USS Milwaukee decommissioned, combat ship active since 2015
MILWAUKEE - The U.S. Navy is sinking plans to keep some of its newest combat ships on the high seas – including the USS Milwaukee, which was officially pulled from the fleet Friday.
Thousands of people gathered for the ship's commissioning ceremony in 2015. But eight years and roughly $750 million later, it will no longer be in service.
"Anybody who was there on Nov. 21, 2015 will never forget that day," said Dirk Bebbink, retired vice admiral and chairman of the USS Milwaukee Commissioning Committee.
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That was day the USS Milwaukee littoral combat ship was commissioned at Veterans Park.
"The Navy wanted to make sure that Milwaukee knew that this was their ship," Debbink said. "It was hard to say goodbye to her today."
The USS Milwaukee, the only naval ship to date to be commissioned in her namesake city, in the state she was built, sits docked at Veterans Park in Milwaukee on Nov. 20, 2015. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
The USS Milwaukee is the ninth ship of its make to be pulled from active service. Debbink said it wasn't just the ships' mechanical troubles that played a role.
"They were designed to do a mission that we thought was important, well it was important, at the time," he said. "Partnering with these smaller Navys, with what we hoped was going to be a peaceful world."
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Debbink said the ships were designed to operate in shallow waters. As the world changed, so did the Navy's focus.
"Today is on the rise of the Chinese military and navy in particular," he said. "Calling for what we call more of a ‘Blue Water Navy, a ’Deep Water Navy,' one that has more sophisticated weapon systems than these ships were designed to carry."
The USS Milwaukee, the only naval ship to date to be commissioned in her namesake city, in the state she was built, sits docked at Veterans Park in Milwaukee on Nov. 20, 2015. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
The ships cost an average of $500 million dollars, but the Navy said the upgrades they would need for combat readiness would cost nearly $2.5 billon.
Some of USS Milwaukee decommissioned; combat ship active since Nov. 2015’s major accomplishments include:
- With Coast Guard law enforcement crew on board, seized an estimated $30 million in suspected cocaine, and helped to prevent 954kgs of cocaine from entering the US.
- Supported USNS Comfort’s mission of providing care to Haiti’s citizens as part of Operation Continuing Promise.
- Became the first ship to conduct dual flight operations with anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopters, also recording the longest Fire Scout unmanned helicopter flight from a surface vessel.
- Stopped over $66 million in contraband from reaching the shores of the US and its Caribbean partners.
The USS Milwaukee will spend her retirement in Philadelphia, where an inactive ship maintenance facility is housed.
"She’ll be forever remembered in the waves of our memory," said Debbink.
The USS Milwaukee was designed by Lockheed Martin and constructed by Marinette Marine Corporation (Fincanteri) in Marinette.