The future USS Canberra (LCS 30), the Navy’s 16th and newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship earlier this week arrived at the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Base East in Sydney for her upcoming commissioning.
The future Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LC 30) arrives in Sydney, Australia July 18, 2023. RAN Image by POIS Peter Thompson
As detailed by the RAN:
Why does a U.S. warship carry the name of an Australian city?
Well, as any naval history buff will point out, The first USS Canberra (CA 70), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser nicknamed the “Kan-do Kangaroo” by her crew, was named in remembrance of the lost Australian Kent-class heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra (D33), that went down fighting side-by-side with U.S. forces at the Battle of Savo Island.
CA 70 was the first U.S. Navy ship named for a foreign capital.
NH 86171-KN HMAS Canberra (Australian heavy cruiser, 1928) Watercolor by F. Elliott. This painting was received from USS Canberra (CA-70) in 1970.
A beautiful Kodachrome of USS Canberra (CAG-2) underway on 9 January 1961. KN-1526
As detailed by the Navy:
The first USS Canberra (CA 70) received seven battle stars for her service in World War II.
In May 1958, Canberra served as the ceremonial flagship for the selection of the Unknown Serviceman of World War II and Korea.
Canberra was decommissioned in a ceremony on Feb. 2, 1970, at the San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard.
One of her propellers is preserved at the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, while the ship’s bell is on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The new USS Canberra will be brought to life in an international commissioning ceremony, nearby the current HMAS Canberra, at 10:00 a.m. AEST on Saturday, July 22 (8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 21).
As she will be homeported in San Diego as a part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE, the odds that USS Canberra will see Australia again are high.