FORMER SKIPPER EXTENDS ALOHA TO USS HONOLULU
U.S. NAVY PHOTO VIA AP
Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, spoke during an "Aloha Ceremony" at Pearl Harbor yesterday in honor of the USS Honolulu. The Pearl Harbor-based nuclear-powered attack submarine will be deactivated after it finishes its last deployment scheduled for next month. Greenert commanded the submarine in the early 1990s.
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USS Honolulu says aloha at Navy ceremony
The Pearl Harbor submarine will be decommissioned next month
Associated Press
The USS Honolulu said aloha to its namesake city at a ceremony today before it leaves on its final deployment next month.
The Pearl Harbor-based nuclear-powered attack submarine will be taken out of active service when it finishes its next mission, a trip to the Western Pacific.
Vice Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert praised the Honolulu's record of service since it was commissioned in 1985, including the distinction of receiving multiple awards for being the best submarine in its squadron.
"It's a legend and an institution," said Greenert, who commanded the ship in the early 1990s. "Great individuals didn't just muster aboard here and make Honolulu extraordinary. On the contrary, it was Honolulu that formed and transformed ordinary individuals into great crews."
Brother Franklin Pao delivered a Hawaiian blessing standing on the black bow of the Honolulu as it sat next to a Pearl Harbor pier.
Young girls from Halau Hula Olana danced to the Hawaiian and English lyrics of "Aloha Oe" with the line "until we meet again."
Greenert, who is now commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet headquartered in Yokosuka, said guardian angels protected the ship.
"When brother Franklin Pao gives the blessing, I'm telling you it works. These angels speak to you," said Greenert.
He recalled how he avoided running aground and dodged collisions when he captained the ship due to the help of these guardian angels who he said told him to turn at the right moments.
U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye told the crowd of several hundred sailors, their families, and dignitaries that submarines have played a key role in defending the United States from World War II to the Cold War.
"Today they continue to operate — this time they are putting SEALs ashore, collecting intelligence, and take care of our strike forces," Inouye said.
The senator said the Pentagon's recent decision to base an additional submarine at Pearl Harbor underscored the importance of submarines and of the Navy's premier base in Hawaii to the nation's defense.
The Honolulu has some features of its namesake.
The sailors keep decorative surfboards on board that each crew member signs. The program for today's "Aloha Ceremony" featured a blue and white print with hibiscus and plumeria flowers.
The submarine is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after Honolulu. The first was a steam freighter, built in 1905, that operated with a Navy crew in World War I. The second was a light cruiser commissioned in 1938 that saw action in Guadacanal, the Carolines, and elsewhere in the Pacific.
Pearl Harbor won't be without a ship with a local name for long.
The Navy plans to base the USS Hawaii, from its newest class of submarines, at Pearl Harbor.
Gov. Linda Lingle attended the keel-laying ceremony for the USS Hawaii in 2004.