Marinette, Wisconsin (April 15, 2023)
The USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation on April 15th marked the most recent major milestone in Phase I of its three-phase mission with the christening and launch of the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31). Mrs. Robyn Modly, Ship Sponsor, broke a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the warship, which was then launched into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin. The USS Cleveland is the sixteenth and final Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship to be constructed by the team of Lockheed Martin, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and Gibbs & Cox. NEOPAT has been a proud collaborator with the USS Cleveland Foundation on several initiatives, including Cleveland’s Lone Sailor Park and support of the Gold Star family of Maxton Soviak, the Navy corpsman from Milan, Ohio, killed in action during the pullout from Afghanistan. NEOPAT Executive Director Rick DeChant was part of a Cleveland delegation of approximately 100 in attendance from Cleveland for the christening. Members of the Foundation’s leadership team were joined by many of our generous partners from the Greater Cleveland community for the ceremony and related events on April 14 an 15, 2023, in northeast Wisconsin.
