On Thursday, April 11, 2013 Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH announced that a new littoral combat ship (LCS) would be named after the city of Manchester. However, according to the Navy Times, the Navy Secretary Ray Mabus personally informed Senator Shaheen via phone but it was not yet confirmed by the U. S. Navy. An LCS is a surface vessel which sails close to shore.
The first vessel named for Manchester was the U. S. S. Manchester, a Navy cruiser. It was built at the Bethlehem yards in Quincy, Massachusetts and commissioned on October 29, 1946 at a ceremony at the Boston Navy Yard. Then Manchester Mayor Josaphat T. Benoit and Under Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan attended the ceremonies. John L. Sullivan was the grandson-in-law of our own benefactor, Frank P. Carpenter.
The Cruiser Manchester served in the Mediterranean, the Far East, the Korean War, and the Pacific. She received nine battle stars for Korean service.
At the same time, one of the new battleships would be the third vessel to carry the name New Hampshire. The first New Hampshire was named in 1864.
Why not visit the the Manchester City Library for more information!
Cynthia O’Neil
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