The littoral combat ship, USS Freedom, commanding officer,

The littoral combat ship, USS Freedom, commanding officer, Cmdr. Don Gabrielson (right) walks down the hallway of the Western New York Maritime Charter School with retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lawrence Astyk, principal, during a tour of the four year senior high school. Freedom is in Buffalo N.Y. for a scheduled port visit after being commissioned on Nov. 8 in Milwaukee. The first of two littoral combat ships designed to operate in shallow water environments to counter threats in coastal regions. The ship will make other port calls as along the way to Norfolk, Va.