USS Portsmouth decomissioned in Navy Base ceremony

Mike Gooding, WVEC-TV, September 10, 2004

            She's protected America for more than two decades, but USS Portsmouth has completed her final mission.

            The fast attack submarine was deactivated at a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk Friday.

            Portsmouth was commissioned Oct. 1, 1983, in Portsmouth, N.H., one of its two namesake cities. The other namesake is Portsmouth, Va. As a Los Angeles-class submarine, the boat is capable of serving the fleet for at least another 10 years. According to Portsmouth Commanding Officer Cmdr. Kevin R. Brenton, Navy officials have decided to divert the funds the boat would need to stay in service to newer submarines.

            “A budget decision had to be made about the boat. It is more than 20 years old, and we’re reaching the end of the reactor core life,” Brenton explained. "We either had to refill or decommission.”

            If Portsmouth remained in the fleet, it also would have needed extensive structural testing in a dry dock setting, an expensive but necessary

              One of Portsmouth’s original crew members, or “plank owners,” said today that the ceremony brought back some fond memories. “When we got her down into the water and then we went down and out to sea for the first time, it was just excellent,” said Darren Baker. “It was really good times. Mostly for me, I want to take a last tour on board because it’s been 18 years, and I’m actually writing a book about this boat,” said Baker.

            “It is an extremely proud crew and ship. Portsmouth has maintained a great reputation for many, many years,” said Brenton.

            Portsmouth returned to San Diego from a six-month Western Pacific deployment in February. Portsmouth also traveled to the Gulf of Alaska in June to protect the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) during Northern Edge, an annual air exercise.

            “Our last deployment was this lady’s last dance, and it was a great one,” said Portsmouth Chief of the Boat, Master Chief Electronics Technician Daniel P. Adley.

            According to Adley, the crew of a submarine is often more cohesive than that of a surface ship because of the close quarters submariners live in. Among the tight-knit submarine crews Adley has worked with during his 23 years in the service, he said Portsmouth is one of the best.

            “This boat probably has the best chemistry of warriors I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “It’s been a blessing. We’re all having fun and that makes it much easier to put everything we’ve got into our jobs.”

            Although some Portsmouth Sailors will stay with their boat until the very end, others will start transitioning to new commands as early as October. Brenton said culinary specialists, sonar technicians, and other crew members with specialties not directly related to maintaining the boat’s structure will be the first to leave. Nuclear technicians will be among the last.

            Brenton said he considers the Sailors in his crew among the best and brightest young people in the United States today.

            “Without the 160-or-so Sailors I have on board, this boat is just a hunk of metal, wires and hydraulic fluid,” Brenton said. “They work with a sense of pride and professionalism that keeps me in awe every day. Even though Portsmouth is going away, the Sailors will remain and bring that pride and professionalism to every ship they serve on in the future.”