A combat shipnamed after Fort Worth that navigated the world for the U.S. Navy for many years set sail on a new era Wednesday.
Driving the news: USS Fort Worth was formally decommissioned at Naval Base San Diego, with former crew members and representatives from its eponymous city in attendance.
Why it matters: The USS Fort Worth, a littoral combat ship in service since 2012, sailed 15,000 nautical miles to support U.S. Navy operations around the world. That included search efforts after an AirAsia plane crashed in the Java Sea, killing over 100 people on board.
- The 390-foot ship’s crews regularly tested new technology and strategies that fleet commanders use now use around the globe.
- One naval officer described the ship as “a tireless workhorse for the fleet, testing the absolute limits of littoral combat capabilities.”
The intrigue: The ship’s first captain was born in Fort Worth and ensured the ship lived up to its name.
- “We brought that Fort Worth culture to the San Diego waterfront, and all who have served in her have continued to do so,” Ret. Capt. Warren Cupps said.
Between the lines: The U.S. Navy retired the USS Fort Worth to save money, the city of Fort Worth said in a Facebook post…