USS Phoenix (SSN-702)

• Los Angeles-class Submarine: USS Phoenix (SSN-702) was a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, one of the most successful and numerous submarine classes in US Navy history. • Named for a City: She was the first ship in the US Navy to be named after Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, continuing the tradition of naming submarines after US cities. • Commissioning: USS Phoenix was commissioned on December 19, 1981, at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, with Captain William C. Rothwell in command. • Cold War Service: Most of her operational life took place during the Cold War, performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW), intelligence gathering, and surveillance missions. • Advanced Technology: As a Los Angeles-class submarine, Phoenix featured advanced sonar, navigation, and weapons control systems for its time, including the ability to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. • Under-ice Operations: Phoenix participated in under-ice operations, an essential capability for tracking Soviet submarines and demonstrating US Navy presence in the Arctic. • Homeport: Her homeport was Norfolk, Virginia, and she was assigned to Submarine Squadron 6, a key unit in Atlantic Fleet submarine operations. • Decommissioning: After 17 years of service, USS Phoenix was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on July 29, 1998. • Reactor Compartment Disposal: Following decommissioning, her nuclear reactor compartment was removed and disposed of as part of the US Navy's Ship-Submarine Recycling Program in Bremerton, Washington. • Crest and Motto: The ship's crest featured a phoenix rising from flames, symbolizing rebirth and resilience, and her motto was "Resurgam"—Latin for "I Shall Rise Again."