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Forward Deployed — Operationally Relevant — Capable

  • 240529-N-GA645-1005 NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (May 29, 2024) Sailors man the rail as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) returns to Naval Station Rota, May 29, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Courtney Pollock)
  • SM-3 Operational Use Coin
  • Admiral Burke on Trial A
  • Christening – Bobbie Burke & Wilma Miles
  • Suez Canal – May 2023
  • North Sea Unrep – May 2023
  • Vertrep – Jan 2024 – Med Sea
  • 2024 MWR T-shirt design
  • USPS – Distinguished Sailors – First Day Cover
  • BIW Sea Trials Capt Earl Walker & Capt Morgan
  • 2022 – Nice – visit by RADM P. A. Dur, the ship’s first Battle Group Commander.
  • May 2022
  • 2009 Deployment
  • Departing Faslane – Sep 2022
  • Precomm Buttons

Upcoming Events:

Tin Can Sailors 42nd Coffee & Donuts Gathering
– Tin Can Sailors, 1077 County St., Somerset, MA 02726
– Thursday, November 6th at 9:00 AM
– CDR Hugh Doyle (USN Ret) will talk about the Hingham Massachusetts shipyard in WWII.  “It built 227 ships, including 92 Destroyer Escorts, in just 3 1/2 years.”
– RSVP at 508-677-0515 or  tcs@tincans.org

Shipmate in the News – RADM (ret) Tom Anderson

RADM Anderson recently retired as PEO Ships, also having served as ComNavSea (acting).  He  served as MPA,  coordinating the first two  availabilities for the DDG51 class.

He was recently hired as President of Hanwa US Shipbuilding, and will lead the revitalization of the former Philadelphia Shipyard.

Loss of a Shipmate

The Association has recently learned of the passing of OSC (SW) Teddy Dewayne Easter, Plankowner

A Celebration Of Life will be held Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 4:00PM – 6:00PM, at Ocean Lakes Clubhouse, 881 Old Dam Neck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23454

June 19 – Crying in our Beer Day

With Mitscher on bridge of USS RANDOLPH (CV 15), during operations off Okinawa in June 1945

In 1944, Admiral Burke was Chief of Staff to Commander Carrier Division THREE, Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher.

In the retaking of Saipan in June 1944 (Operation Forager), when the Japan main fleet appeared, Admiral Spruance did not release Admiral Mitcsher from covering the invasion to pursue the Japan main fleet.  This reluctance to release the carriers for pursuit greatly irritated the Mitscher’s aviators, who believed this was the black-shoe ignorance of full capabilities of the new fast fleet carriers.  Even as the main Japan force approached, Spruance did not allow Mitscher to position his force for a dawn launch.

Mitscher was very upset.  Admiral Burke, Mitscher’s Chief of Staff, made a pact with Truman Hedding (the former Chief of Staff) that they would forevermore commemorate the anniversary of June 19th by getting together and crying in our beer.

However, this event led into the Battle of Philippine Sea, including the Marianas Turkey Shoot, which ended Japan’s fleet air capability.

Ian Toll, The Conquering Tide

Andy Summers Oral History

The latest oral history interview in our History Project is now posted – interview with Andy Summers.

Andy Summers was a key leader in DDG-51 design from initial concept studies, becoming Ship Design Manager as construction was completed and the ship commissioned. If there is anyone who knew why the ship was designed the way is was, it is Andy. And that design has stood the test of time.

The fact that it cost what we said it was going to cost, the fact that it weighed what we said it would, the fact that it actually worked, is for the US Navy not easy on new ships. 

You could see there’s still problems, new carriers, LCSs and other ships, all kinds of problems. New classes are tough, really tough. And a lot of these guys that work the 25th ship and they’re tweaking things; it’s not that much risk. But when you’re on the new ship, everything’s a risk.

Andy Summer Interview, page 42

Andy also provided some key historical documents for the association archives, including:

DDG51 Guided-Missile Destroyer Contract Design History – Naval Sea Sysems Command – Jan 1985

DDG51 Guided·Missle Destroyer Preliminary Design History – Naval Sea Systems Command – June 1984 (Rev Aug 1985)

Rough Seas

Some of Andy’s memorabilia
More memorabilia to be scanned for DDG51.org archives
Andy Summers and Kenyon Hiser

Loss of a Success Contributor – William Haggett

Former Bath Iron Works President William “Bill” Haggett, who led the shipyard from 1981 to 1992, passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Haggett led BIW through some of its most significant program changes, including the successful competition to become the follow yard in producing Ticonderoga-class cruisers and the critical competition to become the lead yard for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the DDG 51s that have become the longest running Navy shipbuilding program.

https://x.com/GDBIW/status/1897043252760436846

DDG51 Officer Receives SNA Arleigh Burke Award

LCDR Lindsey Boyle, DDG51 Plans and Tactics Officer, was recognized with the Admiral Arleigh Burke Surface Warfare Operational Excellence Award – Officer East at the Surface Navy Association Jan 2025 National Symposium.

The award was presented by VADM Vice Adm. Brendan McLane and Rear Adm. Joseph Cahill.

These awards recognize Surface Warriors who are leaders in their fields.

RADM Cahill (CNSL) – LCDR Lindsey Boyle (DDG51)

Arleigh Burke Sailor selected MDAA Navy Missile Defender of the Year

FCA1 Julian Smith was selected as the US Navy Awardee for the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance 2024 Missile Defender of the Year

Riki Ellison, FCA1 Julian Smith, ADM James Kilby

This is a special night where we gather annually here in the National Capital Region to recognize the best of the best in the missile defense profession. On January 17th in Alexandria Virginia, the 15th annual Missile Defender of the Year awards ceremony took place.  In the National Security area, 2024 has been the biggest and most consequential year for missile defense in our history.    

United States Navy  

Awardee: Fire Controlman Petty Officer 1st Class Julian Smith   

Presented by Admiral James Kilby  

Recognized for:  

Fire Controlman Petty Officer 1st Class Julian Smith distinguished himself for this award by “Revolutionizing fleet tactics,” fundamentally changing the execution of BMD missions. By spearheading this tactical development, he played a critical role in the advancement of tactics, techniques, and procedures at the Task Force and numbered Fleet Commander level, showcasing performance far above what is expected of a first-class petty officer. 

https://missiledefenseadvocacy.org/alert/2024-missile-defender-of-the-year/

Awardees receive one of Riki Ellison’s trademark MDAA footballs (if they can catch a throw from a linebacker). Riki was a national championship winning linebacker with USC, then winning three Super Bowls with the 49ers, before working with Dr Edward Teller in early National Missile Defense and later founding the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.