US Navy begins inactivation of USS Alexandria after 35 years of service

July 2, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The US Navy has held an inactivation ceremony for the Virginia-class submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757), formally marking the end of the submarine’s 35 years of active service before it transitions to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for decommissioning.

The event took place on June 29 at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, bringing together current and former crew members, family members, and retired leaders to commemorate the submarine’s operational history. Among those in attendance were eight former commanding officers, several former chiefs of the boat, and members of the original commissioning crew.

Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, director of In-Service Submarines and Industrial Base and a former commanding officer of Alexandria, served as the guest speaker, while Capt. Phillip Sylvia Jr., commander of Submarine Squadron 11, recognized the crew’s achievements during the submarine’s final year of service.

Commissioned on June 29, 1991, USS Alexandria is the 46th Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine built for the US Navy and the third vessel to bear the name. During its service, the submarine completed 14 overseas deployments spanning the Mediterranean Sea, Arctic Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Indo-Pacific region.

The submarine participated in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, Arctic Ice Exercises, and Indo-Pacific security missions. It also completed a round-the-world deployment through the Arctic in 2004 and steamed more than one million miles over its operational lifetime.

USS Alexandria earned multiple unit-level honors during its career, including the Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and several Battle Efficiency (“Battle E”) awards for operational excellence and combat readiness.

Cmdr. Donald Coomes, the submarine’s final commanding officer, said the crew had focused on training the next generation of submariners while guiding the vessel through the final stage of its service.

The submarine will now transition to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for decommissioning, concluding more than three decades of service in the US Navy.