SITE NAVIGATION

SHIP SPECIFIC INFORMATION

TYPE	GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER (CG)
CLASS	TICONDEROGA
OFFICIAL NAME	USS SAN JACINTO
PENNANT NUMBER	56
NICKNAME	SAN JAC
MOTTO	VICTORY IS CERTAIN
BUILDER	INGALLS SHIPBUILDING
CONTRACT AWARD DATE	06/20/1983
KEEL LAYING DATE	07/24/1985
LAUNCH DATE	11/14/1986
DELIVERY DATE	11/05/1987
COMMISSION DATE	01/23/1988
PLANNING YARD	INGALLS SHIPBUILDING, PASCAGOULA, MS
NAVSEA PMS	400
CUSTODIAN	US NAVY
STATUS	ACTIVE DUTY
HOMEPORT	NORFOLK, VA
MAILING ADDRESS	FPO, AE, 09587-1176
UIC (UNIT IDENT. CODE)	21389
TYPE COMMANDER	SURFLANT
FLEET COMMAND	N/A
GROUP COMMAND	CARGRU 2
SQUADRON COMMAND	N/A

Aegis Guided Missile Cruisers, TICONDEROGA Class

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CG 56 | USS SAN JACINTO

Namesake:

Battle of San Jacinto

The name SAN JACINTO honors the 21 April 1836 battle by the San Jacinto River in Texas, where General Sam Houston and his greatly outnumbered Texas soldiers won independence for the Republic of Texas, decisively defeating General Santa Anna and his Mexican Army. On the morning of 21 April, General Houston slept past reveille - his first real rest in six weeks - and awoke to full daylight. Studying the clear sky, he saw an eagle circling overhead. He spent the day formulating his battle plan and, at three o'clock, formed his troops. It was Mexican siesta time; the confident Santa Anna was sleeping, as were many of his men. They would wake, if at all, to face a western sun behind the Texans. General Houston made an eloquent speech to his troops, closing with inspiring words, "Victory is certain! ... Remember the Alamo!" He had given them their battle cry.

At four o'clock, General Sam Houston, astride a big white horse, raised his sword. A drum and fife began to play as the ragtag army moved out of the mossy oak trees that concealed them. They proceeded up a slight incline toward the resting Mexicans, who did not stir. Then came the noise of battle, the rumble of hooves, as the Texas Cavalry charged, the blast of Houston's two small cannons, his infantry's first shocking volley, shouted battle cries - "Remember the Alamo!" Surprise was complete.

Despite desperate attempts to rally, the Mexicans were overwhelmed, as Texans fell upon them with Bowie knives and rifle butts. In twenty minutes, the battle was over. Santa Anna donned civilian clothes and tried to escape, but was captured. He surrendered to Houston, who lay under a tree, his foot shattered by a rifle ball. The extent of victory was impressive: 630 Mexicans killed, 208 wounded, 730 taken prisoner. The Texas army of 900 warriors lost only nine men.

The Battle of San Jacinto established "The Republic of Texas," that flourished for a decade. The victory eventually added over one million square miles of territory to the United States. From this vast area came the States of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

Historical Notes:

USS SAN JACINTO’s construction began on 5 October 1984, and her keel was laid on 24 July 1985. She was launched on 14 November 1986, and christened 24 January 1987 by her sponsor Dr. Wendy Lee Gramm, wife of Senator Phil Gramm of Texas. SAN JACINTO was commissioned on 23 January 1988 by the Vice President George Bush in Houston, Texas.

