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USS Marinette
The 13th Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, the USS Marinette (LCS-25) launched on 31 October into the Menominee River.
Lockheed Martin/FMM

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U.S. Battle Force Changes 1 January 2020–31 December 2020

Compiled by Jim Dolbow
May 2021
Proceedings
Vol. 147/5/1,419
Annual Review
View Issue
Comments

Commissioning/Construction/Naming of U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard Ships By Date

10 January

John Basilone (DDG-122)—Keel laid at Bath Iron Works.

Daniel Tarr (WPC-1136)—Commissioned at home port in Galveston, TX.

Mobile (LCS-26)—Launched at Austal USA.   

19 January

Cooperstown (LCS-23)—Launched at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

20 January

Doris Miller (CVN-81)—Named.

27 January

Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG-123)—Launched at Huntington Ingalls Industries.

20 February

Newport (T-EPF-12)—Launched at Austal USA.   

29 February

Stone (WMSL-758)—Christened at Ingalls Shipbuilding.

7 March

Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) —Transferred from Military Sealift Command to U.S. Navy and placed in commission at home port in Norfolk, VA.

10 March

Canberra (LCS-30) —Keel laid at Austal USA.   

28 March

Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28)—Launched at Huntington Ingalls Industries.

4 April

Delaware (SSN-791)—Commissioned administratively and transitioned to normal operations.

18 April

Vermont (SSN-792)—Commissioned administratively and transitioned to normal operations.

27 April

Chase (WMSM-916)—Fabrication started at Eastern Shipbuilding Group.

28 April

Argus (WMSM-915)—Keel laid at Eastern Shipbuilding Group.

11 June

Edgar Culbertson (WPC-1137)—Commissioned at home port in Galveston, TX.

20 June

Kansas City (LCS-22)—Commissioned administratively and transitioned to normal operations.

15 July

Tripoli (LHA-7)—Commissioned administratively and transitioned to normal operations.

Harold Miller (WPC-1138)—Commissioned at home port in Galveston, TX.

22 July

Beloit (LCS-29)—Keel laid at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

8 August

St. Louis (LCS-19)—Commissioned at a private event because of COVID-19.

3 September

Harvey Milk (T-AO-206)—Keel laid at General Dynamics-National Steel and Shipbuilding Company.

Savannah (LCS-28)—Launched at Austal USA.   

12 September

Montana (SSN-794)—Christened at Newport News Shipbuilding.

26 September

Delbert D. Black (DDG-119)—Commissioned at a private event in Port Canaveral, FL, because of COVID-19.    

7 October

Constellation (FFG-62)—Named.

13 October

John F. Lehman (DDG-137)—Named.

Barb (SSN-804)—Named.

27 October

Santa Barbara (LCS-32)—Keel laid at Austal USA.

28 October

Wisconsin (SSBN-827)—Named.

31 October

Marinette (LCS-25)—Launched at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.

5 November

Columbia (SSBN-826)—Contract awarded.

10 November

John L. Canley (ESB-6)—Named.

17 November

Tang (SSN-805)—Named.

Wahoo (SSN-806)—Named.

2 December

Congress (FFG-63)—Named.

11 December

Massachusetts (SSN-798)—Keel authenticated at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Notes:

According to the Naval Vessel Register, “Battle force ships are commissioned United States Ship (USS) warships capable of contributing to combat operations, or a United States Naval Ship that contributes directly to Navy warfighting or support missions.” For the purposes of this project, U.S. Coast Guard cutter changes are included.

In Commission, Special: Official date of commissioning and when the ship enters the force-level structure. Also date the ship is delivered to the Navy and the ship’s birthday. This status was created to legally ferry a ship from her builder’s yard to the commissioning ceremony, if other than where the ship was built.

In Commission, Full: Date the commissioning ceremony is performed and the ship is fully received into the fleet.

Ships Delivered to the Military Sealift Command and Placed in Service

2 September

Newport (T-EPF-12)—Delivered and placed in service.

Decommissionings/Inactivations/Stricken from Naval Vessel Register

USCGC Mellon
The USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717), in service for 52 years, awaits her decommissioning at the pier in Seattle. Credit: U.S. Coast Guard (Michael Clark)

31 March

John Midgett (WHEC-726)—Transitioned to In-Commission, Special, status to begin the decommissioning process. To be transferred to Vietnam.

15 April

Pittsburgh (SSN-720)—Decommissioned and stricken this date. To be scrapped.

6 August

Louisville (SSN-724)—In Commission, in Reserve (stand down).

Olympia (SSN-717)—Commencement of inactivation availability.

20 August

Mellon (WHEC-717)—Decommissioned. To be transferred to Bahrain.

25 August

Champion (MCM-4)—Decommissioned and stricken this date. To be scrapped.

26 August

Scout (MCM-8)—Decommissioned and stricken this date. To be scrapped.

27 August

Ardent (MCM-12)—Decommissioned and stricken this date. To be scrapped.

Former Navy Ships Disposed of by Other Means

 ex-USS Durham
In August, live fire from ships and aircraft participating in RimPac 2020 sank the decommissioned amphibious cargo ship ex-USS Durham (LKA-114). Credit: U.S. Navy (Tony Wright)

30 August

Ex-USS Durham (LKA-114)— Sunk during a RimPac 2020 sinking exercise (SinkEx).

19 September

Ex-USS Curts (FFG-38)— Sunk during a Valiant Shield 2020 sinking exercise.

