Keywords: US Navy 030912-N-9288T-002 The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV 64) begins its transit from Naval Air Station North Island to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.jpg en San Diego Calif Sept 12 2003 -- The decommissioned aircraft carrier Constellation CV 64 begins its transit from Naval Air Station North Island to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Constellation will be towed by a contracted ocean-going tug operated by Foss Maritime of Seattle Wash The transit is expected to take two weeks The 41-year old ship recently completed its 21st deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom in the Arabian Gulf During Operation Iraqi Freedom the Constellation Carrier Strike Group flew more than 1 500 sorties and expended more than a million pounds of ordnance The carrier was decommissioned Aug 7 and will be replaced in San Diego next year by USS Ronald Reagan CVN 76 Constellation has been home ported in San Diego since 1962 U S Navy Photo by Photographer s Mate 2nd Class Brandon A Teeples RELEASED 2003-09-12 030912-N-9288T-002 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 9507 U S Navy Photo by Photographer s Mate 2nd Class Brandon A Teeples PD-USGov-Military-Navy General views of USS Constellation CV-64 Decommissioning of USS Constellation CV-64 C-Tractor 8 ship 1994 Tugboats with aircraft carriers Naval ship departures from Naval Air Station North Island |