CINCINNATI – The United States Navy officially christened a new littoral combat ship (LCS) as the USS Cincinnati (LCS-20) Saturday, May 5 during a ceremony in Mobile, Alabama. She is the fifth ship named in honor of the City of Cincinnati.

At the mast stepping ceremony prior to the christening, Cincinnati Council Member and US Navy veteran David Mann presented a key to the city and a letter from Mayor John Cranley, along with other items. These items will be welded within the ship.

Additionally, there are two LM2500 marine gas turbine engines, rated at 29,500hp each, installed aboard the USS Cincinnati. The engines were assembled, inspected and tested locally at GE Aviation’s Evendale production facilities.

Council Member Mann joined military leaders, government officials, and representatives from GE and Austal USA (the shipbuilder) for the ceremonies.

"I am filled with great pride that Cincinnati will once more be represented on the high seas by a modern ship of the US fleet," said Council Member David Mann. As a four-year veteran of the Navy, attending on behalf of the Mayor and our citizens means a great deal to me."

Sponsor of the future #USSCincinnati (#LCS 20), @SecPritzker, has just christened her ship! pic.twitter.com/y82DjPDLuq

— Austal USA (@Austal_USA) May 5, 2018

Council Member Mann's first public service was in the United States Navy for four years. He served on the USS English (DD-696), a destroyer that was one of the first ships to reach Cuban waters during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He ended his active service as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Eight.

Prior to active duty in the Navy, Council Member Mann attended Harvard College on a Navy R.O.T.C. scholarship and was selected as the Midshipman Commander of the school's Naval R.O.T.C. battalion.

Cincinnati has a long and proud tradition of recognition by the Navy including the naming of four other vessels. The first was a stern-wheel casemate gunboat that served during the Civil War and was sunk by Confederate fire on two separate occasions. Raised both times and returned to service, she was decommissioned following the war. The second Cincinnati was a cruiser commissioned in 1894. She served extensively in the Caribbean before, during, and after the Spanish-American War before being decommissioned in 1919. The third ship to bear the name was a light cruiser commissioned in 1924 that served around the world and earned a battle star for World War II service that included convoy escort and blockade duty. She was decommissioned in 1945 after the war ended. The fourth Cincinnati was a Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine commissioned in 1978. The boat served for 17 years before being decommissioned in 1995.

More details below.

• USS Cincinnati (1861) was an ironclad river gunboat commissioned in 1862, sunk twice in battle and raised each time, and sold in 1866.
• USS Cincinnati (C-7) was a protected cruiser in service from 1894 to 1919.
• USS Cincinnati (CL-6) was a light cruiser commissioned in 1924, on patrols in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, and scrapped in 1946.
• USS Cincinnati (SSN-693) was a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine in service from 1978 to 1996.
• USS Queen City (Tinclad #26) commissioned in April 1863 and ultimately blown up and destroyed by Confederate forces.