BELOIT — The USS Beloit will go into active service on Nov. 23, the U.S. Navy announced Monday.
And there will be enough money to support the crew and properly celebrate, the USS Beloit Commissioning Committee announced as well.
The ship, which is the first Navy ship to be named after Beloit, will be commissioned at Veterans Park in Milwaukee at 10 a.m. Following the ceremony, the ship and its crew will depart for Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Fla.
Since June, the commissioning committee has been raising money to support the series of events related to the commissioning ceremony, creating a legacy fund to support the USS Beloit crew in times of need and to decorate the ship. The initial goal was to raise $350,000. Headed by VetsRoll co-founder Mark Finnegan, the committee has secured more than $419,000 in donations and pledges as of Monday.
The effort has gotten a lot of local support. Organizations such as ABC Supply Co., Fairbanks Morse Defense and the Morse Group are among the major donors. The effort has received regional support as well, including a $50,000 commitment from InPro Corp. of Muskego.