Free Republic

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, Lt. Gov. James Aiona, and Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Gary Roughead joined past and current crew members of USS Honolulu (SSN 718) to bid farewell to the nuclear-powered attack submarine at a ceremony April 15, at Naval Station Pearl Harbor. Keynote speaker, U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert, who commanded Honolulu from 1991 to 1993, said the submarine performed exceptionally well throughout its career. “She was consistently the most reliable ship in the squadron, whatever squadron she was in," he said. "Her complex systems always worked well…even the anchor...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Honolulu's namesake ship is preparing to say farewell to its island home after two decades of service. USS Honolulu (SSN 718), which is scheduled to inactivate next year, will hold a farewell ceremony April 15 prior to departing Hawaii on her final deployment to the Western Pacific. "This is an exciting and challenging time for us," said Cmdr. John Russ, the nuclear-powered attack submarine's commanding officer. "We're preparing to leave our homeport for the last time, and at the same time we're going through the normal challenges associated with getting the ship ready to deploy."...