Saturday, December 31, 2011

COMSUBPAC and USS Pasadena CO's Attend Annual New Year's Day Rose Bowl Game


PASADENA, Calif. (NNS) -- Keeping with tradition and to celebrate the New Year, Commander, Submarine Force Pacific and the commanding officer of USS Pasadena (SSN 752) are attending the 98th New Year's Day Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, Jan. 2.

"The submarine force has a longstanding relationship with the people of Pasadena through their ties to USS Pasadena. Pasadena has supported its submarine through numerous deployments as the submarine represented the city across the globe," said Rear Adm. Frank Caldwell, Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. "It's an honor to celebrate our continued relationship as we ring in the New Year."

During the namesake visit, Caldwell and Molina will also visit with the Pasadena Police Department and Pasadena Navy League; attend the Tournament of Roses Parade, and watch the Rose Bowl with the Pasadena Foundation and civic community leaders.

USS Pasadena is currently undergoing an extended maintenance overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Cmdr. Luis Molina, USS Pasadena's commanding officer, reflected on the strong ties the submarine has with its name-sake city.

"We maintain one of the strongest relationships with a namesake city in the submarine force, and we look forward to continuing to forge this mutual relationship when the ship relocates to San Diego after our modernization period. I am honored to have been invited to represent the ship and the Navy as we ring in the New Year with our extended Pasadena family," said Molina.

Earlier this year, during the transit to the shipyard, the boat and its crew visited San Diego where they were able to conduct a one-day cruise to showcase the professionalism of the crew and demonstrate the boat's capabilities to a group of civic leaders and members of the Pasadena Foundation.

"The city of Pasadena has supported the ship and its crew throughout its history dating back to before the commissioning. They have generously contributed to the welfare of the crew and continue to cultivate strong ties with the ship and the Navy," said Molina.

The Rose Bowl was constructed in 1922 and currently seats 100,184 people. The size of the football field, about 880 feet, could fit two Los Angeles class submarines.

According to the City of Pasadena's website, the Tournament of Roses annual parade of flower-covered floats has been held in Pasadena since January 1, 1890. Today, the average float contains up to 100,000 blossoms. About 1,000,000 people come to Pasadena to watch the Tournament of Roses.

Pasadena is the U.S. Navy's second "Improved" 688 Class nuclear-powered submarine. In July 1991, two years after it was commissioned, Pasadena became the first 688I to deploy, commencing its first of many six-month Western Pacific deployments.

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