Antietam, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, is scheduled to decommission in a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Sept. 27, completing 37 years of service.

HRMC, along with contractor Pacific Shipyards International, performed the 96-day inactivation availability which consisted of a series of system deactivations to include the ship’s refrigeration, sewage collection, and fire-fighting systems. The team also removed all combustible liquids and blanked off valves that connect to the sea to make the ship watertight while it lies at anchor at the Inactive Ships Maintenance Office in Pearl Harbor, where Antietam will be in a Logistic Support Asset status. At this location, the ship will undergo periodic maintenance and inspections that allow for its long-term storage.

"Under the leadership of Project Manager Dan King, the team demonstrated Surface Team Hawaii’s excellence in maintenance - absolutely amazing,” said Capt. Brian Ryglowski, HRMC deputy commander. “Collectively, his team successfully completed highly specialized maintenance tasks despite pier infrastructure constraints and a high workload on the waterfront. On behalf of the Navy, I want to thank Dan and everyone who contributed for their dedication in executing our mission as USS Antietam has reached the end of its service life for the nation."

PHNSY & IMF is a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command and a one-stop regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines. It is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawaii, with a combined civilian and military workforce of approximately 6,500. It is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East, strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, being about a week’s steaming time closer to potential regional contingencies in East Asia.

For more news from PHNSY & IMF, visit www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Shipyards/PHNS-IMF/ and www.dvidshub.net/unit/PHNSY-IMF.