LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – The crest of our nation's ninth littoral combat ship -- the USS Little Rock—was unveiled late Thursday morning at the MacArthur Museum.
A spokesperson for the city said the ship is currently being built for the Navy in Wisconsin. In November 2016, the USS Little Rock will join the fleet and become sovereign U.S. territory wherever she sails.
Communications and Marketing Manager Luis Gonzalez shared the following details on the crest and what each item means:
BLAZON
SHIELD: Azure, a lozenge enhanced Gules, fimbriated Or, thereon a diamond Proper enveloped by four mullets, one above and three below in chevron reversed Argent, all within a diminished bordure of the third.
CREST: Issuant from a wreath of the colors Or and Azure, an American bald eagle displayed head to sinister Proper, gorged with a crown of three diamonds voided and conjoined all in front of a ship's wheel of the first.
SUPPORTERS: Behind the shield, a conquistador's sword point to base Proper and a trident spiked in saltire Or.
MOTTO: On a tri-folded scroll Azure, doubled Gules, the inscription "BACK WITH A VENGEANCE" Or.
SYMBOLISM
SHIELD: Dark blue and gold are traditional colors associated with the United States Navy. The red lozenge and the configuration of the four stars represent the Arkansas flag in color and is shaped as a heraldic diamond. The diamond in the center is symbolic of Arkansas' 1897 status as "the only diamond-bearing state in the Union." This symbol also alludes to the LCS 9 crew and their attainment of excellence. The diamond is also engraved on the Arkansas state quarter as it is the gem of Arkansas and, being the hardest known natural material, it represents endurance and perseverance as well as the many facets and challenges of the ship's mission.
CREST: The eagle is taken, in part, from The Great Seal of Arkansas with the mascal coronet symbolizing honor. The ship's wheel is a traditional naval symbol and is reminiscent of the ship's wheel on the previous USS Little Rock (CL-92) badge.
SUPPORTERS: The conquistador sword represents the Age of Discovery during which the first European expedition to reach Arkansas was led by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541. The trident is an attribute of Neptune and signifies the three mission areas of mine, surface, and anti-submarine warfare.
SEAL: The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a white oblong disc field within a dark blue designation band, edged with a gold roped border and bearing the name "USS LITTLE ROCK" at the top and "LCS 9" at the base.
