Guided Missile Cruiser
CGN 40 - USS Mississippi
		USS Mississippi (CGN 40)
Type, Class:		planned and laid down as Guided Missile Frigate (DLGN 40); reclassified to Guided missile Cruiser (CGN) - Virginia class; commissioned as CGN 40;
Builder:		Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia, USA
STATUS:		Awarded: December 21, 1972 Laid down: February 22, 1975 Reclassified CGN 40 - June 30, 1975 Launched: July 31, 1976 Commissioned: August 5, 1978 Decommissioned: July 28, 1997 Fate: disposed of by recycling; nuclear-powered ship recycling program;
Namesake:		named after the state of Mississippi
Ship’s Motto:		-
Technical Data: (Measures, Propulsion, Armament, Aviation, etc.)		see: INFO >> Guided Missile Cruiser / Virginia-class
LINKS:		Official US Navy site
ship images
Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia - July 2, 1994
Port Everglades, Florida - October 11, 1993
underway during Operation Desert Storm - January 21, 1991
underway during Operation Desert Storm - January 21, 1991
Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - November 10, 1989
underway - November 20, 1986
underway - November 20, 1986
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
underway - July 16, 1984
Chesapeake Bay - June 20, 1984
Tangier, Tunisia - January 1, 1982
Tangier, Tunisia - January 1, 1982
July 1, 1981
USS Mississippi (CGN 40):
USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40) made her first deployment in August 1981. MISSISSIPPI was escorting USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) when F-14 fighters from that carrier shot down two Libyan fighter jets. MISSISSIPPI was also called upon during that deployment to patrol off the shore of Egypt after President Anwar Sadat was assassinated. In 1982, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, awarded MISSISSIPPI the prestigious Battenberg Cup Award for being the best all-round ship in the Atlantic Fleet. The same year, MISSISSIPPI earned the "Battle Efficiency" Award. In November 1982, the USS MISSISSIPPI departed Norfolk for her second Med Cruise. Thanksgiving that year was celebrated while underway to the Med. Once on station, the ship supported Libyan Freedom of Navigation operations several times, spent Christmas of 1982 on patrol off Beirut in support of the USMC element deployed to the Beirut Airport. The MISSISSIPPI was on the Gun Line off Beirut when the US Embassy to Lebanon was attacked with a terrorist's car bomb on April 18, 1983. The cruiser subsequently provided NGFS target identification and location support to the Marines stationed at the Beirut Airport, and became the only CGN ever to win the "Hook-Em" award for ASW excellence for tracking a JULIETTE Class soviet Submarine literally halfway across the Med. The crew of MISSISSIPPI maintained contact on the submarine for over 48 hours straight. The cruiser returned to Norfolk in late May of 1983. Also in 1983, MISSISSIPPI received COMSIXTHFLT Battle Force "Top Hand" Award, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, her fourth consecutive excellent in the annual Operation Reactors Safeguards Examination, the Top Hammer Award for top performance in Atlantic Fleet exercise operations, the Old Crow Award for excellence and contributions in electronic warfare, and her second consecutive "Battle Efficiency" Award. In 1985, MISSISSIPPI earned her third consecutive "Battle Efficiency" Award. This same year, she also received a second Meritorious Unit Commendation for Operation SNAP LOCK. In 1986, MISSISSIPPI was awarded the Golden Anchor Award for Navy Personnel Retention. In 1987, MISSISSIPPI received the Silver Star as the runner-up for the Golden Anchor Award. In September 1987, MISSISSIPPI completed her first overhaul, which included the latest improvements in her Combat Systems Suite, which greatly improved the ship's ability to fight and win "war-at-sea." Following exercises in the Caribbean in 1988, MISSISSIPPI deployed to the Mediterranean from May to November 1989. During the deployment, MISSISSIPPI provided support to Battle Force Sixth Fleet off the Coast of Lebanon in response to the killing of Marine Corps Colonel Higgins by terrorists. In December, MISSISSIPPI received her fourth "Battle Efficiency" Award. During 1990, MISSISSIPPI completed three law enforcement operations in the Caribbean, and in August of 1990, deployed as flagship for Commander, Multi-National Maritime Interception Force (MIF) during Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. She completed the seven- month deployment on 31 March 1991, thus setting the record for the ship with the longest operating tempo in any given period. MISSISSIPPI provided Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) escort services for USS NITRO (AE 25) through the Straits of Bab-El-Mandeb to the Gulf of Aden. Upon completing her escort duties, MISSISSIPPI returned to the Red Sea to launch Tomahawk Cruise Missiles at designated strategic and military targets deep inside the country of Iraq. From May 1991 until August 1992, MISSISSIPPI underwent a comprehensive extended availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. During this period, MISSISSIPPI received state-of-the-art New Threat Upgrade Combat Systems Suite, which tremendously enhances MISSISSIPPI's ability to perform a myriad of Anti-Air Warfare functions. MISSISSIPPI also received Tomahawk and Harpoon system improvements, which increased her strike and Anti-Surface Warfare capability. From September 1992 - 1993, MISSISSIPPI participated in three Counter Narcotic Operations in the Caribbean Theater. She also was awarded her fifth "Battle Efficiency" Award. From October 1993 - November 1994, MISSISSIPPI served two deployments to the Haitian Theater in support of Operation SUPPORT DEMOCRACY. In January of 1994, MISSISSIPPI was also awarded her second Golden Anchor Award for Navy Personnel Retention. Beginning November of 1994, MISSISSIPPI began an intense training cycle in preparation for the March of 1995 Mediterranean deployment.
patches
			patches wanted
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