In the seven years since her commissioning, SAN JACINTO has won all major awards. These include the Battenburg Cup, recognizing her as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet, and three Battle Efficiency Awards for the best AEGIS cruiser in the Atlantic Fleet. She has won, and been a subsequent runner-up, in the Atlantic Fleet Golden Anchor competition, recognizing her superior quality of life and retention programs. Other awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Navy Unit Commendation, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

SAN JACINTO has distinguished herself by a 1989 Mediterranean deployment, where she provided the strike warfare capability supporting the first Mediterranean aircraft carrier gap in recent history. In August 1990, SAN JACINTO deployed with only five day's notice for OPERATION DESERT SHIELD, where she served as Red Sea Battle Force Anti- Air Warfare Commander and launched the first Tomahawk Cruise missiles ever fired in combat during the opening salvos of OPERATION DESERT STORM. In 1992, SAN JACINTO circumnavigated South America during UNITAS XXXIII, a multi-national naval exercise. Many of the littoral warfare tactical initiatives developed during UNITAS were later refined during BALTOPS '93 exercises, when SAN JACINTO embarked the first-ever LAMPS SH-60B and SH-60F combined detachment.

SAN JACINTO deployed to the Mediterranean and Red Sea in 1994 as part of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) Battle Group. During her 69 days in the Adriatic Sea, she enforced the "No-Fly Zone" over Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the U.N. sanctioned arms embargo. When Saddam Hussein sent his forces once again towards Kuwait in October, SAN JACINTO responded rapidly, taking Tomahawk Strike station in the Red Sea, just as she had three years earlier.

In 1996, SAN JACINTO again deployed to the Mediterranean and Red Seas as part of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON Battle Group. While there, she participated in joint operations with the Russian Navy, and distinguished herself during rescue operations of the merchant ship SAUDI HOFFUF. She ended the deployment with her first extended shipyard overhaul period.

In 1998, SAN JACINTO deployed with the USS JOHN C. STENNIS to the Arabian Gulf. Following a 16-day transit, SAN JACINTO served as the Air Warfare Commander for the USS JOHN C. STENNIS Battle Group and Regional Air Warfare Commander for the Arabian Gulf. Additional taskings included as part of Operation Southern Watch and Maritime Interdiction Operations in support of UN Resolutions and sanctions against Iraq, defense of the JOHN C. STENNIS as "Shotgun Cruiser", and a rescue at sea of a Turkish merchant vessel.

Upon its return home, and with the JOHN C. STENNIS’ move to the West Coast, USS SAN JACINTO was reassigned to the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN Battle Group. In its available inter-deployment time, USS SAN JACINTO went to New York City for Fleet Week ’99.

USS SAN JACINTO deployed in late November 2000, for six months to the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. Prior to that deployment, the cruiser took part in Joint Task Force exercise 01-1 and NATO exercise Unified Spirit 2000. As the Air Warfare Commander and only AEGIS cruiser in the HARRY S. TRUMAN Battle Group, SAN JACINTO used its SPY-1 Radar and command and control communications suite to help maintain regional stability through the enforcement of the Iraqi Southern ‘No-Fly’ zone and the conduct of Maritime Interception Operations in the Northern Arabian Gulf. It returned to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in late May 2001.

Ship's Crest:

Description of Coat of Arms: The shield's wavy pale represents the San Jacinto River and also alludes to the wake of a ship. The representation of the Texas flag on the shield symbolizes the independence won by the Texans in defeating a Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. The eagle, a national symbol of both Mexico and the United States, reflects Texas history and victory at San Jacinto. The armed eagle symbolizes the combat readiness of the ship as a part of a strong national defense. Dark blue, the primary color of the shield, and gold, the predominant color of the main charge, are traditionally associated with the Navy.

The crest's propeller alludes to the first USS SAN JACINTO, which was one of the United States Navy's first screw-type warships. The wings suggest the second USS SAN JACINTO (CVL 30), a light aircraft carrier. The stars on the sword denote the five battle honors awarded to the second USS SAN JACINTO for World War II service. The sword connects the present USS SAN JACINTO, with its state-of-the-art technology, to previous ships of that name.

The motto's words, "Victory is Certain", is a quote from General Sam Houston's speech as he spoke to his outnumbered men before the Battle of San Jacinto.