USS Bulkeley

Last updated

USS Bulkeley DDG-84.jpg
USS Bulkeley on 15 June 2004
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameBulkeley
Namesake John D. Bulkeley
Ordered20 June 1996
Builder Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down10 May 1999
Launched21 June 2000
Commissioned8 December 2001 [1]
Homeport Rota
Identification
MottoFreedom's Torch
Statusin active service
Badge USS Bulkeley DDG-84 Crest.png
General characteristics
Class and type Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement9,200 tons
Length509 ft 6 in (155.30 m)
Beam59 ft (18 m)
Draft31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion2 × shafts
SpeedIn excess of 30  kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range4,400  nmi (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters

USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for Medal of Honor recipient Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley. This ship is the 34th destroyer of its class. USS Bulkeley was the 15th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and construction began on 10 May 1999. She was launched on 21 June 2000 and was christened on 24 June 2000. On 8 December 2001 she was commissioned during a pierside ceremony at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City, New York, with Commander Carlos Del Toro in command. Del Toro later became the 78th Secretary of the Navy in 2021. [1]

Contents

Service history

On 13 June 2004, Bulkeley came to the aid of a vessel in distress, Al-Rashid Mum 131. Shortly after turning the vessel over to an Iranian tugboat, it sank. Bulkeley rescued three crew and recovered the body of a fourth. The tug rescued one additional crewman; the other seven were lost at sea. The incident is recounted in the book In the Shadow of Greatness. [5]

In February 2011, Bulkeley was involved in a mission to rescue four American citizens from the yacht Quest which was attacked by Somali pirates. [6]

On 5 March 2011, Bulkeley was involved in rescuing a Japanese oil tanker, MV Guanabara, from Somali pirates while on duty with Combined Task Force 151 off the coast of Oman. [7] Three of the pirates were tried and convicted in Japan, the fourth was turned over to juvenile authorities, as it was determined that he was a minor. [8]

On 16 May 2011, Bulkeley responded to a mayday call from the Panamanian flagged very large crude carrier Artemis Glory by dispatching a Seahawk helicopter (from HSL 48) to its position. Seeing that a piratical skiff carrying four men was firing upon Artemis Glory, the Seahawk investigated the skiff. The pirates opened fire on the helicopter with small arms and were summarily neutralized by crew served weapons from the helicopter in self-defense. The helicopter then withdrew without any casualties to its own crewmembers or that of Artemis Glory. [9]

The ship returned to Norfolk on 15 July 2011. During its deployment, she had participated in operations which had captured 75 Somali pirates and had missile strikes by its carrier strike group against the Libyan government. [10]

On 4 August 2022, Bulkeley departed Norfolk for a homeport shift to Rota, Spain, arriving on 17 August. [11] [12] Her aft Phalanx CIWS was replaced with a SeaRAM CIWS. [13]

On July 16, while operating at a position between Libya and Crete, a helicopter from USS Bulkeley spotted a vessel that appeared to be dead in the water, the destroyer asked a nearby oil tanker Seaways Sabine to intervene, after which it retrieved 31 people from the distressed craft. Bulkeley transferred medical corpsmen over to the tanker in a RHIB. The responders were able to stabilize two of the victims; the third passed away despite their intervention, including an attempt at CPR. The remaining survivors stayed aboard Seaways Sabine as the tanker got back under way. The vessel arrived at an anchorage off Alexandria on the morning of July 18. [14]

On 1 October 2024, Bulkeley was involved in the interception of missiles employing SM-3 and SM-6 missiles during the October 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel. [15]

Awards

Coat of arms

USS Bulkeley DDG-84 Crest.png

Shield

The shield has background of blue and a medium blue trim. A red chevron with anchors surround a lion in the center of the shield, with a reversed star below.

The traditional Navy colors were chosen for the shield because dark blue and gold represents the sea and excellence respectively. The inverted star at the shield base refers to the Medal of Honor Admiral Bulkeley received for his forcefulness and daringness during the defense of the Philippines. The hallmarks of USS Bulkeley, honor and high achievement, are represented in the gold wreath. From the family coat of arms, the red chevron represents the valor and sacrifice displayed by Admiral Bulkeley when he led a flotilla of PT boats and minesweepers to Utah Beach before troops stormed the beach at Normandy. The lion indicates the heritage of Normandy and represents courage and strength. Silver anchors surround the lion to display the U.S. Navy sailors' devotion and commitment while defending the countries freedom, keeping USS Bulkeley and the United States Navy "Second to None."

