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Destroyer Squadron News

13 Mar 2023

Tom Cruise Visits Aircraft Carrier USS George H.W. Bush

Tom Cruise addresses the crew on the 1MC during a visit to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), March 3, 2023. (Photo: Samuel Wagner / U.S. Navy)

One of Hollywood's biggest stars recently paid a visit to U.S. Navy sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).Top Gun: Maverick producer and star Tom Cruise was joined by writer and producer Christopher McQuarrie, and editor Eddie Hamilton, along with Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, for the stop. The team led a Top Gun: Maverick viewing in the ship’s hangar bay and took time to visit with sailors aboard the ship, which has been deployed since departing Naval Station Norfolk in August 2022.“I know our sailors will never forget that night in the hangar bay…

19 Jan 2023

US Navy Relieves Two Commanding Officers

File photo: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departs Naval Station Rota, Spain, in June 2020. (Photo: Peter Lewis / U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy on Thursday announced it has relieved the commanding officers of two of its U.S. East Coast warships, USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19).In separate statements, the Navy said it relieved Cmdr. Alexa Jenkins and Capt. Michael D. Nordeen, citing loss of confidence in their ability to command.Jenkins, who served as commanding officer of the USS Carney (DDG 64) since June 2022, was relieved by Capt. Jennifer Blakeslee, commodore, Naval Surface Squadron 14 (CNSS 14).Jenkins will be temporarily reassigned to the staff of Commander, Naval Surface Squadron 14, and Capt.

29 Sep 2022

Vigor Wins $131 Million Navy Ship Repair Deal

(Photo: Aja Bleu Jackson / U.S. Navy)

Portland, Ore. based shipbuilding and repair company Vigor Marine has been awarded a $131,151,747 firm-fixed-price contract action to accomplish the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) 2C1 dry-docking selected restricted availability (DSRA).The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $131,826,808.Work will be performed in Seattle (77%) and Everett, Wash. (23%), and is expected to be completed by February 2024.This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3).

09 Aug 2022

USS Farragut Deploys with George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group

Credit: US Navy

US Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) deployed as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) from Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Aug. 6.According to the U.S. Navy, this is a routine deployment for Farragut and the first after a dry-dock maintenance period in 2021.Farragut returned to operational capability in the summer of 2021 and has completed a rigorous training cycle, including a visit from the Congressional Board of Inspection and Survey…

19 May 2022

Ann Phillips Sworn In As MARAD Administrator

Ann Phillips (Photo: MARAD)

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that Rear Admiral (Rear Adm.) Ann Phillips, USN, Ret., has been confirmed and sworn in as the 20th Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD). Nominated by President Biden on October 21, 2021, Rear Adm. Phillips was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 10, 2022. She is the first woman to lead MARAD as administrator.“From her distinguished naval service to her leadership on coastal infrastructure, Rear Admiral Ann Phillips has championed America’s maritime sector throughout her career,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

10 May 2022

Ann Phillips Confirmed as Next MARAD Administrator

Ann Phillips (File photo: Gretchen Albrecht / U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Ann C. Phillips as Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), filling a position that has been left vacant at the Department of Transportation (DOT) since January 2021. Phillips was confirmed by a vote of 75-22.Phillips, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, takes over as head of the DOT's maritime agency amid continued shipping and supply chain disruption as well as historic levels of government funding for maritime and port infrastructure projects. She succeeds Mark Buzby, who resigned from the role in the wake of the insurrection at the U.S.

15 Oct 2021

Biden Appoints Ann Phillips as MARAD Administrator

Ann Phillips (File photo: Josh Bennett / U.S. Navy)

President Joe Biden intends to nominate Ann Phillips to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the Department of Transportation (DOT), the White House announced Thursday. The position has been vacant since Mark Buzby resigned from the role in the wake of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January.If confirmed, Phillips, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and currently the first Special Assistant to the Governor of Virginia for Coastal Adaptation and Protection…

20 Jul 2020

US Warship Assists Distressed Sailing Vessel

File photo: The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) (U.S. Army photo by Dakota Young)

A U.S. Navy warship came to the aid of a sailing vessel drifting about 150 nautical miles east of the Bahamas on Saturday.After the distressed vessel radioed for help on Friday morning, U.S. Coast Guard District 7 coordinated with USS Mitscher (DDG 57) , the closest ship able to render aid. Mitscher rendezvoused with the vessel later that evening and towed it overnight to the closest port of San Salvador, Bahamas.The 51-foot sailing vessel had a damaged steering shaft and was unable to maneuver.

