USS Spruance Commander Tate Westbrook made the request, and the Secretary of the US Navy has approved. This is big news for Key West since Commander Westbrook's request was to bring the USS Spruance to Key West for commissioning. The destroyer will be commissioned at sunset on Saturday, October 1st, after having docked at Key West on September 23rd. 
The USS Spruance is named after World War II Admiral Raymond Spruance, who had been stationed at Key West prior to World War II. While this connection to Key West helped us land the privilege of being the commissioning city, other factors were considered as well, including the fact that Key West has easy port access and is a great place for the crew to enjoy before setting out to sea. Our Navy-friendly atmosphere and the availability of ample media coverage to let the world know about the US Navy and its mission were also points in our favor.
Considered to be the world's most powerful warship, the USS Spruance weighs 9,844 tons, is 510 feet long, has multi-mission capabilities and can move at upwards of 30 knots. With it's billion dollar price tag, the DDG warship has the ability to defend aircraft carriers against submarines and other ships, and is capable of precise land attacks using its arsenal of five-inch guns and tomahawk missiles.
The USS Spruance and its crew of 260 enlisted men and women and 24 officers plan to depart from Key West on Monday, October 3rd. Half of the crew, many of whom are between the ages of 22 and 30, will be heading out to sea for the first time in their military careers.
While tickets for this historic event are no longer available, it's still a wonderful privilege for Key West to have been selected as the commissioning city for the USS Spruance. Like the crew of the Spruance, anyone will enjoy life in Key West where there's always something great happening.
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