USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720)

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USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) is a Template:Sclass and is the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

History

The contract to build Pittsburgh was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut on 16 April 1979, and her keel was laid down on 15 April 1983. She was launched on 8 December 1984 and commissioned on 23 November 1985.

On 2 April 1991 Pittsburgh and Template:USS conducted submarine-launched Tomahawk missile attacks against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.<ref>"Gulf War: April 1991." US Navy.</ref>

Pittsburgh departed in October 2002 for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. There, she again fired Tomahawk missiles into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She returned on 27 April 2003.

On 25 February 2019, Pittsburgh returned to her homeport at Naval Submarine Base New London after completion of her final deployment.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The submarine then arrived at Bremerton, Washington on 28 May 2019, for a months-long inactivation and decommissioning process.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:USSPittsburghBallastBlow.jpg

USS Pittsburgh demonstrates an emergency main ballast tank blow in 1991.

Pittsburgh was officially deactivated on 17 January 2020 at the Undersea Warfare Museum in Keyport, Washington, and awaited the Submarine Recycling Program at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. She was later decommissioned on 15 April 2020 and the crew released, 37 years to the day of her keel was laid down.

Of interesting note, Pittsburgh's final Commanding Officer, was (at the time: Commander) Jason Deichler a native of Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh suburbs, and brought the "Yinzer" spirit to the SSN-720, as he said, "I wear Pittsburgh on my sleeve." <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

References

Template:Reflist This article includes information collected from the public domain sources Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships and Naval Vessel Register.

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