USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) celebrated its 46th birthday with a cake cutting ceremony while in Rijeka, Croatia for its 2017 shipyard period, Jan. 16.

The Mount Whitney crew celebrated with the cutting of a cake by Capt. Capt. Kevon Hakimzadeh, Chief Engineer Eric Simpson, and Information Systems Technician 1st Class Robert Kantrowitz.

Quote:

"At 46 years young, USS Mount Whitney is the third oldest ship in the United States Navy. While it would be reasonable to assume that a ship in commission that long would be approaching the end of her usefulness, that is certainly not the case for Mount Whitney. Our ship defies her age by continuing to prove her importance to our nation. Her operational schedule last year was as intense as any other ship in the Navy. This year, with the efforts we are putting into her life-cycle extension, I am confident that Mount Whitney will continue to serve long after many of her newest Sailors today are retired." - Capt. Kevon Hakimzadeh, USS Mount Whitney Commanding Officer

Quick Facts:

Forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, Mount Whitney was constructed by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. The ship was commissioned in 1971, and was forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, in 2004 where it assumed the role as the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship.

On Dec. 19, 2016, Mount Whitney entered drydock for its 2017 shipyard period in Rijeka, Croatia. During this time, vital systems and a hospitality upgrade will be installed during the six-month shipyard period. Mount Whitney will return to service this year following an installation period in Gaeta, Italy.

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For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.