The Navy will christen littoral combat ship (LCS) at 10:00 a.m. on Oct. The name recognizes the cornerstone of our nation's foundation that so many Americans have sacrificed to ensure. Five previous ships have also had that name. The first was a 10-gun sloop that served during the War of Independence. The second , the first ship of the line in the Navy, was launched in 1814 as a 74-gun ship, but later refitted to a 54-gun frigate. The third served with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service following the end of World War I. The fourth (CVL 22), a small aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943, earned eight battle stars during World War II. The fifth (CV 62) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1959 and decommissioned in 1998. U.S. Sen.