This Photo Set Was Taken By

Lt. Perry "Pete" Summers

In The Panama Canal Zone July

2004 At The Former Rodman U. S.

Naval Station While USS Leahy Was

In Transit To International Shipbreaking

Limited - Brownsville, Texas For Scrapping

Final visit to an old friend........

We were in Panama in July of 2004. I was Assistant OPS
onboard USS TICONDEROGA (CG47). I walked out on the
weatherdecks to see what was going on and saw a couple
of ships on the next pier. I recognized a tug, but thought
something looked funny about her shape. The I realized
that the tug was berthed outboard a LEAHY class cruiser!
I remarked to a few fellow officers that I was the last
crewmember to step aboard the LEAHY after her
decommissioning (I went back aboard to film the quiet,
dark ship just before she was towed out of San Diego)
and wouldn't it be weird if this was her, after almost 10
years. We had the time, so my roommate, a CWO2, and
I walked around to check it out. Lo and behold it was in
fact the USS LEAHY. CG 16 herself was being towed from
the west coast storage to somewhere in Texas for her
final transition into razor blades. I received permission to
tour the ship and took the Warrant on a short tour through
the (still) dark and quiet ship. I did get permission to remove
any articles that would not reduce the seaworthieness of
the ship, but only took time to pull the space plates off the
EW shop. I do have some photos of my last trip onboard,
for those who might be interested. As a side note, 11 years
after decommissioning the LEAHY, I had the honor to be
the decommissioning OOD in port for the TICONDEROGA
as well. I'll have to pick my next sea orders carefully
or I may serve on another namesake slated for decom!
Fair Winds and Following Seas to all.....

Posted by Lt. Perry "Pete" Summers
(who appears in the below photos)
http://www.military.com/
Mar 21 2005 02:01:56:000PM

(click on any photo to enlarge and for photo info)