For those unfamiliar, Cooperstown, NY, is the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame to honor the greatest players in the world. This is exactly the connection that is bringing the USS Cooperstown to life. In 2023, the U.S. Navy is welcoming its newest ship, the USS Cooperstown (LCS 23) as not only a bolstering of its force but a present tribute to the athletes that gave of themselves off of the field to defend our nation. Related: Here are the Complicated Rules for Choosing Navy Ship Names

USS Cooperstown is a Hit at its Ceremony

The USS Cooperstown gets its moniker after the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, New York. This Freedom-class littoral combat ship is the first ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to hold its name. Its arrival was previewed during a ceremony at the Hall of Fame for America's pastime by the former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus on July 25, 2015. The USS Cooperstown commissioning isn't simply a call back to the sport synonymous with the nation's favorite pastime but specifically to honor Veterans that are a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame. A tribute that begins with the National League's first President, Morgan Bulkeley, a Veteran of the American Civil War. The U.S. Navy began a program in 2002 to develop a fleet of littoral combat ships with the USS Freedom, built by Lockheed Martin, being the first and gave the name Freedom-class to the monohull design. At first, the Navy ordered four littoral combat ships, including two of the Freedom-class design, and the USS Cooperstown is the 12th Freedom-class ship to be built. Cooperstown was delivered to the Navy in September 2022 and is based at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Navy is Hoping it Doesn’t Strikeout

Despite the fanfare and hopefulness surrounding the vessel, it’s clear that things are not exactly in favor of the HOF ship. This is because while there is still a potential use case, littoral combat ships haven’t been seen as the best endeavor by the naval force. Suggested read: Vanilla or Chocolate? The WWII Ice Cream Ship Delivered Sweets at Sea So much so that the Navy is already getting rid of them. The Navy wants to sell as many as six littoral combat ships despite their creation within the last eight years and despite their capabilities and the need for a stronger naval force. The USS Cooperstown launch has seen the ship off and it's already been involved in a rescue mission, but the core focus of littoral combat ships is to seek anti-ship mines and enemy submarines. But there have been issues with the program that go well beyond the expensive costs that each ship faces. On top of this, the ships have simply had issues with the design and operation of their features. They are the punchline of many Sailors and it's gotten to the point that the naval force is looking into options to move on to the next idea. The class doesn't seem to represent the attributes, history of excellence, or features that you would associate with assets of the U.S. Navy.

A Hall of Fame Performance May be Asked of the USS Cooperstown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc_7oPjJguY It’s clear that many ships of the U.S. Navy’s fleet falling within the littoral combat ship designation have not emerged as the solution Sailors had hoped for. But there's hope that the USS Cooperstown can help turn the tide. What is clear is that if Cmdr. Daxton Moore, the USS Cooperstown Commanding Officer, and his crew have legitimate concerns ahead as they continue to work toward a safer America in the face of unfortunate setbacks. Read next: Sink or Swim, the USS Texas Flooding Itself Was a Gamble That Paid Off