Posted on 06/22/2007 6:19:59 AM PDT by MplsSteve
After 23 years of service and four Battle Efficiency awards, the submarine USS Minneapolis-St. Paul will be decommissioned today in a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
The Los Angeles-class attack sub has been involved in 12 deployments since it was commissioned, the most recent being a six-month deployment to the North Atlantic. It has visited 26 different ports in its life span. It was the first submarine to carry Tomahawk missiles in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the first Persian Gulf War.
The Minneapolis-St Paul was built in 1984. It is 360 feet long, 33 feet wide and displaces 6,900 tons.
The sub is being deactivated because the submarine force is being modernized. The older Los Angeles class submarines were built with a nuclear reactor that needs to be replaced after 22 to 23 years. The Navy chose to deactivate rather than pay for an expensive upgrade.
Two other older submarines have been deactivated in 2007 and more will be deactivated next year.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
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When I first read the headline I thought the Navy was leaving the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. My second thought was “dang, are they lost or what?” It’s still early.
Mention “decomm” and the SUBLANT supply-types are like brides-to-be at a wedding dress giveaway. Parts is parts.
They should tow it up the river and park it at Harriet Island as a tourist attraction!
“They should tow it up the river and park it at Harriet Island as a tourist attraction!”
Hell…make into a $1000/night hotel/casino :-)
During my husband’s time in the submarine service (2000-2004) the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul was lovingly referred to as the ‘USS Menopause’. Here’s hoping we get enough new boats to replace the LA class boats that we’re losing.
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