Decommissioning

James Treadway

Leahy and Belknap Class cruisers, as well as most nuclear powered cruisers, had already reached, or were rapidly approaching, their 30-year service lives coincident with the diminished Soviet threat in the early 1990’s. Biddle had received the New Threat Upgrade during her fourth major overhaul in 1986 and 1987, but her Mk 10 missile launcher and manual finning of missiles prior to launch was not fast enough to respond to the newest threat – saturation attacks from pop-up, low altitude cruise missiles. Biddle’s tired and ancient steam power plant was maintenance and manning intensive and the population of Ticonderoga cruisers would soon reach sufficient numbers, 27, to protect all 11 carrier groups. All of these factors contributed to the obvious recourse – Cold War Cruisers were considered excess capacity and Leahy and Belknap cruisers were scheduled for decommissioning from 1993 to 1995.

The Navy’s nuclear cruisers were not spared. Long Beach, worn out at 33, was decommissioned in 1994. Truxtun and Bainbridge were due for nuclear refueling and were decommissioned in September 1995 and September 1996, respectively. The relatively new Virginia Class, with rapid-fire Mk 26 launchers and large crews of 578 officers and enlisted but lacking NTU and helicopter landing space, were also coming due for nuclear refueling. The Virginia Class CGNs were eliminated between July 1993 and July 1998. Finally, the California Class CGNs, California and South Carolina, also burdened with large crews and high operating costs, were decommissioned by July 1999. In the six year period from 1993 to 1999, twenty seven Cold War cruisers were eliminated. Today, 27 Ticonderoga cruisers (CG 47 – 73) are on line. Ticonderoga herself is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2004.

At decommissioning, Biddle’s characteristics – her weapons, radars, and combat system – had changed considerably since her early days. Her air and surface search radars had been significantly upgraded to new models, while her missile and fire control radars were upgraded to guide the new Standard missile to their target. The old Naval Tactical Data System had been upgraded to the Advanced Combat Direction System (ACDS) making her more powerful and compatible with the AEGIS Combat System installed on newer ships. As a result of the constant changes, the old girl’s displacement had swollen from 7,930 to 8,800 tons, an increase of almost 900 tons. Her power plant accommodated the increased displacement and Biddle could easily serve many more years. Biddle was going out in style just as she came in – a powerful combatant, always ready for the next assignment.

The United States Navy, always looking forward, decommissioned Biddle on 30 November 1993 at D and S Piers, Norfolk, Virginia. The weather, which Captain Scott described as “Cold, windy, clear, sunny, and beautiful,” was similar to the weather on her commissioning. Recalling the decommissioning events, Biddle’s ninth commanding officer, Captain Hollis Robertson, wrote, “I vividly recall rounding the turn at the pier and my first glimpse of the ship revealed that the crew had cleverly ‘grayed out’ the hull numbers. It was like seeing them though a fog. I don’t mind telling you it brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat! What a class act they were. I was so impressed with the squared away appearance of the ship I wrote as personal letter to Captain Gionet telling him how proud we all were, and what a great job of saying goodbye he had done. She went out like she came in; the competent and proud Hard Charger!”

Captain Albert Henry, Biddle’s seventh commanding officer, told me “The decommissioning of Biddle was both a sad and a happy occasion for me. I was sad to see her sitting alongside the pier so lifeless – all the doors and hatches were already secured. It was a cold, windy day in November with tents on the pier for the reception after the decommissioning. It was so cold that I remember not lingering long at the reception. The happy part of the day was seeing old shipmates and swapping sea stories about our good memories sailing in Biddle. I was also very happy to get to meet all the former COs of Biddle.”
When the ceremonies began, all 13 living Biddle commanding officers, many commissioning plankowners, the decommissioning crew, and numerous other crewmembers were present and accounted for. In spirit, all of the officers and all the men who served in Biddle were there, at attention, saluting one of the Navy’s finest. Proud Biddle, now with a cold power plant, no rotating radars, and no missiles on the launcher, took a deep breath and tenaciously held her last crew to her bosom. Below the bridge wings, she proudly displayed her medals and achievements for all to see – three Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Navy Unit Commendations, a Navy Expeditionary Medal, and an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Many in the decommissioning crew who were manning the rails must have sensed the solemnity of the moment, just as we did 27 years earlier on the bitterly cold morning of her commissioning. No doubt many of Biddle’s past commanding officers, now seated in the audience in order of their commands, were reflecting over their commands, nodding in acknowledgement that “Yes, Biddle was my finest command.”

The schedule of events included the standard items – a band played a medley of familiar Navy tunes, an invocation, speeches, and securing the watch. Prior to the ceremony, Captain Scott had thoughtfully made arrangements to raise the commissioning ensign, pennant, and jack, so that they would be the first and last to fly over Biddle. After the final watch had secured and the decommissioning ensign, pennant, and jack along with the Admiral’s flag had been lowered, the officers, and men manning the rails silently filed down the gangplank for the last time. Captain Larry Gionet was the last to leave the ship. As Captain Gionet stepped on the pier, Captain Scott, in an unscripted moment, met Captain Gionet to unite Biddle’s past and present with a salute, a handshake, and a “Well done!”

Soon, under cover of the pierside tent, the decommissioning cake was cut and enjoyed, and sailors did what sailors have done for centuries – recounted experiences while underway on the other side of the world, or at one of a hundred exotic foreign ports, or pierside at D and S piers. Backs were slapped, handshakes were strong and sincere. Knowing smiles and glances were exchanged while tears of silent respect were also evident. Biddle’s bookends, her first and last commanding officers, met and compared notes. A few yards from the festivities, a proud ship that did her job as well as it could be done, stood fast to the pier, her name and exploits now history.

Captain Scott departed the ceremonies to attend to personal business, intending to return later for a few last goodbyes. Upon return, he found that all had left except for workmen who were dismantling the tent. Biddle had already been nudged from the pier into the channel and was being towed away to be stripped of her equipment and await her fate. Standing alone and at attention, Captain Scott watched as Biddle slowly disappeared. With one, last silent salute, Biddle faded from sight, but not from the hearts of Captain Scott and the thousands of Hard Chargers who served in the United States Navy’s finest, USS Biddle!