US Navy Guided Missile Cruiser. More than 300 highly trained Sailors ready to do our nation's taskin They reached Rome in June 1944.
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USS Anzio (CG-68) is a US Navy Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser. She is the second US ship to bear the name, was commissioned 02 May 1992 and decommissioned 30 September 2022. She is named for the Battle of Anzio, Italy, an Allied campaign to liberate Italy from the hands of the Germans in late 1943 - early 1944. On 22 January 1944, forty thousand troops from Canada, England, and the Unite
d States were landed on the beachheads at Anzio and Nettuno to clear the road to Rome. The Allied forces were initially successful, but the German forces soon outnumbered them; the Germans committed 80,000 additional troops to the Italian campaign to "push the Allies back into the sea." This led to a stalemate at the Gustav Line, a natural stronghold of mountainous terrain stretching across Italy just north of Naples. Through sheer bravery and heroism, the Allies maintained the beachhead and were able to break out in May 1944 upon receipt of long-awaited reinforcements. The ship's motto, "ANZIO, STAND AND FIGHT!" comes from General Mark Clark, who commanded the American Fifth Army and ordered the amphibious assaults at Anzio and Nettuno. The Battle of Anzio was strategically important to World War II. The additional 80,000 German troops sent to Anzio were initially meant to fight at Normandy. It is no surprise the price was high at the Battle of Anzio with the great number of German forces. Allied forces suffered nearly 28,000 casualties. 22 Americans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the most of any single battle of World War II.
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established the Continental Navy, which became the United States Navy. The Navy has grown to become the largest, most advanced, and most lethal fighting force the world has ever known! Happy 247th birthday to the United States Navy!
On September 22, 2022, the crew of ANZIO were joined by former Plank Owners, special guests Rear Admiral Tom Williams, Captain Matthew Tardy, Captain Wyman Howard Jr. (Retired), friends and family, for the decommissioning ceremony of USS ANZIO.
USS ANZIO’s Decommissioning Ceremony
Celebrating 30 Years of Service.
Good afternoon everyone!
Couple things to put out about Thursday’s ceremony:
1. If you do not have base access buses will be running from the Main Gate Movies (1500 Mall Dr, Norfolk, VA 23505) to Pier 1. Bag checks will take place prior to boarding the bus. They will running from 8 to noon-ish.
2. If you do have base access please park in the large lot in between piers 1 and 2. The lot closest to the water is reserved.
3. The only bathroom facilities in the vicinity are porta potties, so please plan accordingly. 
4. The ship is in the middle of a maintenance availability with the vast majority of space is already turned over to Inactive Ships Philadelphia. Unfortunately, ANZIO will not be open for tours.
5. The ceremony will be live streamed on our official page.
Please contact us if you have questions that have not already been addressed. We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday!
Stand and Fight!
Today marks the 21st remembrance of the tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001. A tribute of remembrance and honor to the 2,977 people who have lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
07SEP22 - Congratulations to GM1(SW) Gadiaga on his retirement after twenty years of honorable service! He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal before being piped over the side for the final time. Fair winds and following seas shipmate! Stand and Fight!
Congratulations to our new Chief Petty Officer selects! Job well done. Stand and Fight!
Parking for the decommissioning ceremony for those who have base access will be in the large parking lot between piers 1 and 2. For those that do not have base access, please park at the Main Gate Theatre, across from the Navy Exchange (1500 Mall Dr, Norfolk, VA 23505), and we will have busses take you to the pier. Please understand that we will be required to perform bag checks prior to boarding the bus. Thank you and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone!
V/r,
CO
26AUG22 - Congratulations to FC1 Breitenbach on his reenlistment! Thanks to both you and your family for your continued dedication and service. Stand and Fight!
On August 25th, the crew of USS ANZIO were joined by friends and family at Ocean Breeze Water Park for ANZIO's final command party. Stand & Fight!
19AUG22 - Congratulations to HT1 Hackett on his reenlistment! Thanks to both you and your family for your continued dedication and service. Stand and Fight!
17AUG22 - Congratulations to PS2 Rollins on his reenlistment! Thanks to both you and your family for your continued dedication and service. Stand and Fight!
12AUG22- The crew of USS ANZIO piped ashore ET2 Ellis, wishing him fair winds and following seas! ET2 Ellis was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Stand and Fight!
