USS Vicksburg Decommissions

03 July 2024

Naval Station Norfolk --

240628-N-TO573-1230 NORFOLK, Va. (June 28, 2024) Sailors man the rails during the decommissioning ceremony of the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69), June 28, 2024. The decommissioning ceremony commemorated the history of the ship. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charles Blaine)

The crew of the guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) held a decommissioning ceremony on June 28, 2024.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate the ship's distinguished history of Naval service. Vicksburg’s former Commanding Officer Capt. Chip Swicker, USN (Ret.), spoke of the powerful bond between Sailors and their ships and the lives shaped aboard. His words resonated with the audience as they bade farewell to the cruiser.

“These Sailors brought Vicksburg to life for 32 years under 17 commanding officers,” said Swicker. “This ship was their schoolhouse, their training field, their home and their powerful weapon as they stood fast between good people and bad things night and day, in good weather and bad, close to home and far over the horizon for more than three decades."

Swicker added, “A ship is only as strong as her crew and Vicksburg has been an exceptionally lucky ship, the training ground for generations of exceptional Sailors led by commanding officers dedicated to the relentless pursuit of combat readiness.”

Vicksburg’s current Commanding Officer Cmdr. Christopher M. Stolle shared his admiration for the crew, both current and former, for their hard work, dedication and setting the standard over the years.

“To all former shipmates, you have been trailblazers in sensor integration, tactical development, the bolstering of regional partners, and prepping the battlefield to ensure that America’s Navy has a home field advantage anywhere in the world,” said Stolle. "Today we decommission Vicksburg, but the legacy of her crews will live on indefinitely. I am humbled to be a part of the final chapter and to join the prestigious ranks of Vicksburg Alumni.”

The ship was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and commissioned during a ceremony held there November 14, 1992. The ship was named in commemoration of both the land Battle of Vicksburg fought during the American Civil War and the city of Vicksburg, Miss.

Inactivation is a normal part of a warship’s lifecycle. After decommissioning, the ship is slated to be towed to the Navy’s Inactive Ship’s facility in Philadelphia, Pa., where it will be in a Logistical Support Asset status.

Over its 32 years of service, the cruiser has been an important part of America's national defense strategy.

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