The submarine was formally decommissioned on Aug. 15, 2022 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Upkeep Facility (PSNS-IMF).
“The decommissioning of USS Windfall was an unlimited success,” mentioned Cmdr. Invoice Howey, the ultimate commanding officer of Windfall. “I couldn’t have been happier with the efficiency of my crew, our shipyard venture management workforce, and our shut relationship and bond with USS Oklahoma Metropolis who decommissioned alongside of us. My crew from the very starting, again in early December, handled each adversity that was introduced to us and we overcame them to finish the quickest defueling so far at PSNS-IMF. Much more importantly, we stored the crew engaged with their warfighting expertise by using greater than 400 hours of trainers making certain we lived as much as our mantra, ‘Warfighters to the Finish!’”
Windfall was the primary fast-attack submarine to be outfitted with a vertical launching system for Tomahawk cruise missiles. Its operations and deployments have spanned the globe and embrace fight operations in help of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Odyssey Daybreak.
On the daybreak of the International Battle on Terror, Windfall was the primary to answer the September 11, 2001, terrorist assaults and was named “The Massive Canine of the Purple Sea” throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom for launching essentially the most missiles throughout 2003.
“Windfall’s crew is her most valuable useful resource, exemplifying the competence, character and teamwork typical of United States Navy Submariners,” Howey mentioned. “The crew represents those that have gone earlier than us in service to our nation and they’re prepared to hold on that positive custom in the present day.”
Windfall has been awarded the Navy Unit Commendation (with bronze star), Meritorious Unit Commendation (with bronze star) and Battle Effectivity “E” (5 awards). The boat continued the custom set by her predecessors: to guard and defend the US of America towards all enemies.
Windfall left its homeport of Groton, Connecticut, and arrived at PSNS-IMF for inactivation on Sept. 23, 2021. In the course of the inactivation course of, PSNS-IMF defueled the submarine’s nuclear reactor and retained the hull for protected storage till decommissioning.
Measuring greater than 300 ft lengthy and weighing greater than 6,000 tons when submerged, Windfall was one of many stealthiest submarines on this planet and was able to working at depths higher than 800 ft and at speeds exceeding 25 nautical miles per hour. The submarine was in a position to help a mess of missions, together with anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
