The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District Irvington Site Office, hosted a christening ceremony for its new survey vessel, Sarge, on July 13, 2018, at the Irvington Site Office in Irvington, Ala.
The Sarge was named in honor of former Irvington site employee Mr. Stephen Sema.
Sema’s military service began in the U.S. Air Force where he served from August 1950 to September 1973, earning his nickname, “Sarge”.
According to USACE, he continued his government service at the Irvington site office Mobile District, as a surveyor and dredge inspector/supervisor from November 1973 to December 1993. He finished his military and Federal service with over 42 years followed by another decade working as a contract inspector for the Irvington site office.
The vessel, a 28-foot long by 9 foot by 6 inch survey boat, was built in Irvington by Silver Ships Inc., to expand the site’s surveying capability.
The Sarge will be used for operation and maintenance activities in Mobile, Pascagoula and Gulfport Harbors, entrance channels, bays and bayous on the northern Gulf coast.