Fifty years ago — Aug. 15, 1965 — the DNT reports (via AP wire out of New York) several top-ranking Minnesota officials were among the 300 persons at a ceremony to christen the USS Duluth.

Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s daughter smashed a bottle of champagne Saturday against the bow of a new amphibious transport, scheduled to be the last ship built at the doomed Brooklyn Naval Yard.

The christening thus ended a proud tradition of more than 164 years, a history of service in all but one of the nation’s wars.

As she named the new transport “Duluth,” Mrs. Bruce Humphrey Solomonson remarked:

“I hope that this ship will always be used in peacetime and help keep the peace in the world.”

This was the second of Duluth’s namesake ships in the U.S. Navy. The first Duluth was a light cruiser in World War II, christened in 1944. It earned two battle stars before being placed in reserve in 1949 and sold in 1960.

The second Duluth (LPD-6) was designed to carry supplies and launch amphibious assaults, pairing a Navy crew with Marine attack units. It went into combat shortly after it was launched, and remained in service until October 2005. It won numerous awards over the years, including the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Award for supporting Coast Guard Port Security Units during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Humanitarian Service Medal for tsunami relief efforts in the Sri Lanka area.

Duluth‍ was decommissioned at Naval Base San Diego in 2005. It was scrapped in Texas in 2014, but its anchor was salvaged and installed along Duluth’s Lakewalk.

Minnesota principals attending christening Saturday for the U.S. Navy’s new amphibious transport, Duluth, stand near the ship before she went down the ways at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn. From left are, Mrs. Bruce Humphrey Solomonson, daughter of Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Duluth Mayor George D. Johnson; Sen. Walter T. Mondale and Congressman John A. Blatnik.–(AP Wirephoto.)

Mrs. Bruce Humphrey Solomonson breaks a bottle of champagne across the bow of the U.S.S. Duluth.

Tony Grebenc aligns posts for the beef cattle auction pens he is helping to build in Cook.

Detective Lt. Ralph E. Moore of the Duluth Police Department retired after almost 31 years in a police career that began as a patrolman in Duluth’s bowery.

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Norwicky of Neepawa, Manitoba, grill steaks at their camp site at Indian Point Campground.

The Robert J. Rileys of Rochester, Minn., set up their homemade tent trailer that sleeps eight.

Unloading for the evening and a brief hair brushing occupy the Cecil Olsons of Forest City, Iowa.

Indian Point Campground Manager Arthur Blakemore, left, clips the camp registration card into place for the Gordon Boles of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Mark Brainards of Minneapolis enjoy an unusual camp and meal — pizza.

Jurors are selected by Miss Nellie Maki in the office of County Auditor Andrew Korda, right.

The Minnesota Vikings make their first appearance before home town fans at Metropolitan Stadium Friday night when they play their second exhibition game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles. (Punter Bobby Walden had a 17-year career in the NFL spanning 1964 to 1977. He left the Vikings for the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 1967 season.)

Harry Newby Jr. is disgusted. His putt was short on the second green.

Trying on football equipment Saturday under the watchful eye of Superior football coach Jerry Roesch, left, were, from left, Bob Olson, Jeff Finn, Mike Regenfuss and Jeff Crisp.

Fun and a bit of comedy on the part of her children make flower arranging a lively project for Mrs. Edwin Salveson, 2412 Chambersburg Ave., who will be a participant in this week’s flower show at UMD’s Kirby Student Center ballroom. The youngsters, from left, are David, 10; Diane, 9; Gerald, 7, and Ronald, 5.(–Photo by Earl Johnson.)

Delighted with the pretty colors in the flowers that their mother, Mrs. Dale Sola, 3031 Minnesota Ave., is arranging are Danny, 5, left, and Steve, 3. Mrs. Sola will be among the exhibitors in the Duluth Garden Flower Society’s flower show Tuesday and Wednesday. Last year she won first prize in one of the categories of the flower show.(–Photo by Earl Johnson.)

Relaxing as they discuss plans for the Matinee Musicale’s membership tea on Thursday are, from left, Mrs. S. M. Inman Jr., Mrs. Oliver Lee and Miss Ruth Luster, where the event will be given.(–Photo by Charles Curtis.)

Mrs. Ervin B. Hall, right, general chairman for the Matinee Musicale’s tea, studies the score for one of the program numbers with Mrs. Beryl Pettigrew.(–Photo by Charles Curtis.)

Harbor view from Globe Elevator in Superior shows graceful lines of High Bridge with old Interstate Bridge in back.(–Photo by Karl Jaros.)