USS Los Angeles (SSN-688)

Historical Significance of Ship's Insignia

Other than her crew, there is nothing that represents a ship more than the ship's insignia.  The deisgn for the USS Los Angeles' insignia was chosen from a number of drawings submitted by high school students from the City of Los Angeles, California.

Other Los Angeles-class Submarines named for California

In addition to the lead ship, USS LOS ANGELES (SSN-688), three other LOS ANGELES-class submarines have the distinction and honor of having been named for California cities; USS La Jolla (SSN-701), USS San Francisco (SSN-711), and USS Pasadena (SSN-752).

Miss Sandra Higashi's design was selected from hundreds of entries because of its depiction on the history of the previous ships named Los Angeles and her creative use of the dolphin ---the insignia of the U.S. Submarine Service ---to represent each one of the ships bearing the name of the City of Los Angeles.  Porpoises or "dolphins," as they are sometimes labeled, represent the ship's speed, grace, and endurance.  The dolphin is also the traditional attendants to Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and patron deity of sailors ---which is symbolic of a calm sea.