PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, May 16,2026; USS Cleveland commissioning ceremony, Cleveland’s North Coast Yard: A Petty Officer, serving as a tour guide, welcomes visitors onto the USS Cleveland.

PHOTO BY MARYANN COYNE ROSENBERG

Saturday, May 16,2026; USS Cleveland commissioning ceremony, Cleveland’s North Coast Yard: USS CLEVELAND’s main battle gun

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, May 16,2026; USS Cleveland commissioning ceremony, Cleveland’s North Coast Yard: USS Cleveland

by Greg Rosenberg

   (Plain Press June 2026) The USS Cleveland (LCS 31) arrived at Cleveland’s North Coast Yard on May 9 to begin a week-long celebration in advance of the ship’s commissioning on May 16. The ship’s crew hosted public tours, offering the community a first-hand look and a chance to engage with sailors. USS Cleveland will be the fourth ship to bear the name, but the first ship in the Navy’s 250-year history to be commissioned in Ohio.

   Built in Wisconsin, USS Cleveland contains components from several Northeast Ohio companies, including Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland-Cliffs, Lincoln Electric, Parker Hannifin, TransDigm and The Hellan Strainer Company.

   Cleveland is a littoral combat ship, designed to operate near shorelines, to support various combat missions. At 387 feet long, a draft of 14 feet and speeds greater than 40 knots (46 mph), the ship can support a wide range of situations. It can carry two helicopters, a variety of small boats and is staffed by up to nine officers and 80 enlisted men and women.

   The nonprofit USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation (www.usscleveland.org) was established in 2019 to create and maintain a strong, meaningful, and direct bond between citizens of northeast Ohio and the crew of USS Cleveland. The Foundation has supported various ship activities including the week-long festivities and commissioning, with hopes to return the Cleveland here as a permanent museum and memorial at the end of her service life (20-25 years).

   Approximately 15,000 attended the public commissioning ceremony which included presentations by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, Representative Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Senator John Husted.