Visiting Ships for the 240th Fourth of July Celebration

Starting in the early 1900’s, the U.S. Navy sends a ship to spend a week in Bristol during
our Celebration. The Visiting Ship for the 239th Fourth of July Celebration is the
USS Billings (LCS-15)

1920px-USS_Billings_(46505553924)_(cropped).jpg

USS BILLINGS will be moored just outside the harbor and will have tenders from Bristol Town Pier adjacent to the Maritime Center south of Rockwell Park.

usS MARINETTE

TOUR DATES:
JULY 3-7

Times TBD

IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF YOU WANT TO TOUR SHIP:

Persons interested in touring the ship will be pre-screened at the water taxi launch.

Please be advised:

Valid photo ID is required and all persons will be screened through metal detectors prior to embarking the water taxi.
Appropriate attire is required onboard the ship (closed toed shoes, no short dresses or skirts).
All visitors must be physically capable of embarking and debarking the ship via water taxi as well as climb up and down steep ladderwells onboard the ship.
The ship reserves the right to turn away visitors that do not comply with the above guidelines or pose potential safety issues

USS BILLINGS (LCS-15)

Hattie Brown Award Recipients for the 238th Fourth of July Celebration

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Introduction

USS Billings (LCS-15) is a Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) of the United States Navy, designed for operations in near-shore environments while retaining open-ocean capabilities. She is the first naval vessel named after Billings, Montana, the state's largest city, often referred to as the 'Magic City' due to its rapid growth since its founding in 1882.

Construction and Commissioning

USS Billings was built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin. Her keel was laid on November 2, 2015, and she was launched on July 1, 2017. The ship was officially commissioned on August 3, 2019, at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. The christening was performed by Sharla Tester, wife of U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana.

Design and Capabilities

As the eighth Freedom-variant LCS, USS Billings incorporates several enhancements over earlier ships in the class, including a lengthened stern transom and added buoyancy tanks for improved stability. She features automated sensors to facilitate condition-based maintenance, reducing crew workload.

Key Specifications:

- Displacement: 3,500 metric tons (full load)
- Length: 378 feet (115 meters)
- Beam: 57.4 feet (17.5 meters)
- Draft: 13.8 feet (4.0 meters)
- Speed: 45 knots (83 km/h)
- Range: 3,500 nautical miles at 18 knots
- Crew: Core crew of 15–50, expandable to 75 with mission personnel
- Armament:
- BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm gun
- RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles
- .50-caliber machine guns
- Aircraft Facilities: Flight deck and hangar supporting MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters and
MQ-8 Fire Scout UAVs

Operational History

Homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, USS Billings is assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron Two (LCSRON 2) and operates under the U.S. 4th Fleet. In December 2021, the ship embarked on her second deployment to the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility, focusing on counter-illicit drug trafficking missions in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. During this deployment, the ship conducted bilateral exercises and engagements with partner nations to enhance regional security and interoperability.

In August 2021, USS Billings, alongside USNS Burlington, provided humanitarian assistance to Haiti following a devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake

CDR Frank Lemene
Commanding Officer

Commander Frank Lemene is a native of Belle Glade, Florida, and a 2007 United States Naval Academy graduate.

He reported for his first assignment aboard USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7) in 2007, served as Assistant Damage Control Officer, and completed an Arabian Gulf deployment supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He reported to the USS FORT MCHENRY (LSD 43) in 2010, carried out the duties of the Navigator, and deployed to Haiti in support of Operation UNIFIED RESPONSE.

He reported to Military Sealift Command Atlantic (MSC LANT) in 2011, where he served as Assistant Operations Officer. In 2014, he earned his Master’s in Higher Education.

After completing Department Head School in Newport, Rhode Island, he reported to USS OAK HILL (LSD 51) as the Operations Officer in 2016. While aboard, he completed an Arabian Gulf deployment supporting Operation INHERENT RESOLVE and a surge deployment supporting SOUTHERN PARTNERSHIP. He was named the Atlantic Fleet SWO of the Year runner-up in 2016 by CNSL. He served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer, forward deployed aboard USS SENTRY (MCM 3) in Bahrain from 2018 to 2021.

He reported to the United States Naval War College in 2021, where he earned his Master’s in Defense and Strategic Studies and graduated from the Maritime Advanced Warfare Course. He reported to USS BILLINGS (LCS 15) and served as the Executive Officer from May 2023 to May 2025. He is serving as Commanding Officer aboard USS BILLINGS (LCS 15).

CDR John Burns

Executive Officer

Commander John Burns was born in Choteau, Montana, and commissioned in the Navy in 2008 through the ROTC program at Tulane University.

CDR Burns graduated from Tulane University in 2008 with a B.S. degree in Mathematics. In 2015, CDR Burns completed his M.S. degree from Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Operations Research. During his time at NPS he also completed JPME Phase 1.

Afloat, CDR Burns served aboard USS BOXER (LHD 4) as the Main Propulsion Division Officer and executed a deployment to the Gulf of Aiden in support of CTF 151. His second division officer tour was aboard USS SAN DIEGO (LPD 22) as the Assistant First Lieutenant and Communications Officer, which included commissioning the ship into service following a Panama Canal transit. Commander Burns served as Chief Engineer aboard USS SHOUP (DDG 86) and USS JOHN P MURTHA (LPD 26). These tours included deployments to the USCENTCOM Area of Responsibility, including operations in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Persian Gulf.

Ashore, Commander Burns served as the Special Technical Operations Chief at USNAVEUR. His follow-on assignment he served as a Joint Operational Planner, USCENTCOM, J35.

Commander Burns’ personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is serving as the Executive Officer aboard USS BILLINGS (LCS 15).