By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Khor,
Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- An audience of Sailors, submarine
veterans, and friends and families of the crew of USS La Jolla (SSN 701)
gathered at Lockwood Hall Lanai at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oct. 14, to
bid farewell to the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine, celebrating an
active career spanning more than three decades.
La Jolla is scheduled to depart Pearl Harbor en route to
Norfolk, Virginia, where she will be decommissioned and converted into a Moored
Training Ship (MTS), serving as a training platform for Nuclear Power training
at Naval Support Activity Charleston, South Carolina.
Along her illustrious 33-year career serving the U.S.
Submarine Force, La Jolla had many 'firsts' under her belt, including the first
of the Los Angeles-class of submarines to be homeported in San Diego; the first
to participate in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and Korean Maritime
Self Defense Force's first multi-national exercise, Pacific Reach 2004; the
first to deploy overseas with the advanced AN/BQQ-5D sonar system on board; and
the first to be fitted with the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).
Rear Adm. Phil Sawyer, the commander of Submarine Force,
U.S. Pacific Fleet, who served as a guest speaker, said it was an honor to have
served aboard La Jolla as the ship's 10th commanding officer, and more
importantly thanked all the individuals who helped make La Jolla such a
successful warship over the years.
"To the officers and crew of USS La Jolla, please accept
my profound gratitude for all that you do, day in and day out, for our
submarine force, our Navy and our nation," said Sawyer.
The commodore of Submarine Squadron 1, Capt. Harry
Ganteaume, also highlighted some of La Jolla's significant achievements including
her role in the early stages of the highly successful Tomahawk missile program
and the first submerged launch of a missile in 1983.
He continued to say that La Jolla was one of only three Los
Angeles-class submarines certified for dry-deck shelter operations,
contributing to the integration of submarine and Naval Special Warfare
operations.
"I am sure many of you who have served onboard one of
our first flight 688 (Los Angeles-class) classics will argue that there is no
better submarine," said Ganteaume. "My very best wishes for continued
success during the upcoming conversion in support of the Navy's nuclear
propulsion program; one that will certainly be vital to the future of our Navy
and the submarine force."
Retired captain and former commanding officer (CO) of La
Jolla, Jeff Fishbeck, was on hand to speak about his experiences in command of
La Jolla as the ship's fourth CO. He said he was truly honored to have
commanded La Jolla, work with the Sailors and meet their families.
"The officers and crew were just incredible," said
Fishbeck, who is from San Diego. "I had a wardroom of real professionals
that passed on the legacy of La Jolla, which is, we are a clean boat, we are
the best in everything we do."
"We were first in a lot of things that are done here in
the submarine force," said Fishbeck. "It is truly a ship that could
do everything that it was asked to do and it was asked to do quite a bit."
The former CO spoke of the submarine's sponsor, the late
Shirley Wilson, who was a driving force behind La Jolla. Wilson embodied the
spirit of the ship, took great care and pride over the ship.
The ship's bell will soon be donated by the Navy in honor of
Shirley Wilson, to be displayed at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Fishbeck presented Sawyer with a poster of the submarine as
well as a copy of the book 'Mains'l Haul, a Century of Submarines in San Diego'
as a token of appreciation for Sawyer's service as the 10th commanding officer
on La Jolla.
Many Sailors of La Jolla expressed their memorable
experiences while serving aboard the submarine. Sonar Technician Seaman Joseph
Morgan has been on the La Jolla for nine months and said it is an experience he
will never forget.
"The La Jolla experience is very memorable for
me," said Morgan, who is from Santa Ana, California. "The thing I
will remember most about the La Jolla is her crew, how lively and enjoyable
they made it. Even during the long days, I knew I had someone there with me
that was pulling their weight and keeping me going."
Named for La Jolla, California, she is the first warship
named after the township. Commissioned Oct. 24, 1981, La Jolla is the 14th ship
of the Los Angeles-class of nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarines, is
360-feet long, and displaces 6,900 tons. The submarine can be armed with
sophisticated Mark-48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) anti-submarine torpedoes and
Tomahawk guided cruise missiles.
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