USS SHILOH 30th Birthday

Photo By Lt.j.g. Ashley Pestano | LT Bort and OS2 Snell cutting the first piece of cake.  

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

07.31.2022

Story by Lt.j.g. Ashley Pestano 

Commander, Task Force 70 / Carrier Strike Group 5

While underway, USS SHILOH celebrated thirty years of illustrious service and reflected on past accomplishments, crew highlights, and namesake history.

The SHILOH crew held a birthday ceremony on the messdeck commemorating past crews, contributions to peace and combat lethality. SHILOH took an active role in Operations Infinite Reach, Iraqi Freedom, Unified Assistance, RIMPAC 2006, and most recently Enduring Freedom.

These missions contributed to America’s War on Terror, humanitarian efforts worldwide and strengthening ties with regional partners. The SHILOH team celebrated with a cake and ice cream social and a presentation highlighting SHILOH’s thirty years of service. “Tonight, we celebrate SHILOH’s birthday while keeping in mind the sacrifices sailors have made and the oaths we all have taken. We honor the lives that have been lost, sailors that have served, and the challenges we have faced throughout the years,” said CAPT Adam G. Cheatham, “We are
determined to continue SHILOH’s legacy and her culture of excellence.”

On July 18, 1992, USS SHILOH, a CG-47 Ticonderoga-class cruiser, was commissioned to memorialize the Battle of Shiloh, a decisive battle between the Union and the Confederacy. This battle was a crucial success for the Union Army and allowed the Union to begin a massive operation in the Confederate territory later that year. Over 20,000 American lives were lost and the conflict was so intense that survivors reported that whizzing bullets made the battlefield sound like "a hornet’s nest." Sailors onboard are regularly revered as “Hornets” paying homage to the Battle. The ship itself is then regarded as “the hornet’s nest.”

USS SHILOH, attached to Commander Carrier Strike Group Five, is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Pictures by LSSN Samuel Ntone Nzameyo, article by LTJG Ashley Pestano and PS3 Michelle Agi.

• Date Taken: 07.31.2022
• Date Posted: 08.02.2022 00:07
• Story ID: 426203
• Location: YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP