View source for USS California (CGN-36)

{{Short description|Lead ship of the California-class nuclear cruisers}}
{{other ships|USS California}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:USS California (CGN-36) underway at sea, in 1987.jpg|300px|USS ''California'' (CGN-36)]]
|Ship caption=USS ''California''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United States|naval}}
|Ship name= ''California''
|Ship namesake=[[State of California]]
|Ship ordered=13 June 1968
|Ship builder=[[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]]
|Ship laid down=23 January 1970
|Ship launched=22 September 1971
|Ship acquired=7 February 1974
|Ship commissioned=16 February 1974
|Ship decommissioned=9 July 1999
|Ship sponsor=[[Pat Nixon]]
|Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NKIN
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|India}}{{ICS|November}}
*[[Hull number]]: CGN-36
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=9 July 1999
|Ship nickname=''Golden Grizzly''
|Ship motto=
|Ship badge=[[File:USS California (CGN-36) insignia, 1976.png|120px]]
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honors=
|Ship fate=Nuclear ship recycling, 12 May 2000
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|California|cruiser|1}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|10643|LT|t|lk=in|abbr=on}} light
*{{convert|11548|LT|t|abbr=on}} full
*{{convert|905|LT|t|abbr=on}} dead
|Ship length=*{{convert|181.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} overall
*{{convert|173.7|m|ft|abbr=on}} waterline
|Ship beam=*{{convert|18.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} extreme
*{{convert|18.2|m|ft|abbr=on}} waterline
|Ship draft=*{{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} maximum
*{{convert|7|m|ft|abbr=on}} limit
|Ship propulsion=2 × [[General Electric]] [[D2G reactor|D2G nuclear reactors]]
|Ship speed={{convert|30|kn|km/h|lk=in}}+
|Ship range=Indefinite (Nuclear powered)
|Ship complement=40 officers and 544 enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*2 × Mk 141 ''[[Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon]]'' missile launchers
*2 × [[5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun|5-inch/54 calibre Mk 45 guns]]
*2 × 20 mm [[Phalanx CIWS]]
*1 × [[ASROC]] missile launcher
*2 × [[Mk 13 missile launcher]]s for [[RIM-66 Standard]] missiles (MR)
*[[Mark 46 torpedo]]es for anti-submarine use
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=[[Helicopter deck]] aft able to accommodate [[SH-2 Seasprite]] [[Light airborne multi-purpose system|LAMPS Mk 1]], [[SH-3 Sea King]], or [[Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight|CH-46 Sea Knight]] helicopters.
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''California'' (CGN-36)''', the lead ship of the {{sclass|California|cruiser|5}}-class of nuclear-powered [[guided missile]] cruisers, was the sixth warship of the [[United States Navy]] to be named for the state of [[California]]. She was the last active nuclear-powered cruiser for the United States ({{USS|South Carolina|CGN-37|6}} was deactivated nearly a month before USS California, with the other seven U.S. nuclear-powered cruisers having been deactivated and decommissioned prior to that).

USS ''California'' and her sister ship, {{USS|South Carolina|CGN-37|6}} were equipped with two single-armed Mk 13 launchers, fore and aft, for the [[RIM-66 Standard|Standard Missile]], one [[ASROC]] missile launcher, and two Mk-141 launchers for the [[Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon]] missiles. These cruisers were equipped with two [[5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun|5-inch/54 calibre Mk 45 guns]] rapid-fire cannons, fore and aft. The two cruisers also had a unique arrangement aft of their superstructures with a flight deck and lowerable safety fences. Both cruisers also had full suites of anti-submarine warfare equipment. Thus, these warships were designed to combat all threats, in the air, on the surface, and underwater.

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2014}}
[[File:Pat Nixon christens USS California C7339-17.jpg|thumb|left|First Lady [[Pat Nixon]] christens ''California'' on September 22, 1971]]
The contract to build ''California'' was awarded to [[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]] in [[Newport News, Virginia]], on 13 June 1968 and her keel was laid down on 23 January 1970. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 22 September 1971 sponsored with a "near miss" of the champagne bottle by [[First Lady of the United States]] [[Pat Nixon]], and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 16 February 1974 by The Honorable James E. Johnson, [[Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)]]. She was commissioned as a [[destroyer leader]] (DLGN), but her designation was changed to a [[guided-missile cruiser]] (CGN) on 30 June 1975.
[[File:USS California collision damage Norfolk 1977.jpg|thumb|''California'' suffered damage when an intense squall broke her moorings and the ship collided with USS ''Thomas C. Hart'' (FF-1092), docked at the same pier on 6 June 1977.]]
''California'' suffered minor stern damage on 6 June 1977 when high winds in Norfolk harbor broke her moorings and the cruiser drifted in into the frigate {{USS|Thomas C. Hart|FF-1092}}.<ref>Neptune Paper No. 3: Naval Accidents 1945-1988, pg. 54</ref>

''California'' represented the [[U.S. Navy]] in the [[Silver Jubilee]] [[Fleet Review, Royal Navy#Elizabeth|naval review]] in [[Portsmouth]], England in 1977, honoring [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]. In January 1980, ''California'' was diverted from a Mediterranean cruise to the Indian Ocean due to the hostage situation in Iran. The ship left the Mediterranean and ran at flank speed south through the Atlantic, around Africa, and up into the Indian Ocean. In April 1980, this ship along with forces from the Air Force, Marines, and Army participated in "[[Operation Eagle Claw]]," the failed attempt to rescue hostages in Iran.

In 1981, ''California'' circumnavigated the globe, becoming the first nuclear-powered warship to do so since the {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}} and her task force of two nuclear-powered escorts had done so in 1964, in "[[Operation Sea Orbit]]".

In September 1983, the "Golden Grizzly" left Norfolk for the last time, steaming through the Panama Canal to its new homeport, Naval Air Station, Alameda, California. The ship embarked on its first Western Pacific and Indian Ocean cruise in February 1985 as a member of the {{USS|Constellation|CV-64|6}} battle group. During the spring of 1986, ''California'' conducted several weeks of Bering Sea operations and became the first cruiser to visit [[Adak, Alaska]], since World War II. She again deployed to the Western Pacific and completed a second "Around-the-World" cruise in 1987.

The year 1988 brought continued high-tempo operations as ''California'' cruised the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans for a third time. The ship served as battle group Anti-Surface Warfare Commander during the RIMPAC 88 exercise as well as for Olympic Presence Operations off the Korean Peninsula. Subsequently, during her 1988–1989 deployment, ''California'' assumed duties as Anti-Air Warfare Commander for operations in the North Arabian Sea and [[Persian Gulf]]. While assigned patrol duties in the Strait of Hormuz in December 1988, ''California'' conducted the last USN Earnest Will convoy mission through the strait.

The summer of 1989 saw ''California'' tasked with Northern Pacific operations as part of a CNO project to study the effects of Near-Land Operating Areas on carrier battle group operations. In September and October 1989, ''California'' participated as an anti-air-warfare picket ship in [[PACEX 89]], the largest combined sailing of U. S. and allied naval units since World War II.

===1990s===
In April 1990, ''California'' entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for a three-year refueling complex overhaul, including two new D2G high endurance reactor cores in her engineering plant with adequate fuel capacity to power the ship for more than 20 years of normal operations, and the New Threat Upgrade Combat Systems Suite. The overhaul cost approximately $425&nbsp;million. Upon completion of the overhaul in January 1993, ''California'' began a series of exercises and evaluations in preparation for deployment. These included independent training in all aspects of its mission as well as coordinated battle group exercises. The timing of this overhaul would prove crucial to the ship's longevity, as it allowed the two ''California''-class cruisers (''California'' and ''South Carolina'') to survive their successor CGNs.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Two years later, when the four newer {{sclass|Virginia|cruiser|1}}s came up for refueling, the Navy balked at the cost. The ''Virginia''-class cruisers were decommissioned shortly afterwards, while the three-year overhaul on the ''California''-class cruisers improved a platform whose nuclear propulsion system gave it immense flexibility.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In June 1994, ''California'' joined the {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}} battle group in the Western Pacific for the ship's first deployment in five years. ''California'' exchanged personnel with the Republic of Korea Navy for a combined exercise and with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force for ANNUALEX 06G and Keen Edge 95. The cruiser also took part in a LINKEX exercise with United States forces in and near Korea, establishing the most extensive tactical data link ever in this region. The deployment wrapped up with participation in Tandem Thrust 95, a joint exercise with the armed forces of the United States, Australia, and several allied nations. ''California'' then returned to her home at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard just before Christmas 1994.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In 1995, ''California'' completed a four-month maintenance availability, improving the reliability of her propulsion plant and updating her combat systems. In September 1995, ''California'' sailed in a parade of ships through Pearl Harbor as part of the ceremony commemorating the end of World War II.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

In May 1996, ''California'' left for the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the [[Persian Gulf]] on a routine six-month deployment with the {{USS|Carl Vinson|CVN-70|6}} Battle Group. ''California'' received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for operations Southern Watch and Desert Strike for shared duties as Air Warfare Commander for the Carl Vinson Battle Group.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Having completed a short but intense maintenance period in the spring of 1997, ''California'' conducted a series of training operations and evaluations including a live-fire missile exercise, and Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination, and a Final Evaluation Period. ''California'' was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award for outstanding operational readiness throughout 1997.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

[[File:USSCaliforniaHelicopter.jpg|thumb|An [[Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk|SH-60 Seahawk]] lifting off from ''California''{{'}}s flight deck in 1998]]

In January 1998, ''California'' deployed to the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea in support of Counterdrug Operations as the Air Warfare Commander for the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (JIATF) East. In July, she gave her last "Grizzly Roar" by participating in RIMPAC 98 as a member of the Bilateral force. The improvements made during 1990 overhaul could not save either of the ''California'' cruisers. By 1998, they cost about $38.8&nbsp;million to man, operate, and maintain. A typical Ticonderoga-class cruiser cost about $29.5&nbsp;million annually. ''California''-class ships lacked helicopter hangars, antisubmarine warfare weapons, and required costly nuclear-trained crews. The ''California'' class took on board roughly 600 officers and crewmen, while the conventionally powered {{sclass|Ticonderoga|cruiser|1}}s carry fewer than 400.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

The deactivation ceremony for ''California'' was held on 28 August 1998 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

==Decommissioning==
USS ''California'' was deactivated on 1 October 1998, then decommissioned and stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 9 July 1999. She was disposed of in the U.S. Navy's Nuclear-Powered [[Ship-Submarine recycling program]] at the [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]]. Her recycling and scrapping was completed on 12 May 2000.

==Awards==
<!--Please do not add unit awards without a citation. This list was taken from the https://awards.navy.mil any other awards without citations will be removed. -->
''California'' received a number of awards and commendations during her career. According to the U.S. Navy unit awards site, she received the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] six times, in 1980, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1995 and 1996; she received the [[Navy E Ribbon|Battle Efficiency "E"]] for outstanding combat preparedness in 1976, 1977, 1980, 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998. ''California'' was awarded the [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] three times, the [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] twice (Persian Gulf 1988 and 1996), and the [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]] (1991). Two of the Navy Expeditionary Medals were given for service in 1980 and 1981 and were for "Iran/Indian Ocean." The third was awarded for service in 1987 for "Persian Gulf."<ref name="Awards Site">{{cite web |url= https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument |title= The official U.S. Navy awards site |website= US Navy |access-date= 20 July 2014}}</ref>

==In fiction==
The writer [[J. Lanier Yeates]] served aboard USS ''California'' in 1974 and 1998.  In 2005, he wrote the novel ''Bay of One Hundred Fires,'' an [[Alternate history (fiction)|alternate history]] work of fiction in which USS ''California'' is overhauled and upgraded, and then plays a key role in fighting the armed forces of the Iraqi President, [[Saddam Hussein]], who had created a stockpile of [[weapons of mass destruction]].{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Author [[Dale Brown]] featured USS ''California'' in his novel [[Silver Tower (novel)|''Silver Tower'']]. The main character's father was the Commanding Officer.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

Author Charles D. Taylor has USS ''California'' in his novel ''Show of Force''.  The book begins on the bridge of USS ''California''.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}

==Captains==
* August 1971 – 26 March 1976	Captain Floyd H. Miller,
* 26 March 1976 – June 1979	Captain William O. Rentz,
* June 1979 – September 1982	Captain Charles J. Smith,
* September 1982 – November 1985	Captain Gaylord O. Paulson,
* November 1985 – August 1988	Captain Richard D. Williams III,
* August 1988 – December 1991	Captain Barry V. Burrow,
* December 1991 – January 1995	Captain Ray Wallace,
* January 1995 – October 1997	Captain Robert P. Perry,
* October 1997 – 9 July 1999	Captain Steven K. Johnson

==See also==
*[[Nuclear powered cruisers of the United States Navy]]

== References ==
{{Naval Vessel Register|{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CGN36}}}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CGN36|title=Naval Vessel Register – CGN-36}} Nvr.navy.mil

{{California class cruiser}}
{{US Navy nuclear cruisers}}
{{Nuclear surface ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:California (CGN-36)}}
[[Category:California-class cruisers]]
[[Category:1971 ships]]
[[Category:Nuclear-powered ships of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:Cold War cruisers of the United States]]