Dozens of former USS Greeneville sailors and members of their families spent Thursday morning volunteering their time to help beautify and serve their submarine’s namesake town.
Sailors gathered around the Big Spring and Bicentennial Park in downtown Greeneville to prepare the area for Saturday’s upcoming American Downtown Independence Day celebration. Sailors also worked around the grounds of the Lost State of Franklin capitol cabin.
Sailors powered through heat and humidity as they trimmed trees, picked up debris, collected leaves, spread gravel, cleaned out the Big Spring and installed wooden lattice on the gazebo in the park. The project sprucing up the area was a way for the sailors to give back to the community that supports them.
After finishing up outdoor projects, the sailors moved inside the Roby Fitzgerald Adult Center to pack lunches for Meals on Wheels. The volunteers packed over 60 lunches, and then set out to deliver them across the community.
Around 70 former USS Greeneville sailors and their families are in Greeneville through Sunday morning. The sailors will attend, Lyrics on the Lawn Thursday night, plus a golf tournament, VFW breakfast and banquet on Friday.
On July 4, the sailors will serve as the Grand Marshals of the Town of Greeneville’s Independence Day Parade.
The sailors will depart Greeneville Sunday morning.
ABOUT USS GREENEVILLE
The USS Greeneville (SSN 772) is a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine capable of supporting various missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
The Greeneville measures more than 360 feet long and weighs more than 6,900 tons when submerged.
It was christened by Second Lady Tipper Gore and launched Sept. 17, 1994. The submarine was then commissioned on Feb. 16, 1996, at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.
The submarine’s current home port is Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California.
Commander Spencer Ovren assumed command of the USS Greeneville in February.
The USS Greeneville is currently underway on exercises, therefore no current sailors are able to attend the 30th anniversary celebration.
