Some members of the USS Pierre Commissioning Committee and a few of their family members have been on a Tiger Cruise this week.
The Pierre contingent caught up with the crew of the USS Pierre (LCS 38) on Sunday and will depart sometime today (June 14-17, 2026).
According to the United States Navy, the Tiger Cruise was created so families and friends of Sailors could see firsthand the work their service member does, as well as experiencing a bit of everyday life aboard a Navy ship. Tiger Cruises first started in 1975 as a way to boost morale for the ship’s crew.
The USS Pierre was officially added to the United States Navy’s fleet during a Commissioning Ceremony in November (Nov. 15, 2025). It’s the last Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship to be added to the U.S. Navy fleet. It’s 419 feet long and capable of operating at speeds of over 46mph (40+ knots). It’s home ported in San Diego, California.
The USS Pierre is the second U.S. Navy warship to bear the name of South Dakota’s state capitol. The first was a World War II PC-461-class submarine chaser (PC-1141) commissioned in 1943. However, the USS Pierre is the third U.S. Navy vessel named in honor of Pierre. The SS Pierre Victory, a cargo ship, also served during World War II. Prior to the USS Pierre, the most recently activated naval vessel with ties to South Dakota was the USS South Dakota (SSN 790) fast attack submarine, which officially joined the Navy’s fleet in Feb. 2019 (Feb. 2, 2019).
Some members of the USS Pierre crew are scheduled to be in Pierre from late June through early July (June 28-July 5, 2026) to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday over Independence Day.
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