Submitted photo The New Ulm Battery — Minnesota’s only Department of Defense attachment mobilized by President Abraham Lincoln in 1962 during the Dakota War while the Union was involved in another war — will give a 19-gun salute in honor of the commissioning of the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul on Saturday, May 21, in Duluth.

By Clay Schuldt

Staff Writer

The commissioning ceremony for the USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will be held in the Port of Duluth, Saturday, May 21, with a special sendoff from the New Ulm Battery.

The USS Minneapolis-St Paul is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship. This is the second ship in naval service named after the Twin Cities and the first navy ship to be commissioned in Minnesota.

The ship was officially christened in 2019 with the commissioning ceremony planned for spring 2021. The ceremony was delayed until this year.

As part of the commissioning event, the New Ulm Battery will be firing off its cannons as part of a salute.

“It is a great opportunity for the battery,” said Tony Arndt, president of the New Ulm Battery.

The New Ulm Battery was contacted in April to help with the commissioning ceremony. Battery members fully supported involvement.

All three battery cannons will take part in the ceremony; including the two 3-inch ordinance rifles and the 6-pounder Napoleon cannon.

Sixteen battery members will travel with the cannon. Arndt said it takes around 16 men to fire the three cannons safely. The battery will be assisting in the 19-gun salute. The purpose of the salute is to honor the highest-ranking dignitary at the event.

Arndt said there is certainly historic value in being part of the ceremony. It is the first Navy ship to be commissioned in Minnesota. It is extremely rare for any Navy ship to be commissioned in a landlocked state. The ship will need to navigate the Erie Canal to return to the open sea.

Arndt said another exciting event is the Minneapolis-St. Paul will be the first in the class for this particular design. Previous ships in the Freedom-class littoral combat ships were retired recently, making the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul the first in its class.

The USS. Minneapolis-St. Paul will be commissioned at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21 in Duluth, Minnesota. Tickets to the commissioning event are sold out. Those interested in viewing the ceremony live may stream it at dvidshub.net/webcast/28516.