USS Mobile Bay, a major player during Operation Desert Storm, will be decommissioned next week in San Diego

The cruiser USS Mobile Bay, which launched 22 Tomahawk cruise missiles during Operation Desert Storm and helped carry people to safety when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines, will be decommissioned in San Diego on Aug. 10, ending the service life of one of the oldest ships in the Navy.

Mobile Bay will become the latest Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser to be sidelined by the Navy, which is phasing out the Cold War-era vessels in favor of the newer Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

The cruisers were designed for a 35-year service life. Mobile Bay was commissioned 36 years ago and initially operated out of Mayport, Fla. It later spent years based in Yokosuka, Japan, then moved to San Diego in 2000.

In the naval community, the ship is known for the moment in January 1991 when it joined other U.S. forces in launching missiles against Iraqi targets during the start of Desert Storm. Mobile Bay also played a key role in protecting American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf area.

The ship also served stateside. It was dispatched to the waters off San Francisco following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. At the time, the government was concerned that more attacks could be launched against U.S. cities.