USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) Arrives in Bremerton for Decommissioning

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Amanda Gray | BREMERTON, Wash. (May 28, 2019) – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, Cmdr. Jason Deichler, commanding officer of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720), stands on the bridge as the boat arrives at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, from Groton, Connecticut, to commence its inactivation process and eventual decommissioning. Commissioned in 1985, Pittsburgh has fired two tomahawk missiles and supported numerous missions vital to national security during her 35 years of service. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Amanda R. Gray/Released)  

BREMERTON, WA, UNITED STATES

05.28.2019

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Amanda Gray 

U.S. Navy           

BREMERTON, Wash. (May 18, 2019) The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) arrived at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton to commence the inactivation and decommissioning process, May 28.

Under the command of Cmdr. Jason Deichler, a Pittsburgh native, the submarine departed Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, and made its first arctic transit for its final homeport change.

“We are the first second flight 688 to complete an arctic an arctic transit from Groton to Bremerton for an inactivation,” said Deichler. “It was an amazing transit, one that it unique to submarines. There aren’t too many people in the history of the world, let alone the submarine force, let alone the Navy, that have done that transit under the ice.”

Pittsburgh completed their most recent deployment Feb. 25, 2019. During the deployment, the boat and her crew steamed more than 39,000 nautical miles and conducted three foreign port visits.

“All I heard from the crew during the transit was ‘this is the last’,” said Deichler. “This is the last meal; this is the last time we are going to eat Pittsburgh steak on Pittsburgh; this is the last turn; this is the last shut down. So the pride that they have in the ship is amazing, the best I have ever seen on any ship I have ever served.”

The submarine's ability to support a multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance, made Bremerton one of the most capable submarines in the world.

“It is a bittersweet feeling to be the last operational commanding officer of Pittsburgh,” said Deichler. “I am a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so the boat has a special meaning to me. It is bittersweet to see Pittsburgh come for a final mooring here in Bremerton, but I know it will help the Navy in her future mission as we bring more Virginia-class submarines out online and we get our technology upgraded.”

During the inactivation process, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility will de-fuel the submarine, with the hull retained in safe storage until decommissioning.

“The 35 years of USS Pittsburgh has been an amazing 35 years,” said Deichler. “We have been involved in two tomahawk strike exercises and a multitude of missions vital to national security. What I really hope that the public remembers of our ship and our crew is the hard working men and women that helped build the submarine, utilizing materials from Pittsburgh, companies from Pittsburgh, and the support I got from the citizens of Pittsburgh; and then the crew itself, as they supported the ship and conducted operations over these 35 years.”

Commissioned Nov. 23, 1985, Pittsburgh is the forth U.S. Navy vessel to be named for the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The boat's mission is to seek out and destroy enemy ships and submarines and to protect U.S. national interests. At 360-feet-long and 6,900 tons, Pittsburgh can be armed with sophisticated MK48 advanced capability torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

For more news from the Pacific Submarine Force, visit www.csp.navy.mil.

• Date Taken: 05.28.2019
• Date Posted: 05.29.2019 12:08
• Story ID: 324341
• Location: BREMERTON, WA, US
• Hometown: PITTSBURGH, PA, US