USS Chicago (SSN 721)

The original USS CHICAGO was commissioned April 17, 1889 and was one of the first steel-hulled ships of the New Navy. Over her 37 years, she served as a flagship in Europe and the Pacific, supervised the evacuation of personnel from San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake, and acted as a submarine tender during World War I until she was renamed on July 16, 1928 to free the name of CHICAGO for a heavy cruiser. USS CHICAGO (CA-29) was commissioned March 9, 1931 and operated as the flagship for Commander, Cruisers, Scouting Force until September 1940 when she sailed to Pearl Harbor, HI. CHICAGO was at sea on December 7, 1941. She fought during World War II in the southwest Pacific at the Battle of the Coral Sea and Battle of Savo Island. She was sunk on January 30, 1943 at the Battle of Rennel Island by Japanese torpedoes. USS CHICAGO (CA-136) was commissioned January 10, 1945 and immediately joined the fight in the Pacific until the end of the war. She was reclassified as a guided missile cruiser (CG-11) in November of 1958 and completed five Vietnam deployments from 1966-1972. She continued operation sin the Pacific until she was decommissioned on March 1, 1980. The USS CHICAGO (SSN-721) is the United States Navy's 108th nuclear powered submarine and the 99th of the attack submarine fleet. She is the 34th Los Angeles class nuclear powered fast attack submarine of the Navy Submarine fleet. CHICAGO began her waterborne career on October 13, 1984 when she was launched at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydocking Company in Newport News, Virginia. CHICAGO was christened by Mrs. Vicki Ann Paisley, and was commissioned on September 27, 1986. She is homeported in Pearl Harbor, HI and a member of Submarine Squadron 7 (CSS-7).