Where are all the sailors? That's usually the first question visitors ask when they step aboard the Independence. The littoral combat ship's unusually small crew -- it takes 40 sailors to operate the $700 million vessel -- is only the beginning of what sets it apart. And if all goes as envisioned, the Independence, which ended its maiden voyage Wednesday at Norfolk Naval Station, could change the way the Navy does business. The Independence and its cousin, the Freedom, were born in concept nearly a decade ago. The military was looking for a quick and cost-effective way to increase its...