USS Antietam (CG-54)

USS "Antietam" (CG-54) is a guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy. "Antietam" was named for the site of the 1862 Battle of Antietam, Maryland, between Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee and Union forces under Major General George McClellan, during the American Civil War. "Antietam" earned the 2007 and 2008 Battle Efficiency awards, also known as the Battle E award, for the "John C. Stennis" Strike Group. "Antietam" was out of operation for a while after running aground while trying to anchor in Tokyo Bay in January 2017.
Construction.
"Antietam" was laid down by the Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 15 November 1984, launched on 14 February 1986, and commissioned on 6 June 1987 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Public Relations.
From 1988 to 1991, the ship was assigned to Naval Surface Group, Long Beach, which was part of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific, and available for tours.
The ship was featured in "Visiting... with Huell Howser" Episode 327, filmed in 1995.
Capability.
The ship is armed with guided missiles and rapid-fire guns. She also carries two Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS helicopters, capable of multiple missions, but primarily equipped for antisubmarine warfare (ASW).
Ship history.
In March 2003, "Antietam" was assigned to Carrier Group Three.
"Antietam" operated out of her home port of San Diego, California. In 2009, she completed a six-month deployment, leaving San Diego in January 2009, and returning home in July 2009. Stops along the way included Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Guam, and Hawaii.
From January to August 2007, "Antietam" deployed to the Persian Gulf. During that seven-month deployment, she visited Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Pearl Harbor before returning to home port.
From February to August 2005, "Antietam" completed a circumnavigation of the Earth, leaving San Diego to the west and returning home by way of the east. During the deployment, she had an extended stay in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On the return to home port, she disembarked nearly a third of her active personnel in Florida to make room for family and friends of the remaining crew, who embarked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to take part in a friends and family "tiger cruise" back to San Diego.
In February 2013, "Antietam" relieved in a "hull-swap" at Yokosuka, Japan, in which the two crews swapped ships. "Cowpens", previously deployed to Yokosuka, was then homeported at Naval Base San Diego, California, while "Antietam" took up her new homeport at Yokosuka.
On 31 January 2017, "Antietam" ran aground in Tokyo Bay near her home port of Yokosuka, Japan. "Antietam" was anchored off the coast in 30-knot winds and a strong tide when the crew noticed the ship was dragging her anchor. They got the ship underway, but shortly after doing so, they felt the ship shudder as she lost all pitch control in both propellers. They had run aground on a shoal with damage to both propellers and one of the propeller hubs, causing of hydraulic oil to leak into the water. No personnel were injured during the incident. Repairs were expected to cost at least $4.2 million.
On 22 October 2018, she transited the Taiwan Strait along with . On 24–25 July 2019, she again transited the Taiwan Strait. On 19–20 September 2019 she transited the Taiwan Strait a third time.
In December 2020 the U.S. Navy's Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels stated that the ship was planned to be placed Out of Commission in Reserve in 2024.