texas

Warship USS Gabrielle Giffords Commissioned in Texas

A new warship named after former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded during a deadly 2011 shooting, has been put into active service following a commissioning ceremony in Texas.

During Saturday's ceremony in the Gulf Coast city of Galveston, Giffords told a crowd she was honored the ship will carry her name and the vessel is "strong and tough, just like her crew."

Various speakers, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said Giffords' strength and courage made her worthy of being the namesake of the Navy's newest ship.

The Navy has said it named the ship after Giffords because of the perseverance she showed after the shooting.

Giffords' husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, was in the Navy.

The USS Gabrielle Giffords will be based in San Diego.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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