Anzio Shipmates, past and present,
Please find the link to the decommissioning ceremony invitation below. Seating is limited so please RSVP if you intend on coming.
https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=673926&k=046641007951
V/r,
CO
Content Owners The content owner of this web page is the AFIT/SC, Air Force Institute of Technology, Communications Directorate. Email: [email protected]
Shipmates past and present,
The decommissioning ceremony will take place on 22 September at 1000. Electronic invitations started going out today and paper invitations to a select few will follow once printing is completed. We are also planning on live streaming the ceremony for those who are not able to attend. RSVPs will be important so we can manage the guest count and limited seating.
Please contact LT Sara Hart at [email protected] or me at [email protected] with questions.
Stand and Fight!
V/r,
CO
24JUN22 - Congratulations to HT1 McMillan for being frocked to First Class Petty Officer. Job well done! Stand and Fight!
17JUN22 - Congratulations to GM1 Samaniego on his reenlistment! He reenlisted at the USS Iowa Memorial, with the oath of enlistment cited by his brother. Thanks to both you and your family for your continued dedication and service. Stand and Fight!
Shipmates past and present,
A quick update regarding our schedule. We are looking at mid/ third week of September for our decommissioning ceremony. As soon as the dates firm up, I’ll pass the info along. What I can say for sure is the ceremony will not be the last week of September. Invitations (electronic and/or paper) will go out as soon as the date becomes firm. We are also planning on live streaming the ceremony for those who are not able to attend.
Please contact LT Sara Hart at [email protected] or me at [email protected] with questions.
Stand and Fight!
V/r,
CO
03JUN22 - The crew of USS ANZIO honors the Battle of Midway's 80th anniversary. The crew attends a Battle of Midway brief hosted by the Hampton Roads Naval Museum and Laura Orr, author of "Never Call Me a Hero". A day prior, the crew hosted a command potluck and watched the movie titled "Midway" (2019).
The Battle of Midway, from 03 June to 07 June 1942, was a victory and turning point for the U.S. Navy's and the Allies' campaign in the Pacific Theater. A U.S. carrier strike group consisting of the USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Hornet (CV-8), and USS Yorktown (CV-5) would intercept and defeat the Imperial Japanese Navy forces consisting of the carriers: Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu at Midway Atoll.
Due to critical intelligence analysis, aircraft carrier tactics, a little luck, and grit, the U.S. Navy delivered a devastating defeat on the Imperial Japanese Navy. The U.S. Navy would lose the USS Yorktown, 150 aircraft, and 307 men, while the Imperial Japanese Navy would lose its 4 aircraft carriers, 256 aircraft, and 2,204 men. The IJN would never fully recover after Midway.
Stand and Fight!
31MAY22 - Congratulations to our Executive Officer, CWO3 Pierson, on his promotion to the next paygrade! Job well done! Stand and Fight!
30MAY22 - Anzio honors those who have passed while serving in the United States armed forces. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, as it focused on decorating the graves of those who had fallen in the Civil War. After the World Wars, it turned into a day of remembrance for all Americans who had fallen in the line of duty. In 1971 Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May.
Stand and Fight!
24MAY22 - Congratulations to ITC Lewis on her reenlistment. Thanks to both you and your family for your dedication and continuation of service. Stand and Fight!
16MAY22 - Congratulations to ET2 Ellis on his reenlistment! He reenlisted at the USS IOWA Memorial where he was joined by the crew of Anzio and special guest, Retired Captain Jim Donovan. Thanks to you for your dedication and continuation of service. Stand and Fight!
07MAY22 - The crew of ANZIO welcomed past crew members and plank owners, among them were the first CMC, CMDCM Eugene Treants, and CAPT Frank Castellano. Tours were conducted and sea stories were swapped between the past and current crew followed by a banquet at the Sheraton hotel, honoring past and current shipmates and celebrating ANZIO's service.
Stand and Fight!
08MAY22 - Happy Mother's day to our mothers! Thank you for your support, love, and sacrifice! Stand and Fight!
04MAY22 - The crew of USS ANZIO and USS HUE CITY gathered on the USS Hue City with Rear Admiral Eric Ver Hage, Navy Regional Maintenance Center (CNRMC) Commander and Director, Surface Ship Maintenance and Modernization (SEA 21). Both crews were presented awards from Rear Admiral Ver Hage.
YN1 King was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and SEA 21 Sailor of the Year. FCA1 Welsh was awarded Senior Sailor of the Quarter and GSM2 Almazan Junior Sailor of the Quarter. Bravo Zulu Anzio crew!
Stand and Fight!
02MAY22 - The crew of USS ANZIO celebrates her 30th birthday. USS Anzio is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser named after the invasion of Italy by Allied troops from 22 January to 23 May 1944. Launched on 2 November 1990 and commissioned on 2 May 1992 under the command of Captain H. Wyman Howard. The birthday cake was cut by our youngest and oldest Sailors onboard. "Stand and Fight", the order given by Lt. General Mark Clark to the allies, May 1944.
