170610-N-N0101-001 GALVESTON, Texas (June 10, 2017) The littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), the Navy's newest littoral combat ship, was brought to life by her crew before a crowd of nearly 2,500 guests at Pier 21 at the Port of Galveston. In 2012 the Secretary of the Navy announced the future ship's name and USS Gabrielle Giffords became the 16th ship to be named for a woman and only the 13th ship to be named for a living person since 1850. The ship is commanded by Cmdr. Keith Woodley, a native of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, who leads the core crew of 50 officers and enlisted personnel. The 3,200-ton Gabrielle Giffords was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. The ship is 421 feet in length, has a beam of 103 feet, and a navigational draft of 15 feet. The ship uses two gas turbine and two diesel engines to power four steerable waterjets to speeds in excess of 40 knots. USS Gabrielle Giffords will depart Galveston and begin her transit to her homeport at Naval Base San Diego. (U.S. Navy video frame grab/Released)