Ticonderoga was nudged across San Diego Bay from her berth at NAS North Island, to her final home at the naval air station. Twenty feet of mast had been cut off so she could clear the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge. Now, only a handful of the crew was left to witness the final ceremony that struck the once mighty carrier from the rolls on November 16. Before ordering colors lowered for the last time, Captain George W.Bruce, Tico's 32nd and last commanding officer praised the crew. "Your actions have ensured that this ship which was commissioned in glory will be decommissioned with the honor and dignity she so justly deserves."
As visitors were guided thru the silent hulk two days before decommissioning, Ltjg. Ed Marocco pointed out to them the spot on the flight deck where a kamikaze plane crashed during WWII and where another hit the island structure just above the bridge in the same attack. Nearly 150 crewman were killed and many more wounded, but Ticonderoga limped into port, her skipper wounded by 65 pieces of shrapnel. She was back out two months later and fought the last five months of the Pacific campaign. Ltjg. Marocco spoke affectionately of the carrier. "You hate to say goodbye to a ship that built a history like this one.
