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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books About the Ship's Coat of Arms Accidents aboard USS San Jacinto In the News USS San Jacinto History About the Name "San Jacinto" Patch Gallery Image Gallery to end of page |  |
USS SAN JACINTO was the tenth ship in the TICONDEROGA - class of guided missile cruisers and the third ship in the Navy to bear the name of the historic battle. The ship held a decommissioning ceremony at her homeport of Norfolk, Va., on September 15, 2023.
| General Characteristics: | Keel Laid: July 24, 1985 |
| Launched: November 14, 1986 | |
| Commissioned: January 23, 1988 | |
| Decommissioned: September 29, 2023 | |
| Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss. | |
| Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines | |
| Propellers: two | |
| Blades on each Propeller: five | |
| Length: 567 feet (173 meters) | |
| Beam: 55 feet (16.8 meters) | |
| Draft: 34 feet (10.2 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 9,600 tons full load | |
| Speed: 30+ knots | |
| Cost: about $1 billion | |
| Aircraft: two | |
| Armament: | |
| Crew: 33 Officers, 27 Chief Petty Officers and approx. 340 Enlisted |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS SAN JACINTO. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS SAN JACINTO Cruise Books:
back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Ship's Coat of Arms:
The shield's wavy pale represents the San Jacinto River and also alludes to the wake of a ship. The representation of the Texas flag on the shield symbolizes the independence won by the Texans in defeating a Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. The eagle, a national symbol of both Mexico and the United States, reflects Texas history and victory at San Jacinto. The armed eagle symbolizes the combat readiness of the ship as a part of a strong national defense. Dark blue, the primary color of the shield, and gold, the predominant color of the main charge, are traditionally associated with the Navy.
The crest's propeller alludes to the first USS SAN JACINTO, which was one of the United States Navy's first screw-type warships. The wings suggest the second USS SAN JACINTO (CVL 30), a light aircraft carrier. The stars on the sword denote the five battle honors awarded to the second USS SAN JACINTO for World War II service. The sword connects the present USS SAN JACINTO, with its state-of-the-art technology, to previous ships of that name.
The motto's words, "Victory is Certain", is a quote from General Sam Houston's speech as he spoke to his outnumbered men before the Battle of San Jacinto.
back to top go to the end of the pageAccidents aboard USS SAN JACINTO:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2012 | off Jacksonville, Fla. | While rising to periscope depth, the USS MONTPELIER (SSN 765) collides with the USS SAN JACINTO while both vessels are conducting exercises off the coast of Florida. The collision occurred at approx. 3.30pm local time and appearently caused damage to SAN JACINTO's sonar dome, however, MONTPELIER's nuclear propulsion system was not damaged. |
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS SAN JACINTO in the News:
back to top go to the end of the pageHistory of USS SAN JACINTO:
USS SAN JACINTO s construction began on 5 October 1984, and her keel was laid on 24 July 1985. She was launched on 14 November 1986, and christened 24 January 1987 by her sponsor Dr. Wendy Lee Gramm, wife of Senator Phil Gramm of Texas. SAN JACINTO was commissioned on 23 January 1988 by the Vice President George Bush in Houston, Texas.
In the seven years since her commissioning, SAN JACINTO has won all major awards. These include the Battenburg Cup, recognizing her as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet, and three Battle Efficiency Awards for the best
SAN JACINTO has distinguished herself by a 1989 Mediterranean deployment, where she provided the strike warfare capability supporting the first Mediterranean aircraft carrier gap in recent history. In August 1990, SAN JACINTO deployed with only five day's notice for OPERATION DESERT SHIELD, where she served as Red Sea Battle Force Anti- Air Warfare Commander and launched the first
SAN JACINTO deployed to the Mediterranean and Red Sea in 1994 as part of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) Battle Group. During her 69 days in the Adriatic Sea, she enforced the "No-Fly Zone" over Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the U.N. sanctioned arms embargo. When Saddam Hussein sent his forces once again towards Kuwait in October, SAN JACINTO responded rapidly, taking
In 1996, SAN JACINTO again deployed to the Mediterranean and Red Seas as part of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Battle Group. While there, she participated in joint operations with the Russian Navy, and distinguished herself during rescue operations of the merchant ship SAUDI HOFFUF. She ended the deployment with her first extended shipyard overhaul period.
In 1998, SAN JACINTO deployed with the USS JOHN C. STENNIS to the Arabian Gulf. Following a 16-day transit, SAN JACINTO served as the Air Warfare Commander for the USS JOHN C. STENNIS Battle Group and Regional Air Warfare Commander for the Arabian Gulf. Additional taskings included as part of Operation Southern Watch and Maritime Interdiction Operations in support of UN Resolutions and sanctions against Iraq, defense of the JOHN C. STENNIS as "Shotgun Cruiser", and a rescue at sea of a Turkish merchant vessel.