Ships Planned For Dismantling and Sinkex During FY 2022–2026

Existing Inventory

Ex-Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) Ex-Hayes (AG-195) Ex-Navajo (ATF-169)

Ex-Mohawk (ATF-170) Ex-Yorktown (CG-48) Ex-Kitty Hawk (CV-63)

Ex-John F. Kennedy (CV-67) Ex-Boone (FFG-28) Ex-John L. Hall (FFG-32)

Ex-Underwood (FFG-36)  Ex-Nicholas (FFG-47) Ex-Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58)

Ex-Charleston (LKA-113) Ex-Mobile (LKA-115) Ex-El Paso (LKA-117)

Ex-Cleveland (LPD-7) Ex-Dubuque (LPD-8) Ex-Denver (LPD-9)

Ex-Juneau (LPD-10) Ex-Shreveport (LPD-12) Ex-Nashville (LPD-13)

Ex-Boulder (LST-1190) Ex-Canon (PG-90) Ex-Champion (MCM-4)

Ex-Scout (MCM-8) Ex-Ardent (MCM-12) Ex-Sioux (T-ATF-171)

Additions to the Existing Inventory:

Apache (T-ATF-172) John Lenthall (T-AO-189) Walter S. Diehl (T-AO-193)

Grasp (T-ARS-51) Catawba (T-ATF-168) Sentry (MCM-3)

Devastator (MCM-6) Gladiator (MCM-11) Dextrous (MCM-13)

Salvor (T-ARS-52) Joshua Humphreys (T-AO-188) Pecos (T-AO-197)

Victorious (T-AGOS-19)

ships
The mine countermeasures
ships USS Devastator (MCM-6), Dextrous (MCM-13), Sentry (MCM-3), and Gladiator (MCM-11)—here, maneuvering in the Arabian Gulf—are scheduled
for retirement in 2024. Credit: U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (Antonio Gemma)

Source: Table A4-2 of Appendix 4 of the 9 December 2020 Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels.

Specific dates will be determined when the ships are contracted for scrapping or recycling.

The mine countermeasures
ships USS Devastator (MCM-6), Dextrous (MCM-13), Sentry (MCM-3), and Gladiator (MCM-11)—here, maneuvering in the Arabian Gulf—are scheduled
for retirement in 2024.

PLANNED DECOMMISSIONINGS, DISMANTLINGS, AND DISPOSALS FOR FY 2022–2026

2022

USS Anzio
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG-68) is planned to be placed Out of Commission in Reserve in 2022. Credit: U.S. Navy (Justin Pacheco)

San Jacinto (CG-56)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Monterey (CG-61)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Hue City (CG-66)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Anzio (CG-68)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Vella Gulf (CG-72)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Port Royal (CG-73)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Whidbey Island (LSD-41)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Providence (SSN-719)—Recycle

Oklahoma City (SSN-723)—Recycle

Apache (T-ATF-172)—Disposal

2023

Bunker Hill (CG-52)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Mobile Bay (CG-53)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Germantown (LSD-42)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Gunston Hall (LSD-44)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Ashland (LSD-48)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Carter Hall (LSD-50)—Out of Commission in Reserve

John Lenthall (T-AO-189)—Disposal

Walter S. Diehl (T-AO-193)—Disposal

Grasp (T-ARS-51)—Disposal

Catawba (T-ATF-168)—Disposal

2024

Antietam (CG-54)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Shiloh (CG-67)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Rushmore (LSD-47)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Harpers Ferry (LSD-49)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Pearl Harbor (LSD-52)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Sentry (MCM-3)—Disposal

Devastator (MCM-6)—Disposal

Gladiator (MCM-11)—Disposal

Dextrous (MCM-13)—Disposal

Chicago (SSN-721)—Recycle

Key West (SSN-722)—Recycle

San Juan (SSN-751)—Recycle

Topeka (SSN-754)—Recycle

Salvor (T-ARS-52)—Disposal

2025

Nimitz (CVN-68)—Recycle

Oak Hill (LSD-51)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Helena (SSN-725)—Recycle

Pasadena (SSN-752)—Recycle

Joshua Humphreys (T-AO-188)—Disposal

2026 Chancellorsville (CG-62)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Comstock (LSD-45)—Out of Commission in Reserve

Ohio (SSGN-726)—Recycle

Florida (SSGN-728)—Recycle

Newport News (SSN-750)—Recycle

Scranton (SSN-756)—Recycle

Alexandria (SSN-757)—Recycle

Victorious (T-AGOS-19)—Disposal

Pecos (T-AO-197)—Disposal

Source:  Table A4-1 of Appendix 4 of the 9 December 2020 Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels.

Out of Commission in Reserve ships will be retained on the Naval Vessel Register as reactivation candidates.

Nuclear-Powered Ship and Submarine Dismantling is done at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. Prior to commencing the inactivation availability, the submarine or ship is placed in a “stand-down” status (“active, in reserve”). This availability consists of defueling the nuclear reactor(s), de-energizing and draining ships’ systems, and removing any equipment needed for reuse in the fleet. Inactivation usually is performed at Puget Sound but can be done at any nuclear-capable shipyard. Hull recycling includes removing all remaining equipment, cutting the hull into manageable pieces, removing and disposing of hazardous materials, and declassifying and demilitarizing material/equipment to be scrapped. The HY-80 steel and other scrap metals are sold to commercial metals purchasers. The reactor compartments are “packaged” and shipped to the Department of Energy Nuclear Establishment at Hanford, Washington.

Jim Dolbow

Jim Dolbow is a senior acquisitions editor for professional development books at the U.S. Naval Institute and is a Fleet Professor of Theater Security Decision Making with the Naval War College. He earned his commission in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve on July 31, 2002.

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