USS Simpson decommissions after some 30 years of service

After some 30 years of service, Naval Station Mayport’s final frigate will be decommissioned Tuesday.

The USS Simpson was named after Rear Adm. Rodger W. Simpson and served as a home away from home for sailors since being commissioned on Sept. 21, 1985.

Several generations of the Simpson family traveled to Jacksonville for the ceremony.

“This is one of those days of gratitude and sadness. More of gratitude only because of all the families and all the sailors and lives that we’ve affected, or the ship has affected,” grandson Peter Man said.

Commanding Officer Kasey Roskelly said it’s humbling to be the final CO of the last Oliver Hazard Perry- class frigate in the Navy.

“I take an extreme amount of pride that the Navy has allowed me the opportunity to see her through,” Roskelly said. “It will be a sad day knowing that this is it for this great class of warship.”

Many of the roughly 200 crew will stay at Mayport, while other will transfer to a new base to continue their service.

“There’s excitement in the fact that you get to move on and go to a new challenge but at the same time there’s sadness because, you know, you’ve spent more time with these sailors and the crew than your own family in the last year and a half,” Roskelly said.

Chief Petty Officer Jeff Tobey has served 10 deployments in over 21 years. The USS Simpson was his sixth and final ship.

Tobey said it’s a bittersweet moment.

“It’s sad but it’s also good. It’s been a great ship and it’s been a great crew…it’s fun to be with these guys and do what we do,” Tobey said.

This is the first time he’s shut down a ship in his career and said it’s been a different challenge.

“Everything is drained, shut down, valves are removed, and equipment is removed. Every drawer is inspected for material or even classified material to make sure when we send this up there, there is not a single piece of trash on that ship,” Tobey said.

The ship will be towed off to Philadelphia October 14^th and is slated for foreign military sale.

“You could see the ship again. They’ll rename it but as far we’re concerned it will always be USS Simpson,” Roskelly said.