Navy identifies ships leaving the fleet

[unhappycamper]

Navy identifies ships leaving the fleet
Staff report
Posted : Thursday Aug 14, 2008 18:33:56 EDT

Seven surface ships are scheduled to leave the fleet before the end of fiscal 2009, according to a fleet-wide message released Tuesday. Also slated to end its career is the Navy’s one-of-a-kind nuclear-powered research submarine, the NR-1.

The best-known ship on the list is the carrier Kitty Hawk, which returned to the U.S. on Aug. 7 after a decade of being stationed in Japan as the Navy’s only forward-deployed carrier.

Also on the inactive list are the amphibious assault ship Tarawa; the amphibious transport docks Juneau and Nashville; the combat stores ships Saturn and Concord; and the acoustic survey ship Hayes.

The Saturn, Concord and Hayes likely will be sunk as targets in upcoming naval exercises. The carrier and the gators will go into the Navy’s inactive reserve fleet.

NR-1, which returned from its final deployment this summer to search for the shipwreck of Capt. John Paul Jones’ Revolutionary War frigate Bonhomme Richard, is to enter the Navy’s nuclear submarine recycling program this November.


Article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/navy_inactive_list_081408w/

[Divernan]

1. The Juneau's last port of call was Juneau, Alaska.

A friend there sent me a great photo of her with her crew lined up deck as as she came into port. She was the first ship on the scene of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and provided lodging and transport to 400 rescue workers. Also did some humanitarian aid deliveries around the world. She is the 3rd "Juneau" in the fleet. The first Juneau was the ship sunk at Guadalcanal with the 5 Sullivan brothers on board. Her keel was laid in early 1962 - always makes me sad to see a ship decommissioned.

Juneau leaves namesake city

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jul 31, 2008 12:41:58 EDT

JUNEAU, Alaska — The amphibious transport dock Juneau has left its namesake Alaska city.

The crew pulled up anchor Wednesday morning, ending a four-day visit in honor of the coming 50th anniversary of Alaska statehood.

The crew placed a wreath at the USS Juneau Memorial on Tuesday. The first Juneau was sunk by a Japanese submarine in World War II.

This is the last visit the Navy ship before it sails to San Diego for decommissioning.