USS Vicksburg (CG-69)

USS ''Vicksburg'' (CG-69) is a guided missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the Siege of Vicksburg fought during the American Civil War.

''Vicksburg'' was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi and commissioned on 14 November 1992.

With her guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, ''Vicksburg'' is capable of facing threats in the air, on the sea, ashore, and underneath the sea. She is also capable of carrying two SH-60 Sea Hawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS III) helicopters.

''Vicksburg'' was originally named ''Port Royal'', but the name was changed before the keel was laid. She was the only ''Ticonderoga''-class vessel to have a formal name change until . was later named ''Port Royal''.

The previous was a light cruiser during and after World War II. ''Vicksburg''s crest has two stars on the streamer in the eagle's beak representing the two battle stars awarded to her predecessor.

History

1990s

''Vicksburg'' was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her keel was laid down on 30 May 1990, and she was launched on 7 September 1991. ''Vicksburg'' was sponsored by Tricia Lott, wife of United States Senator, Trent Lott. On 12 October 1991, Mrs. Lott christened CG-69 as ''Vicksburg''. She was commissioned on 14 November 1992.

On her maiden cruise in 1994, ''Vicksburg'' was assigned to the battle group, which was stationed off the coast of Montenegro. ''Vicksburg'' participated in Operation Deny Flight and Operation Provide Promise, serving as an airspace command and control platform. In May 1994, ''Vicksburg'' participated in NATO's "Dynamic Impact 94" exercise in the western Mediterranean, and in August 1994 ''Vicksburg'' joined Operation Able Vigil, helping to intercept Cuban migrants crossing the Florida Straits.

''Vicksburg'' returned from a 6 month deployment in March 1996. During the deployment, ''Vicksburg'' participated in Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf. ''Vicksburg'' also performed Maritime Interception Operations to enforce UN sanctions that prohibited exports from Iraq. ''Vicksburg'' conducted over 85 boardings. At that time, the primary contraband was dates carried by dhows. ''Vicksburg'' visited Italy, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates during the deployment.

In 1997, ''Vicksburg'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with the carrier battle group (CVBG).

In 1998, ''Vicksburg'' and had problems integrating AEGIS Baseline 6 and Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), rendering the ships unavailable for service. The CVBG deployed in September 1999 without ''Vicksburg'' and ''Hué City''.

2000s

In 2001, ''Vicksburg'' and the rest of the CVBG extensively tested the CEC system. Following the September 11 attacks, the battle group supported Operation Noble Eagle.

In February 2002, ''Vicksburg'' deployed with the battlegroup, initially to the Mediterranean Sea. In March 2002, ''Vicksburg'' was part of ''John F. Kennedy'' CVBG as it relieved the CVBG, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On 16 June 2002, off the coast of Oman, ''Vicksburg'' launched an SH-60B from HSL-42, Det 7, to assist ''Stolt Spray''. The tanker was standing by to assist the foundering motor vessel ''al Murthada'', but monsoon conditions prevented its assistance. ''Vicksburg’s'' helicopter transferred ''al Murthada’s'' distressed mariners, who had been adrift for eight days, to ''Stolt Spray'' for further transportation.

In March 2003, she was assigned to Naval Surface Group Two.

In December 2004, ''Vicksburg'' and the battlegroup returned from a six month deployment to the Middle East.

''Vicksburg'' departed on a surge deployment to the middle east on 26 January 2006. In February, ''Vicksburg'' became the first US Navy ship to refuel from a new Defense Fuel Supply Point in Djibouti. ''Vicksburg'' returned in June 2006.

On 16 February 2007, ''Vicksburg'' was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award. She was part of Carrier Strike Group Twelve, which was led until December 2012 by .

25 January 2008, ''Vicksburg'' returned to Mayport following a 6 month deployment to the Persian Gulf.

In February 2009, deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of the Strike Group.

2010s

''Vicksburg'' deployed with the CVBG in March 2012 on the carrier's final deployment. ''Vicksburg'' visited Piraeus, Greece in late March 2012. ''Vicksburg'' conducted operations with FS ''Cassard'' (D 614) April 16-24, 2012. ''Vicksburg'' visited Bahrain at the end of May and again in August. ''Vicksburg'' visited Lisbon, Portugal on October 17, 2012. ''Vicksburg'' returned to Mayport in November 2012.

The US Navy was planning to retire ''Vicksburg'' along with eight other Ticonderoga class cruisers in fiscal year 2013 in line with US Defense Department budget reductions. The ship was scheduled to be decommissioned on 31 March 2013.
Language inserted into the FY13 House of Representatives Defense Bill retained ''Vicksburg'' and two other of her sister ships that were slated for decommissioning. Retaining the ships in the active fleet was not supported by the United States Secretary of Defense, but the outcome was determined by the final FY13 Defense Bill negotiated with the United States Senate. ''Vicksburg'' and two other ''Ticonderoga''-class cruisers were retained under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.

In 2014, the cruiser participated in Joint Warrior 14-2, a United Kingdom-led multinational exercise in British coastal waters. The training was designed to provide allied forces a multiwarfare environment to prepare for global operations. On 4 December 2014, ''Vicksburg'' departed Naval Station Mayport to relieve as the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) flagship and to support theater security cooperation efforts in Europe. ''Vicksburg'' relieved ''Leyte Gulf'' as SNMG2 Flagship in Naples on 20 December 2014. ''Vicksburg'' and SNMG2 deployed to the Black Sea 4 March 2015. ''Vicksburg'' and SNMG2 visited Varna, Bulgaria 7-8 March and Constanta, Romania around 16 March 2015. ''Vicksburg'' and SNMG2 left the Black sea around 20 March. In April, ''Vicksburg'' and SNMG2 visited Faslane, Scotland along with Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Groups One and Two for Joint Warrior 15-1. In May, ''Vicksburg'' and SNMG2 participated in the anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose. The ship returned to Mayport on 11 July 2015.

On 1 July 2016, ''Vicksburg'' was transferred from Carrier Strike Group Twelve to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and entered the Navy's Cruiser Modernization program. The ship's homeport was changed to Norfolk and the crew was reduced from 350 to less than 50.

2020s

In January 2020, ''Vicksburg'' was sent to BAE Systems for an $175 million, 18-month Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). In May 2022, ''Vicksburg'' was reported to be 85% completed with its modernization and was expected to be complete by summer 2023. According to Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), "Since 2020, the Navy has awarded nearly $500 million in contracts to upgrade the cruiser."

The Navy requested to decommission ''Vicksburg'' in its FY23 and FY24 budgets. Navy Undersecretary Erik Raven stated that this was due to the ship's "material condition, life remaining, cost, ... time to upgrade ... and the warfighting value."

Awards

In popular culture

* ''Vicksburg'' is featured prominently in the 2012 naval thriller, ''Fire of the Raging Dragon'', by Don Brown.

See also

* Aegis Combat System

Notes

External links

Official website

Official website early 2000s



at ''NavySite''


(CEC)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vicksburg (Cg-69)
Ticonderoga-class cruisers
Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi
1991 ships
Cruisers of the United States