NOVEMBER 12, 2025 – The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS St. Louis (LCS 19), operating under U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) in the Gulf of America, returned to Naval Station Mayport after completing a surge deployment on November 10, 2025.
The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS St. Louis (LCS 19), along with the “Valkyries” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 Detachment 5 and embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 408.
U.S. Navy assets are deployed under U.S Northern Command’s maritime homeland defense authorities with a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked to enable maritime interdiction missions to prevent the flow of illegal drugs or other illegal activity.
USNORTHCOM is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the southern border with additional military forces.
“The crew of St. Louis is grateful for the opportunity to support and defend the homeland,” stated Cmdr. Lee Shewmake, commanding officer, USS St. Louis (LCS 19). “We are always ready to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to international cooperation and supporting regional security and prosperity. Our Officers and Sailors onboard welcome every opportunity to collaborate with our partners, strengthening our interoperability and shared goals in the area.”
In support of USNORTHCOM’s mission to restore territorial integrity at the U.S. southern border, St. Louis reinforced the nation’s commitment to border security by enhancing maritime efforts and supporting interagency collaboration. The ship’s deployment highlights the Department of War and Navy’s dedication to national security priorities, contributing to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration.
“The U.S. Navy commends the crew of the St. Louis for their deployment in support of U.S. Northern Command’s mission,” stated Capt. Wade Smith, commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2. “St. Louis reinforced our nation’s commitment to border security and interoperability with our partners and Allies.”
St. Louis brought maritime capabilities in response to Presidential executive orders and a national emergency declaration and clarification of the military’s role in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States.
A U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) was embarked aboard St. Louis. Coast Guard LEDETs carry out a variety of maritime interdiction missions, including counter- piracy, military combat operations, alien migration interdiction, military force protection, counter terrorism, homeland security, and humanitarian response.
USS St. Louis (LCS 19) is assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron (LCSRON) 2 and homeported in Mayport, Fla. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, mission-focused warship designed to operate in near-shore environments to counter 21st-century threats. It is a class of small surface combatants armed with capabilities to defeat challenges in the world’s littorals. LCS can operate independently or in high-threat scenarios as part of a networked battle force that includes larger, multi-mission surface combatants such as cruisers and destroyers.
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime ready forces to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
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Courtesy Story
Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet