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KEYPORT, Wash. (June 26, 2019) -- The crew of the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Jacksonville (SSN 699) held an inactivation ceremony June 26, at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport, Washington, celebrating the boat's 38 years of service.
The occasion marked the crew's final public event before the submarine is officially decommissioned in the controlled industrial area (CIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in Bremerton, Washington.
"Saying a final goodbye to the Jacksonville is truly a bittersweet experience," said retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry D. Scott, former chief of the boat aboard Jacksonville. "I would suggest that rather than feel sad, let us celebrate all that she accomplished and what she meant to each of us, to our nation and to our national defense. She met every mission objective and served her sailors well. Suffice it to say she was tested again, and again, and again, but she continued to show her mettle in peace and in war, both hot and cold."
Supporters, Navy League members, and crew members, past and present, were on hand to bid the boat farewell. Former commanding officer of the Jacksonville, retired Capt. Michael Brown, served as a guest speaker during the ceremony.
During his speech, Brown spoke of his time aboard Jacksonville and the quality of its crew. "They made no excuses," he said.
When a commissioned U.S. Navy ship is decommissioned, it is taken out of active service and the crew is reassigned to another ship or command. Inactivation is the process in which the submarine will be de-fueled, with the hull retained in safe storage until decommissioning.
"Though the ship is decommissioning, the crew is not," said Cmdr. David C. Vehon, commanding officer of USS Jacksonville. "We will still stand the watch and keep her safe until it's her turn to defuel and we secure the final watch. We will continue to hone our skills as warfighters as we prepare ourselves to return to the operational fleet and do our nation's bidding. The legacy of the Jacksonville will be carried forward to future submariners and their crews through our standards of operations and dedication to our shipmates."
The ceremony concluded with the lowering of the national ensign along with a symbolic securing of the watch.
Jacksonville completed their last deployment August 10, 2017. During her final 9-month deployment to the Western Pacific region, she was extended to conduct critical operations for which she was awarded the Submarine Squadron One Battle E. The fast-attack's third Battle E.
The keel was laid by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics in Groton, Conn., February 21, 1976. The boat was launched November 18, 1978, and commissioned May 16, 1981.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2019 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 329426 |
| Location: | BREMERTON, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 889 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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