Proud to share with you, the official Crest of LCS 21
Symbolism:
Shield: Blue and gold are traditional colors of the U.S. Navy. White represents integrity and purity of purpose. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are the two largest cities in the State of Minnesota and are often referred to as the “Twin Cities” due to their close proximity as well as their share histories. Both Minneapolis and Saint Paul sit on the banks of the Mississippi River, depicted here by the wavy blue and white pattern at the base. The broken golden chevron in center, heraldically referred to as a “chevron rompu,” consists of a lower left and lower right section, each pointing upwards portraying the simultaneous rise of the two cities as they supported each other from across the Mississippi River. The top portion of the chevron alludes to the Cathedral of Saint Paul, and iconic landmark that sits high upon Cathedral Hill, elevated above the two cities. The two stars on either side of the chevron represent each of the cities, while the star at the top characterizes Minnesota’s official motto, “L’Etoile du Nord,” which is French for “Star of the North.” The three stars arranged in this formation symbolize the supporting role the cities play in the larger culture and economy of the State of Minnesota.
Crest: The common loon is the state bird of Minnesota and is known for its dramatic dives into water in search of prey. Two loons stand here face-to-face with their wings extended, a stance showing their readiness for battle, emphasizing the round-the-clock readiness required of the personnel aboard the MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL. Placed between the birds is a wheel impaled by a sword, which has a two-fold meaning, the first being that the wheel refers to the history of Minneapolis’s industry as it grew to prominence as the Mill City. The sword is a reference to the martyr saint, St. Paul, for whom the city is named, and is often depicted carrying a sword pointed downwards. The second meaning is from a naval perspective with the ship’s wheel suggesting accuracy in navigation and the sword denoting the strength of the weaponry aboard the ship. The axle of the wheel is charged with a light blue color to highlight the point where the sword and wheel become one, illustrating both the connection of the two cities as well as the combination of the powerful navigation and weapon systems aboard the USS MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL.
Supporters:
The spears are emblematic of the speed, agility, and maneuverability of the Freedom-class littoral combat ship. Unlike many of the USS MINNEAPOLIS-STAINT PAUL’s larger counterparts, littoral combat ships are known for their quickness, flexibility in mission capability, and shallow draft. This relatively small vessel is ideal for a variety of near-shore operations while also having the capability of delivering devastating blows to adversaries, just as the spear is light and versatile, but a deadly weapon when used at short range.
Motto: The Latin motto, “AUT VIAM INVENIAM AUT FACIAM,” translates to “I WILL FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE.” The motto refers to the fact that MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL is among the first Freedom-class littoral combat ships to be outfitted for anti-submarine warfare. Serving as a pioneer in that class of vessel, those serving aboard intend to find a way to victory using whatever means are necessary and to pass that onto the LCS that follow them.
