About

BLAZON

SHIELD: Azure (Dark Blue), three wavy bars Argent debruised by an inverted pile Or, surmounted by an endorse of the first, between two anchors of the third and bearing a representation of the bow of a littoral combat ship.

CREST: From a wreath Argent and Azure (Dark Blue) a demi-gear Or, behind a flowing scroll of the second inscribed “LABOR VINCIT” of the first, overall an embowed arm, clothed Celeste, grasping a trident Gris (Dark Gray) fesswise, all below nine arching mullets of the third, the center mullet enlarged.

SYMBOLISM

SHIELD: Dark blue and gold, the colors traditionally associated with the Navy, represent the sea and excellence. The pile and bow of the littoral combat ship represent the projection of power, emphasizing the mission of the USS MANCHESTER. The wavy bars denote the Merrimack River which runs through Manchester, New Hampshire and transported textiles to Boston for further shipping abroad. Two gold anchors symbolize that this is the second Navy ship to carry the name Manchester.

CREST: The embowed arm and scroll are borrowed directly from the City of Manchester seal, honoring the citizens of Manchester. Here, the hammer has been replaced with a trident, symbolizing the prowess of the sea. The motto, “LABOR VINCIT,” translates to “Work Conquers” and harkens to the pride and work ethic of Manchester’s citizens, emphasized by the gold gear, and representing the textile mill industry of the City. The nine stars represent the nine battle stars awarded to the first USS MANCHESTER (CL-83) for her heroic operations during the Korean War. Nine stars further celebrate New Hampshire as the ninth state to join the Union.

SEAL: The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on an oval field within a dark blue designation band, edged with a gold chain and bearing the name “USS MANCHESTER” at the top and “LCS 14” at the base.