The Pierre (LCS 38) is the 19th ship in the Independence-class littoral combat ships and the second ship in the U.S. Navy named in honor of the city of Pierre, South Dakota.

June 16, 2023 The keel authentication ceremony for the future USS Pierre was held at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

May 18, 2024 The Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Pierre was christened during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Austal USA shipyard in Mobile. Mrs. Larissa Thune Hargens, the daughter of U.S. Senator John R. Thune (R-SD), served as sponsor of the ship.

May 29, PCU Pierre exited the assembly bay #5 at Austal's facility for the first time and was transported down river, while sitting on a deck barge, to BAE Systems Southeast shipyard's floating dry-dock; Launched and moored at Combined Wharf on July 2?; Moved to Vessel Completion Yard on Sept. ?.

April 9, 2025 PCU Pierre moored at Vessel Completion Yard on Austal USA shipyard after a two-day underway for Builder's (Alpha) trials; Underway again from April 22-23 and May 14; Moored at Vessel Completion Yard, just after midnight, on May 15; Underway for acceptance trials on June 11; Moored at Vessel Completion Yard, around 4:30 a.m. local time, on June 12.

October 10, The Pierre, commanded by Cmdr. Justin L. Guernsey, departed Mobile, Ala., for the final time en route to San Diego, California; Transited northbound, off the southeast coast of Florida, on Oct. 12.

October 15, PCU Pierre moored at Berth 6, Pier 12 on Naval Station Norfolk for a five-day port call; Moored at Wharf C2 on Naval Station Mayport from Oct. 24- Nov. 3; Moored at West Berth 3 in Port of Panama City, Fla., from Nov. 7-17.

November 15, USS Pierre was commissioned during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Port of Panama City, Florida.

November 22, The Pierre moored at Pier 16C in Port of Cristobal, Panama, for a one-day stop to refuel; Transited the Panama Canal southbound on Nov. 23; Moored at Cruise Pier in Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, to refuel from Nov. 29- Dec. 1.

December 5, USS Pierre moored at Berth 5, Pier 6 in its homeport of Naval Base San Diego for the first time; Underway for routine training, in the SOCAL Op Area, on Feb. 2.

February 8, 2026 The Pierre anchored at Coronado's Anchorage A-173 for a brief stop; Moored at NFF for a brief stop to refuel on Feb. 11; Moored at Berth 6, Pier 5 on Feb. 13; Moved to Berth 6, Pier 6 on Feb. 19.