06 Jul 2020

Vigor Wins $133 Mln US Navy Repair Job

File photo: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) (U.S. Navy photo Paul Kelly)

Vigor Marine has been awarded a $133,406,869 firm-fixed-price contract to prepare for and accomplish repair and alteration requirements for USS McCampbell (DDG 85) chief of naval operations scheduled depot maintenance availability. The contract includes options which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $155,621,173.The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan on July 2, and is currently is en route to Vigor's Portland, Ore. shipyard, where she will undergo her midlife modernization.

30 Jun 2020

Shipbuilders Council of America Honors Buzby

Mark Buzby (Photo: MARAD)

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipyard industry, today honored Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator Mark H. Buzby with the SCA Maritime Leadership Award during this year’s virtual advocacy meeting. The Award is given annually to national leaders who demonstrate exemplary dedication and support of the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry.“Rear Admiral Buzby has dedicated his life to military and public service to protect the United States’ national and domestic security…

16 Jun 2020

USS Fitzgerald Exits Shipyard 3 Years After Fatal Collision

USS Fitzgerald prepares to depart the Ingalls shipyard to return to her homeport in San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Derek Fountain/Huntington Ingalls Industries)

The USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), which suffered heavy damage and nearly sank off the coast of Japan after a fatal collision with a containership in 2017, departed Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. Saturday following two years of extensive repairs and upgrades. Seven U.S. Navy sailors died when the guided-missile destroyer collided with the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal on June 17, 2017. USS Fitzgerald was damaged on her starboard side above and below the waterline during the collision…

07 Jun 2020

Injured Crewman Medevaced from Disabled Maersk Containership

A crewmember burned by an engine room blast aboard Danish-flagged Laura Maersk off the U.S. East Coast was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Norfolk, Va. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Elizabeth City)

The U.S. Coast Guard said it medevaced a Maersk containership crewmember injured by an engine room blast that disabled the vessel off the U.S. East Coast.The Coast Guard said watchstanders at its Fifth District command center received a report on Thursday evening that an explosion occurred in the engine room of the Danish-flagged cargo ship Laura Maersk, which burned a crewmember and disabled the vessel.Aircrews aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and an HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.

18 May 2020

Hospital Ship USNS Mercy Departs Los Angeles

Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departs Los Angeles (Photo: Port of Los Angeles)

The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departed Los Angeles Friday after supporting local COVID-19 response efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.Mercy has been at the World Cruise Center Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles since March 27, serving state and local healthcare providers by treating non-COVID-19 patients in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Medical professionals aboard the ship treated a variety of patients and performed medical procedures including general…

01 May 2020

US, UK Navies Conduct Antisubmarine Drills in the Arctic

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) makes her approach alongside USNS Supply (T-AOE 6) and USS Porter (DDG 78) for a connected replenishment (CONREP) to receive fuel and stores, April 28, 2020. CNE-CNA/C6F, headquartered in Naples, Italy, oversees joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo)

U.S. 6th Fleet (C6F) conducted a bilateral naval anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise with the U.K., above the Arctic Circle, May 1, 2020.Four ships from two nations, a U.S. submarine, and a U.S. P8-A worked together, in the Norwegian Sea, to conduct training in the challenging conditions in the Arctic.For the exercise, Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Porter (DDG 78), and fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), were joined by the Royal Navy's HMS Kent (F 78). Additionally, a U.S.

29 Oct 2019

USS John S. McCain Repairs Completed

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) (U.S. Navy photo)

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) completed her necessary repairs and extensive, accelerated upgrades over the last two years, following a fatal 2017 collision.The ship and her crew, now underway to conduct comprehensive at sea testing, will perform a series of demonstrations to evaluate onboard systems to ensure they meet or exceed Navy performance specifications. Among the systems that will be tested are navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems…

15 Aug 2019

US, Malaysia Start Maritime Training Drill

Photo: United States Navy

The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) began Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malaysia 2019 marked by an opening ceremony at Lumut Naval Base, Aug. 14.MTA Malaysia 2019 is a continuation of 25 years of maritime engagements between the U.S. Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy serving to enhance mutual capabilities in ensuring maritime security and stability.The Pacific Area commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, said that working alongside the U.S. Navy and international partners in this exercise is an important part of their mission in the Indo-Pacific.

