USS Savannah (LCS 28) Arrives at San Diego Homeport for First Time

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Vance Hand | 220301-N-ZS023-1069 (March 1, 2022) NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) arrives in its homeport of San Diego for the first time. LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Vance Hand/Released)  

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

03.01.2022

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Vance Hand 

Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO (March 1, 2022) – Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) arrived at its homeport of Naval Base San Diego March 1.

Prior to arriving in San Diego, Savannah officially joined the fleet on Feb. 5 when it was commissioned in Brunswick, Georgia. During the ship’s sail-around, they completed a successful transit through the Panama Canal.

“This crew did an incredible job getting Savannah to its homeport of San Diego,” said Cmdr. Kevin Ray, Savannah’s commanding officer. “After being away from home and loved ones for many months, we’re thankful for the safe voyage and happy to be reunited with family.”

Savannah will be homeported in San Diego with sister ships USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Jackson (LCS 6), USS Montgomery (LCS 8), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), USS Omaha (LCS 12), USS Manchester (LCS 14), USS Tulsa (LCS 16), USS Charleston (LCS 18), and USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), USS Kansas City (LCS 22), USS Oakland (LCS 24), and USS Mobile (LCS 26).


“I am happy to welcome USS SAVANNAH to the San Diego waterfront” said Capt. Jack Fay, commodore of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron (LCSRON) 1. “The crew of Savannah worked hard to get to this point and I look forward to seeing them operate in the Fleet.”

Savannah is the 14th of the Independence-variant LCS to join the fleet. LCS 28 is the sixth ship to be named in honor of the city of Savannah. The first was a coastal galley that provided harbor defense for the port of Savannah, 1799-1802. The second USS Savannah, a frigate, served as the flagship of the Pacific Squadron and then served in the Brazil Squadrons and Home Squadrons, 1844-1862. The third USS Savannah (AS 8) was launched in 1899 as the German commercial freighter, Saxonia. Seized in Seattle, Washington, upon the outbreak of World War I, the freighter was converted to a submarine tender and supported submarine squadrons in both the Atlantic and Pacific, 1917-1926. The fourth USS Savannah (CL 42) was a Brooklyn-class light cruiser commissioned in 1938. The warship served through the entire Mediterranean campaign, receiving three battle stars for service before decommissioning in 1945. The fifth USS Savannah (AOR 4) was a Wichita-class replenishment oiler commissioned in 1970. AOR 4 earned one battle star and a Meritorious Unit Commendation for service in the Vietnam War. The oiler provided underway replenishment services in the Atlantic and Indian oceans until decommissioning in 1995.

The Littoral Combat Ship 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.

For more news from Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/comlcsron1/ or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/COMLCSRONONE/

• Date Taken: 03.01.2022
• Date Posted: 03.01.2022 21:58
• Story ID: 415576
• Location: CALIFORNIA, US