ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) - The USS Portland was commissioned Saturday morning at its namesake city.
The vessel with nearly 400 crew members aboard docked at the Port of Astoria on April 12 before reaching Portland Marine Terminal #2 on April 14.
Tours were offered throughout the week, leading up to Saturday's commissioning.
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport weighs 25,000 tons and is 684 feet long.
It is the first ship to be named exclusively for Oregon's largest city.
It was built in Mississippi for $1.6 billion and sailed through the Panama Canal before docking in San Diego in January.
Gary Piercy, commissioning committee chairman, says the ship would likely respond to an emergency like a large Pacific Northwest earthquake.
Photos: USS Portland arrives in Portland