23 Jul 2018

Truman Strike Group Returns to Norfolk, Remains Ready

Nearly 6,500 Sailors of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) arrived in Naval Station (NS) Norfolk, Virginia, July 21.The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and strike group ships USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) arrived after operating for more than three months in the U.S. 5th and 6th fleets areas of responsibility."I couldn't be more proud of this strike group team's performance over more than three months of operating in a highly-dynamic environment across two theaters," said HSTCSG Commander Rear Adm. Gene Black. "We carried out the full spectrum of missions…

29 Apr 2018

Truman Enters Mediterranean Sea

USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75), the Carrier Strike Group EIGHT (CSG-8) flag ship, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean Sea, April 27. "I'm proud of the professional seamanship our Sailors showcased as we transited through one of the busiest sea lanes in the world," said Truman's Commanding Officer, Capt. Nicholas Dienna. Along with Truman, the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) made the journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea through the second busiest waterway in the world. But this event carried with it more than breathtaking visuals of the Gibraltar landscape. More importantly, it served as a strategic step for the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG).

20 Apr 2018

Truman Strike Group Enters European Theater

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman  160615-N-NX-690-003 Photo US Navy

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations April 18, 2018 as part of a routine deployment in support of NATO allies, European and African partner nations, coalition partners, and U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. The presence of the HSTCSG demonstrates the multi-mission capability of the U.S. Navy’s globally deployed force and is part of an ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

11 Apr 2018

Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group Departs on Deployment

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) departed Naval Station Norfolk, April 11, for a regularly scheduled deployment. The strike group, including aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, USS Normandy (CG 60), several destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 and German frigate FGS Hessen (F 221), is scheduled to conduct operations in the U.S. Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. The deployment is part of an ongoing rotation of U.S. forces supporting maritime security operations in international waters around the globe. Additionally, HSTCSG units will work alongside allied and partner maritime forces, focusing on theater security cooperation efforts, which help to further regional stability.

28 Mar 2018

USS Sterett Visits Hong Kong

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) arrived in Hong Kong for a port visit March 27 after a stretch of operations as part of a deployment in the Indo-Pacific. The visit is meant to allow the crew to experience the culture of Hong Kong, engage with the local community, and continue to build a strong relationship with the counterparts in Hong Kong's disciplined services. "We are thankful for the opportunity to visit Hong Kong. The crew is excited to learn about its history and experience the energy of this great city." Said Cmdr. Claudine Caluori, Sterett's commanding officer. Of the range of activities planned, Sterett will visit a nursery school and a secondary school, participating in cultural activities and sports games with students.

06 Mar 2018

US Navy, JMSDF Participate in MultiSail 2018

Units and personnel from the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) are scheduled to participate in the annual bilateral training exercise MultiSail 2018, Mar. 8-14. MultiSail is an annual bilateral training exercise that improves interoperability between U.S. and Japanese forces. In 2018 the focus of the exercise will be on improving fundamental skills such as tracking and defeating submarines, combatting other surface forces, live fire training, and interoperability with U.S. and JMSDF units. "MultiSail is an opportunity for our ships to increase our combat proficiency at sea," said Capt. Jon Duffy, commander, Destroyer Squadron 15.

04 Mar 2018

Truman Strike Group Completes COMPTUEX

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) returned to Naval Station Norfolk after completing their Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) March 1, certifying the strike group ready for deployment. HSTCSG got underway Feb. 1, to participate in COMPTUEX - a series of training scenarios that tested the strike group's abilities in multiple categories including air warfare, strait transiting, visual information, responses to surface and subsurface contacts, electronic attacks and more. According to Rear Adm. Kenny Whitesell, commander of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 4, which mentored and assessed HSTCSG throughout the exercise, COMPTUEX provided dynamic learning opportunities for the strike group. "Every COMPTUEX is a little bit different," said Whitesell.