Upon its return home, and with the JOHN C. STENNIS move to the West Coast, USS SAN JACINTO was reassigned to the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN Battle Group. In its available inter-deployment time, USS SAN JACINTO went to New York City for Fleet Week 99.
USS SAN JACINTO deployed in late November 2000, for six months to the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. Prior to that deployment, the cruiser took part in Joint Task Force exercise 01-1 and NATO exercise Unified Spirit 2000. As the Air Warfare Commander and only AEGIS cruiser in the HARRY S. TRUMAN Battle Group, SAN JACINTO used its SPY-1 Radar and command and control communications suite to help maintain regional stability through the enforcement of the Iraqi Southern No-Fly zone and the conduct of Maritime Interception Operations in the Northern Arabian Gulf. It returned to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in late May 2001.
In December 2002, SAN JACINTO deployed to the Mediterranean and Red Sea as the Air Defense Commander (ADC) for HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) and later during Operation Iraqi Freedom to include the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) Strike Group. As ADC, SAN JACINTO was responsible for defending the ships of Task Force Sixty against air or missile attack and management of air traffic within an extremely confined area as two aircraft carriers conducted flight operations around the clock. From March 15 to March 28, SAN JACINTO operated in the Red Sea, supporting the Commander, United States Fifth Fleet. It was during her Red Sea Operations that SAN JACINTO fired 29 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles
against targets in Iraq - the most missiles launched by any ship in the Red Sea. The ship's boarding teams conducted a series of inspections designed to ensure that vessels were not involved in the support of Al Quaeda or other terrorist organizations, and to deter other vessels from offering terrorists safe haven or support. The ship returned from the successful deployment May 23, 2003.
Through 2004, SAN JACINTO balanced workups, integrated air-defense training, and short Sixth Fleet evolutions with an East Coast maintenance cadence to prepare for a longer Middle East rotation.
From 1 September 2005, the cruiser deployed with THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) across the Mediterranean and into Fifth Fleet. In the North Arabian Gulf she embarked the commander of Combined Task Force 58, serving as flagship for coalition maritime security around the Iraqi oil terminals and the Khor al-Amaya/Al-Basra approaches. Port calls during this rotation centered on Jebel Ali (UAE) and Manama (Bahrain), bracketed by logistics stops at Eastern Mediterranean hubs. The deployment concluded in early 2006, after which SAN JACINTO returned to the U.S. East Coast for inspections, corrective maintenance, and combat-systems upkeep.
In late 2007, the ship deployed again, operating across the Mediterranean and Black Sea during a period of expanded NATO maritime engagement. The itinerary included standard Sixth Fleet ports and Black Sea access visits under Montreux Convention limits. Into early 2008, the cruiser continued theater security cooperation and air-defense integration with allied units. On 9 January 2008, she made a documented port call at Naples, Italy, then resumed patrols before completing the deployment in mid-2008.
Following training and local operations in 2009, SAN JACINTO departed Norfolk in early 2010 for a Middle East deployment during the height of counter-piracy focus in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. On 26 May 2010, the ship's visit-board-search-and-seizure (VBSS) team freed five Yemeni mariners from 13 suspected Somali pirates southeast of Ras Fartak, Yemen, turning the suspects over to Yemeni authorities. Days later she disrupted another pirate attack while on patrol. That deployment mixed CTF-150/151 tasking with routine Gulf port support at Manama and Jebel Ali before return to homeport.
On 13 October 2012, while participating in a strike group training event off the U.S. Southeast coast, SAN JACINTO collided with USS MONTPELIER (SSN 765). There were no injuries, but the cruiser suffered sonar-dome damage and diverted to port for assessment. An emergent dry-docking followed to repair the dome and related hull/equipment. The unplanned availability extended into 2013, delaying a scheduled deployment.
Repairs complete, SAN JACINTO reentered the deployment cycle with CARRIER STRIKE GROUP TEN in 2013-2014, moving through Sixth Fleet to Fifth Fleet for presence and maritime security during a period of regional volatility. Port calls and evolutions included Split, Croatia (10-14 August 2013), multiple logistics periods at Jebel Ali (UAE) in late 2013, and Hidd/Manama, Bahrain (5 December 2013). On 16-17 November 2013 she assisted two mariners from a disabled fishing vessel in the Red Sea, transferring them subsequently to Yemeni authorities. The ship completed the deployment in the first half of 2014 and returned to training and maintenance in the Western Atlantic.
From 1 June 2016, SAN JACINTO deployed with the DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) carrier strike group to Fifth and Sixth Fleet waters, supporting operations in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Arabian Gulf. Port visits on that cruise included Naples, Italy; Piraeus, Greece; Manama, Bahrain; and Jebel Ali, UAE. The ship moored again at Norfolk on 30 December 2016 after completing air-defense commander assignments, chokepoint transits, and sustained logistics at sea.