08APR22 - The Anzio crew and their families gather at Pierside Lanes to enjoy a fun night of glow bowling. During this time MWR held a bowling tournament among the crew to see who would score the most points. First place was Chief Schroter, second place IC1 Bisquera, third place STG1 Schutt, and last but not least, last place was CWO2 Pierson. Stand and Fight!
To all the Sailors and families connected to the USS Anzio past and present, The Commanding Officer and the crew of USS Anzio would like to say thank you for all your continued support. While the decommissioning of the ship seems to have firmed up a little, it sill remains in flux. The projected date of the decommissioning is 30 September, but again, that date remains fluid as it depends on the remaining maintenance schedule happening seamlessly and on schedule. As you can imagine, the crew of 42 is extremely occupied with the entire process. Please direct all questions and requests to the POC: FCAC (SW) Deon Irvin at [email protected]
01APR22 - The crew of USS ANZIO celebrates the 129th birthday of the Chief Petty Officer! As a part of tradition, the honor of cutting the cake is given to the most senior and the most junior Chief. The rank of Chief Petty Officer was officially established on 1 April 1893. The Career Compensation Act of 1949 created an E-7 grade that standardized pay for all Chiefs. The 1958 amendment to the Career Compensation Act added two new pay grades, Senior Chief (E-8) and Master Chief (E-9). Stand and Fight!
25 MAR 22 - The crew of USS Anzio celebrates Women's History month. July 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law, WAVES or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. This authorized the U.S. Navy to accept women into the Naval Reserve as commissioned officers or enlisted for the duration of World War ll. In 1993, Congress removed the law that precluded women from serving in any combat unit or occupational specialty.
Stand and Fight!
09MAR22 - As ANZIO prepares for a planned decommissioning later this year, we are aware of former shipmates and their families who want to see the ship before it is transferred to the reserve fleet. Based on our current condition and pending decommissioning maintenance availability we are unable to offer tours at this time. If, or when, the situation allows we will do our best to accommodate requests. Please continue to follow this page for updates. STAND AND FIGHT!
25FEB22 - Congratulations to MMCS Almonte on his reenlistment! He reenlisted at the Lone Sailor statue located in downtown Norfolk. Thanks to both you and your family for your continued dedication and service. Stand and Fight!
25FEB22 - The crew of USS Anzio piped over the side FCAC Epperson, wishing him fair winds and following seas! FCAC Epperson was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Stand and Fight!
21FEB22 - The crew of USS Anzio celebrates Presidents' Day. Presidents' Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February. Originally established in 1885, the day was in honor of President George Washington's birthday. In 1971 it was moved to the third Monday in February and would popularly be known as president's day, celebrating past American presidents.
Stand and Fight!
18FEB22 - The crew of USS Anzio piped over the side FCC Harry and GSM1 Rodriguez, wishing them fair winds and following seas! FCC Harry was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps commendation Medal and GSM1 Rodriguez was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Stand and Fight!
28JAN22 - Congratulations to FC1(SW) Jordon on his retirement after twenty two years of honorable service to our Nation.
With his family present, he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal before being piped over the side for his final time.
Fair winds and following seas shipmate! Stand And Fight!
17JAN22 - In remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968). Dr. King was a leader in the civil
rights movement, promoting right to vote, desegregation, and labor rights.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day was enacted at the federal level, signed by President Ronald Reagan and was observed for
the first time on January 20, 1986.
Stand & Fight!
14JAN22 The Crew of USS Anzio piped over the side GSEC Yeboah, wishing him fair winds and following seas! He was presented a gift from the Chief's Mess. Stand and Fight!
Norfolk Naval Base
Norfolk, VA
23511
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USS ANZIO’s Decommissioning Ceremony Celebrating 30 Years of Service.
Frocking ceremony for OSCM Roberts and MMCS Almonte.
**This video ties in with previous photo post** 03APR2020: All Hands on deck, Crew of the Anzio took the ship underway, returning home to Naval Operating Base Norfolk after completing the first half of the Guided Cruiser Modernization Program. Enjoy the photos/video, Stand and Fight!
Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer
Front Street
Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads
Blandy Road
NATO - Allied Command Transformation (ACT)
Blandy Road
Civil War Navy Sesquicentennial
Waterside Drive
US Army Recruiting - Norfolk Company
E Virginia Beach Boulevard
U.S. Coast Guard Force Readiness Command
E. Main Street
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