US Navy Ship Ends Final Mission Underwater After Japanese Torpedo Strike

Naval warships, even if they aren’t sunk in battle, don’t remain in service forever. There are several ways the United States disposes of decommissioned ships, one of which involves sinking them in the ocean. This is what recently occurred with the decades-old USS Juneau, designation LPD-10, which was decommissioned back in 2008. After being thoroughly cleaned and picked apart to minimize its environmental impact, the USS Juneau’s last act saw it take part in a Valiant Shield exercise: a multinational series of drills involving scenarios likely to unfold during a real conflict.

This particular Valiant Shield exercise took place near the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam and involved forces from the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The USS Juneau was sunk just off the coast of Guam. Lieutenant Commander Katie Koenig, director of the Combined Joint Information Bureau, explained to Task & Purpose that the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and special operations were tasked with doing initial damage to the Juneau. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force delivered the final blow with a torpedo, sending the vessel into the depths and concluding the ship-sinking exercise.

After years of service, the USS Juneau went out with a bang, helping to train the next generation of military personnel. It leaves behind a storied history that encompasses some of the most notable conflicts and historical moments in recent decades.

This particular USS Juneau isn’t the first U.S. ship to bear the name. The original USS Juneau, designated CL-52, served for roughly eight months during World War II and met its end in November 1942. It was sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Battle of Guadalcanal. A second USS Juneau, CL-119, was commissioned in 1946 and later served during the Korean War as the first U.S. Navy cruiser to take part in the conflict. Ultimately, though, it was decommissioned in 1959 and sold for scrap in 1962.

From here, it didn’t take too long for this most recent USS Juneau to hit the water. It was officially commissioned in 1969, just in time for it to take part in the latter half of the Vietnam War. Decades later, it served as a command center and portable housing for cleanup crews during the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, and also featured in Operation Desert Storm. As noted previously, the Juneau was decommissioned in 2008 and moored in the Naval Sea Systems Command Inactive Ships On-Site Maintenance Office at Pearl Harbor.

It may not rank among the most historically significant warships to ever hit the open ocean, but the third USS Juneau clearly saw a lot of action during its nearly 40 years of active service. Though it now calls the floor of the Pacific Ocean home, its military contributions aren’t likely to sink into obscurity anytime soon.