May 3, USS Billings moored at Wharf C2 on Naval Station Mayport after a three-day underway in the Jacksonville Op. Area; Moved to Wharf C1 on May 4.

May 13, The Gold Crew assumed command of the Billings during a crew exchange ceremony in the ship's pilot house.

May 16, USS Billings departed homeport for routine training in the Virginia Capes and Cherry Point Op. Areas; Moored at Quay Wall Dogleg Berth on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va., from May 19-21; Moored at Wharf C1 for a brief stop on May 27; Moored at Wharf B2 for a brief stop on June 1; Moored at Wharf D1 on June 4.

June 30, USS Billings (Gold), with an embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 Det. 5, departed Mayport for its first operational deployment in support of counter-illicit trafficking operations.

July 3, The Billings moored at Bravo Wharf on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a brief stop to refuel; Participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Sioux City (LCS 11) and USS Wichita on July 4.

July 7, USS Billings moored at Punta Torrecilla Terminal in Port of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, for a three-day visit; Moored at Bravo Wharf in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from July 16-17; Moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from July 24-25, July 31- Aug. 16 and Aug. 18-20.

August 22, The Billings arrived off the coast of Haiti for Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Response (HA/DR) operations; Moored at Pier A on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from Aug. 27-2?; Moored at Bravo Wharf from Sept. 4-8.

September 5, Cmdr. Brett R. Seeley relieved Cmdr. Brian A. Forster as CO of the Billings (Gold) during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

September 15, USS Billings moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, for a four-day port call; Moored at Berth 6 in Port of Ponce from Sept. 25-27; Inport Ponce again from Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 7-8; Moored at Bravo Wharf on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from Oct. 18-19; Moored at Punta Torrecilla Terminal in Port of Santo Domingo from Oct. 22-24.

October 24, USS Billings participated in a photo exercise (PHOTOEX) with the Deep Submergence Elevator Support Ship MV Kellie Chouest and Dominican Republic Navy coastal patrol vessel Canopus (CG 107); Transited northbound, off the southeast coast of Florida, on Oct. 28; Arrived off the coast of Jacksonville on Oct. 29.

October 30, USS Billings moored at Wharf E2 on Naval Station Mayport following a four-month deployment in the U.S. 4th Fleet AoR.

November 12, The Rotational LCS Crew 116 (Blue), assumed command of the Billings during a crew exchange ceremony in the ship's pilot house.

December 10, Cmdr. Jeffrey A. Gerring relieved Cmdr. Aaron L. Helgerson as CO of the Billings (Blue) during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship.

December 15, USS Billings (Blue), with an embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 Det. 7, departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment.

December 20, The Billings moored at Pier C on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a brief stop to refuel; Moored at Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, from Jan. 10-19; Moored at Pier 16 in Port of Cristobal, Panama, to refuel from Jan. 24-25.

January 26, 2022 USS Billings moored at Port of Call Cruise Terminal in Colon, Panama, for a four-day port visit; Moored at Telfer Tanks Terminal in Port of Cristobal after a brief underway off the coast of Colon on Jan. 30; Departed Panama on Feb. 2.

February 5, The Billings conducted deck landing qualifications with two U.S. Army's UH-60L Blackhawks, assigned to the Joint Task Force-Bravo's (JTF-B) 1-228th Aviation Regiment, while underway off the coast of Honduras; Inport Limon, Costa Rica, from Feb. 8-9; Moored at Quay 1, Cruise Terminal in Port of Cartagena, Colombia, from Feb. 14-20.

February 27, USS Billings participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Minnesota (SSN 783), A.R.C. Almirante Padilla (FM 51), A.R.C. Independiente (FM 54) and A.R.C. Pijao (S 28), while underway off the coast of Cartagena; Moored at Pier 16 in Port of Cristobal, Panama, from March 1-2.

March 10, LCS 15 moored at Mathey Wharf in Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, for a two-day port visit; Moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce from March 19-25; Moored at Pier V on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from March 28-30; Moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce for upkeep from April 12- May 17.

April 22, The Rotational LCS Crew 119 (Gold) assumed command of the Billings during a crew exchange ceremony in the ship's pilot house at Port of Ponce.

May 19, USS Billings moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, for an eight-day port call; Moored at Pier A in Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from June 4-?.

June 11, USS Billings moored at Tourelles Cruise Terminal in Fort-de-France, Martinique, for a two-day port visit before participating in a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training exercise Caribbean 2022; Moored at Tourelles Cruise Terminal again from June 17-18; Inport Ponce from June 25-2?; Moored at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay from July ?-5.

July 10, The Billings moored at Pier 2N on Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base, just after midnight, after transited the Panama Canal southbound; Departed Balboa on July 11; Conducted deck landing qualifications with four U.S. Army's UH-60 Blackhawks, assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo's (JTF-B) 1-228th Aviation Regiment, while underway off the coast of El Salvador from July 15-16; Arrived off the coast of Panama City on July 20.

July 21, The Billings moored at Pier 2N on Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base for a one-day port call; Moored at Pier 1N in Port of Manta, Ecuador, for upkeep from July 28- Aug. ?; Inport Manta again from Aug. 1?-15; Moored at Pier 2N on Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base from Sept. 1-2; Completed the northbound transit of Panama Canal, just after midnight, on Sept. 3.

September 8, USS Billings moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, for a two-day port call; Participated in a PHOTOEX with the USS Wichita (LCS 13) on Sept. 10; Moored at James Bond Pier in Port of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, from Sept. 16-19; Moored at Berth 8 in Port of Ponce for a crew exchange from Sept. 26- Oct. ?; Inport Ponce again for emergent repairs from Oct. 18- Dec. ?.

December 17, USS Billings (Blue) moored at Wharf C2 on Naval Station Mayport following a 12-month deployment in the U.S. 4th Fleet AoR.

January 9, 2023 The Billings moved from Charlie Wharf to Wharf D4 on Naval Station Mayport.

March 23, Cmdr. Curtis L. Thomas, II assumed command of the USS Billings during a crew combination ceremony on board the ship.