CLEVELAND — Friday, April 5, 2024, marked a milestone for the last freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31), when they unveiled the ships crest during a ceremony at the Union Club in Cleveland.

“It was an absolute pleasure to meet with the Cleveland Legacy Foundation, ship’s sponsor, and the people of Cleveland for the ships crest unveiling,” Command Master Chief (CMDCM) Carla Bellamy said after presenting the ships crest with Cmdr. Bruce Hallett, commanding officer of USS Cleveland.

CMDCM Bellamy said that even though her time aboard the USS Cleveland is getting short she hopes that her involvement in the pre-commissioning has made an impact on the Sailors she has helped guide and prepare during the pre-commissioning process.

The unveiling event was organized by the USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation, a non-profit based in Cleveland, that formed from the commissioning committee.

“We plan to continue to support the crew and ship through her service life and bring her back to Cleveland as a museum if the Navy has no greater and higher purpose for her,” Courtney Smrdel, Director of Operations for the foundation said Friday.

The USS Cleveland is the fourth Naval vessel named after Cleveland and is slated to be the last of 16 Freedom-class LCS ships.

“The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence,” according to America’s Navy website.

The LCS class of ship consists of two variants, the Freedom and Independence variants. The freedom Variant is a steel monohull design constructed by Lockheed Martin in the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

Initiated in February 2002, the LCS program represents a reduction in time to acquire, design, and build ships in comparison to any previous ship class. FY 2019 was the final year programmed for LCS seaframes according to the Navy’s website.

It was an absolute honor to represent the crew of PCU Cleveland at the official unveiling of the ships crest,” Cmdr. Bruce Hallett, commanding officer of the USS Cleveland, said after the unveiling ceremony. “I look forward to forging a legacy with the commissioning committee and the great city of Cleveland as we prepare to commission the USS Cleveland.”