US Navy retires another Tico cruiser after three decades of service

The crew of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) held a decommissioning ceremony onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on 16 September.

Monterey was built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and commissioned in Mayport, Florida, on June 16, 1990. Monterey’s namesake commemorates the battle fought in the war with Mexico.

The vessel conducted 14 deployments and was modified over its life to continue to be a relevant ship in the US Navy’s fleet.

Three previous Navy ships have been named Monterey: a screw tug, which served in San Francisco Bay from 1863 to 1892; Monitor No. 6, which was commissioned in 1893, serving in the Spanish-American War; and the WWII aircraft carrier, which won 11 battle stars.

Over its 32 years of service, the cruiser has been an important part of America’s national defense strategy.

The ship is the second cruiser out of five slated for decommissioning this year. Last month, the navy decommissioned USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), also a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, after 29 years of service.