CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — We've been following the journey of the U.S.S. City of Corpus Christi. It's currently located in Bremerton, Washington as officials find an efficient way to begin it to the Sparkling City by the Sea. It's important to note that the entire submarine will not arrive in Corpus Christi, only its sail.
Officially christened and launched in April 1981, the U.S.S. City of Corpus Christi was the 18th Los Angeles class attack submarine.
“It was a Cold War submarine," Veteran and Sea Turtle Base Commander Glen MacDonald said. "It was what they call are hunter killer. It was a fast attack.”
In between the years, it served missions on the Atlantic Coast, the Mediterranean, the Arctic Circle, and the Indian Ocean.
Glen MacDonald, a 23-year U.S. Navy veteran and former submarine engineer, said the ship also made several visits to Corpus Christi for many assignments. It was later deemed inactive and officially decommissioned in 2016.
“The sub-vets here decided that they’re going to decommission it," MacDonald said. "Let’s see if we can bring the sail here. It’s common throughout the country to have the sail as a memorial to the submarine sailors.”
Last December, Corpus Christi City Council approvedbringing the 60-ton submarine sail to Sherrill Veterans Memorial Park near Coopers Alley and Shoreline Boulevard.
The Sea Turtle Base of Corpus Christi, where MacDonald is the base commander, created a group that would oversee the process of the sail’s arrival.
“The call to mission is to commemorate the submarine service of which we lost 52 submarines in World War II," MacDonald said. "Also, the 3,500 sailors that we lost during the war.”
MacDonald said he’s honored to be part of a group that has a hand in bringing military history to Corpus Christi. He said he wants future generations to see the historical sail and understand the tenacity and hard work that went into protecting our country.
“Some of their sacrifices are the ultimate sacrifice, and they are no longer with us. So we want to make sure that people remember them," MacDonald said.
The Sea Turtles have been discussing Phase 2 of the project with city officials. In that, they are surveying the park to plan for construction ahead of the new addition. In the meantime, there are still several months before the submarine officially arrives.
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