In February 2020, the DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER strike group deployed immediately after its final certifying exercise. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, SAN JACINTO and the carrier adopted a no-port-call posture, remaining on station across the Atlantic-Mediterranean-Red Sea arcs and into the broader theater. By 25 June 2020, the carrier and SAN JACINTO had operated 161 consecutive days at sea, setting a modern U.S. Navy record for continuous underway operations by a carrier/cruiser team, and they returned to Virginia on 9 August 2020 after roughly 206 days without liberty ashore.
Through 2021, the ship executed sustainment operations and pre-deployment workups as the Navy balanced strike-group commitments with pandemic restrictions and shipyard throughput. On 14 December 2021, SAN JACINTO sailed with the HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) strike group to the Mediterranean amid elevated European security tensions. The group's tasking emphasized high-tempo allied integration and NATO events through winter and spring 2022, including Neptune Strike '22. During this deployment SAN JACINTO conducted multiple European port visits; one documented stop was Split, Croatia, on 20 July 2022. The cruiser returned to Norfolk on 8 September 2022 after approximately nine months in Sixth Fleet (with periods of Fifth Fleet integration).
In 2023, after three and a half decades in service, SAN JACINTO transitioned toward inactivation. The Navy held a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk on 15 September 2023. The ship was then scheduled for tow to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, for Logistic Support Asset status pending final disposition.
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back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Cruiser's Name, about the Battle of San Jacinto:
The name SAN JACINTO honors the 21 April 1836 battle by the San Jacinto River in Texas, where General Sam Houston and his greatly outnumbered Texas soldiers won independence for the Republic of Texas, decisively defeating General Santa Anna and his Mexican Army. On the morning of 21 April, General Houston slept past reveille - his first real rest in six weeks - and awoke to full daylight. Studying the clear sky, he saw an eagle circling overhead. He spent the day formulating his battle plan and, at three o'clock, formed his troops. It was Mexican siesta time; the confident Santa Anna was sleeping, as were many of his men. They would wake, if at all, to face a western sun behind the Texans. General Houston made an eloquent speech to his troops, closing with inspiring words, "Victory is certain! ... Remember the Alamo!" He had given them their battle cry.
At four o'clock, General Sam Houston, astride a big white horse, raised his sword. A drum and fife began to play as the ragtag army moved out of the mossy oak trees that concealed them. They proceeded up a slight incline toward the resting Mexicans, who did not stir. Then came the noise of battle, the rumble of hooves, as the Texas Cavalry charged, the blast of Houston's two small cannons, his infantry's first shocking volley, shouted battle cries - "Remember the Alamo!" Surprise was complete.
Despite desperate attempts to rally, the Mexicans were overwhelmed, as Texans fell upon them with Bowie knives and rifle butts. In twenty minutes, the battle was over. Santa Anna donned civilian clothes and tried to escape, but was captured. He surrendered to Houston, who lay under a tree, his foot shattered by a rifle ball. The extent of victory was impressive: 630 Mexicans killed, 208 wounded, 730 taken prisoner. The Texas army of 900 warriors lost only nine men.
The Battle of San Jacinto established "The Republic of Texas," that flourished for a decade. The victory eventually added over one million square miles of territory to the United States. From this vast area came the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
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back to top go to the end of the pageUSS SAN JACINTO Patch Gallery:
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back to top go to the end of the pageUSS SAN JACINTO Image Gallery:
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The photo below was taken by Karl-Heinz Ahles and shows USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on May 11, 1999.
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The photos below were taken by me on June 19, 2004, and show the SAN JACINTO in port Kiel, Germany, after her participation in BALTOPS 2004 in the Baltic Sea.
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The photos below were taken by Carl Groll and show the SAN JACINTO entering Kiel on June 18 (the first two pictures); moored at Kiel on the morning of June 21 and departing Kiel later that day.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the USS SAN JACINTO at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Va., on November 9, 2008.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the USS SAN JACINTO dry-docked at the BAE Shipyard, Norfolk, Va., on October 29, 2010.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on May 6, 2012.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on May 8, 2014. She is still wearing the homecoming garland on the bow from her homecoming on April 18. The SAN JACINTO had been deployed for 9 months.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the USS SAN JACINTO drydocked at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair at Norfolk, Va., during her Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA). The photo was taken on October 23, 2014.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS SAN JACINTO still at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair at Norfolk, Va., on April 29, 2015.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 6, 2015.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS SAN JACINTO at New York City during Fleet Week New York on May 26, 2017.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 4, 2017.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS SAN JACINTO at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on September 21, 2018.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the decommissioned SAN JACINTO laid up at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 9, 2023. She is now waiting to be towed to Philadelphia, Penn.
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