NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. – The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Cleveland arrived at its new Naval Station Mayport home on Thursday morning.
The ship was commissioned in Cleveland, Ohio on May 16, 2026. Since leaving Cleveland, the ship has transited through the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway, sailing around Quebec City and Halifax.
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For one military family, this homecoming is much more personal. Phillip and Jacqueline Martinez had a baby while he was deployed.
For four months, Phillip Martinez watched his daughter grow through photos and videos, but today he got to meet her for the first time.
“I feel like I don’t even know her, but know her at the same time,” he said. “I can’t be more thankful for everything she’s been doing while we’ve been gone.”
Families have slowly been making Jacksonville their home. Some received orders back in 2021, others just arrived in the past year, waiting for the ship’s arrival.
The USS Cleveland is commanded by Cmdr. Bruce Hallett and it is the last east coast-based LCS to join the fleet.
“It’s fantastic to be able to finally bring the final Freedom-class LCS home to Mayport, where we can be ready to go out and do whatever the nation needs us to do,” Hallett said.
He and his wife, Kassandra Hallett, moved aboard the ship a little over four months ago.
“The crew’s been working hard with the end goal of ultimately coming back here, reuniting with families, so everyone’s just elated to be here,” Phillip Hallett said.