Naval Station Mayport’s newest Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship has finally made it home for the first time.
The USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) arrived at Naval Station Mayport Tuesday. She has a crew of 70 which is led by Commander Colin Kane.
The vessel is the 19th littoral combat ship in the Navy’s fleet. The USS Indianapolis is named after Indiana’s state capital and is the fourth ship in the Navy’s history to bear the name.
The second USS Indianapolis is perhaps the best known. It was commissioned in 1931 and was sunk after being hit by a Japanese torpedo on July 30, 1945.
Only 317 of the 1,196 sailors made it out alive, surviving for five days afloat in the Pacific, according to the Navy.
Video: USS Indianapolis (LCS 17) Joins The Fleet
The last USS Indianapolis was a fast-attack submarine that was commissioned in 1980 and decommissioned in 1998.
The new USS Indianapolis’ primary mission is finding and countering submarines, along with other surface and mine threats. The ship includes aerial, surface and submersible vehicles.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
