[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1654-E1655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF THE USS ``DALLAS'' DECOMMISSIONING ON DECEMBER 5TH, 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 5, 2017

  Mr. MARCHANT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the USS Dallas 
(SSN-700) submarine and the outstanding sailors who have served as her 
crew since her commissioning on July 18, 1981. On December 5th, 2017, 
this storied submarine will be decommissioned and leave the active 
United States Navy fleet.
  The USS Dallas is the first vessel to be named after the City of 
Dallas, Texas. Her exceptional crew have served tirelessly to ensure 
that America remains the preeminent naval power on the globe. Before 
retirement, the USS Dallas was the second oldest active Los Angeles-
class submarine, and over the course of her 36 years of service, the 
USS Dallas has been manned by over 250 officers and over 1,500 enlisted 
personnel.
  The USS Dallas' keel was laid down on October 9th 1976, and finally 
launched in April of 1979. The USS Dallas was commissioned by the Navy 
in July of 1981, and in 1984 she took on a role in OPERATION ATTAIN 
DOCUMENT Ill, a naval freedom of navigation operation. After being 
upgraded during the Navy's first Depot Modernization Period, the USS 
Dallas operated in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation 
Desert Storm from August 1990 through January of 1991. In January of 
1992, the USS Dallas and her crew received the ``Golden Anchor'' award 
of 1991 for excelling in all aspects of retention categories.
  By the end of her first 10 years in service, the USS Dallas had 
completed one deployment to the Indian Ocean, two Mediterranean 
deployments, and one deployment to the North Atlantic. During this time 
she had received two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two Navy Unit 
Commendations, and was awarded the Battle Efficiency ``E'' for 
excellence in overall readiness of the command to carry out its wartime 
tasks. Shortly after completing a deployment in 2014, the USS Dallas 
earned its seventh Battle ``E'' award, with previous honors in 1986, 
1991, 1992, 1993, 1999, and 2000.
  In February of 1998, the USS Dallas became the first Los Angeles-
class submarine to be fitted for a dry-deck shelter, allowing her to 
insert or extract special operations forces and their equipment. In 
2000, the USS Dallas completed a Mediterranean deployment and supported 
the NATO submarine escape and rescue exercise program. During her last 
few deployments, the USS Dallas served in the Central Command area, 
which includes the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the 
Arabian Sea, and she sailed over 30,000 nautical miles during numerous 
months at sea.
  The boat and her crew, through their years of dedicated service, have 
lived up to the USS Dallas' motto, ``First in Harm's Way,'' and I know 
that the crew of the USS Dallas will continue the hunt for excellence 
throughout their lives. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the USS 
Dallas and the incredible men and women who served as her crew. It is a 
privilege to commend them upon the conclusion of the USS Dallas' 
service. I ask all of my distinguished colleagues to join me in 
honoring the USS Dallas upon her decommissioning.

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