Navy Days LA Kicks Off With Arrival of USS Los Angeles
By MC2 David Brandenburg
Release Date: 01/21/2010
(PORT OF LOS ANGELES) – The 14th annual Navy Days LA kicked off with the arrival of the fast attack submarine USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) at the Port of Los Angeles where it will be decommissioned on Saturday.
Navy Days LA is designed to first and foremost to support the sea services, but also educates the public through tours, distinguished visitor ship embarks, and media coverage of the festivities.
Navy Days LA president and co-founder Grant Ivey said, “Our goal is to keep their dance card full when they are not on duty.” During the five-day Navy Days LA celebration USS Los Angeles Sailors will have their choice of tours of the Ronald Reagan Library, trips to Universal Studios LA, and a Los Angeles Kings hockey game.
The 16 officers and 127 enlisted LA crew members also signed up for sports fishing trips, a burger bash and concert at the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, and an evening at Hermosa Beach Club.
Saturday the crew of the 360 foot fast attack submarine will celebrate the conclusion of the subs 33 years of Naval service at a decommissioning ceremony in her namesake city. SSN 688 is the fourth Navy ship to be named for the city of Los Angeles. Her many capabilities include wartime functions of undersea warfare, surface warfare, strike warfare, mining operations, special forces delivery, reconnaissance, carrier battle group support and escort, and intelligence collection.
“Los Angeles served the Navy for 33 years, and it is with some sadness that we are now making our final voyage,” said Commander Steven Harrison, Commanding Officer, USS Los Angeles. “I am very proud of each and every Sailor onboard. We all have worked very hard to keep this warship at the forefront of submarine operations and the crew has done a fantastic job meeting every operational requirement.”
USS Los Angeles Sailors will visit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for a “Caps for Kids” visit where they will visit with children and pass out Navy ballcaps and honorary crewmember certificates. The Navy Days LA will wrap-up on January 26th when the sub departs the city for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington for inactivation.
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