Crest

The Philippine sun surrounds a Patrol Torpedo boat parting waves of the sea.

A PT boat from World War II is surrounded by the Philippine sun shows honor to Admiral Bulkeley's role in the Pacific. This includes the daring rescue of General MacArthur and Philippine President Quezon from the Battle of Corregidor.

Motto

The motto is written on a scroll of gold with blue trim.

The ships motto is "Freedom's Torch". The motto is a reference to both the honorable feats of Admiral Bulkeley and the Medal of Honor he received.

Seal

The coat of arms in full color as in the blazon, upon a white background enclosed within a dark blue oval border edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription "USS Bulkeley" at the top and "DDG 84" in the base all gold.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Winston S. Churchill</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She is named after Sir Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This ship is the 31st destroyer of her class and the 18th ship of the class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Construction began on 7 May 1998, and the vessel launched and christened on 17 April 1999. On 10 March 2001, she was commissioned during a ceremony at Town Point Park in Norfolk, Virginia.

USS <i>Ramage</i> American guided missile destroyer

USS Ramage (DDG-61) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P. Ramage, a notable submarine commander and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

USS <i>Arleigh Burke</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), named for Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN (1901–1996), is the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers. She was laid down by the Bath Iron Works company at Bath, Maine, on 6 December 1988; launched on 16 September 1989; and commissioned on 4 July 1991.

USS <i>The Sullivans</i> (DDG-68) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer. She is the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the five Sullivan brothers–George, Francis, Joseph, Madison, and Albert Sullivan, aged 20 to 27–who died when their ship, USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine in November 1942 in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II.

USS <i>Stout</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Stout (DDG-55) is the fifth Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Built for the United States Navy by Ingalls Shipbuilding, she was commissioned on 13 August 1994 and she is currently home-ported in Naval Station Norfolk. She is part of Destroyer Squadron 28. Stout is named for Rear Admiral Herald F. Stout, who distinguished himself as the commanding officer of the destroyer USS Claxton during World War II. In November 1943, Commander Stout received two Navy Crosses in the span of three weeks for his actions in the Pacific. Stout aided Destroyer Squadron 23 in sinking five heavily armed Japanese warships and damaging four others during the Solomon Islands campaign as well as sinking four more Japanese warships and damaging two others to establish a beachhead on Bougainville Island. Stout was ordered on 13 December 1988, the keel was laid down on 8 August 1991, she was launched on 16 October 1992 and commissioned on 13 August 1994. As of January 2024 the ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 28 based out of Naval Station Norfolk.

USS <i>Donald Cook</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy named for Medal of Honor recipient Donald Cook, a colonel in the United States Marine Corps. This ship is the 25th destroyer of her class and the 14th of the class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Construction began on 9 July 1996, she was launched and christened on 3 May 1997, and on 4 December 1998, she was commissioned at Penn's Landing Pier in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

USS <i>Carney</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Carney (DDG-64) is the 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The guided-missile destroyer is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.

USS <i>Benfold</i> US Navy destroyer

USS Benfold (DDG-65) is a Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is a multi-mission platform capable of anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) with the powerful Aegis Combat System suite and anti-aircraft missiles, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), with towed sonar array, anti-submarine rockets, anti-surface warfare (ASUW) with Harpoon missiles, and strategic land strike using Tomahawk missiles. Benfold was one of the first ships fitted with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and during the 2010 Stellar Daggers exercise was the first ship to simultaneously engage a ballistic missile and a cruise missile.

USS <i>Gonzalez</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer of the US Navy

USS Gonzalez (DDG-66) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, a Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam War.

USS <i>Ross</i> (DDG-71) Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer

USS Ross (DDG-71) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the second Navy ship to be named Ross, the first Navy ship named for Medal of Honor recipient Donald K. Ross and the 21st destroyer of her class. The first Ross, DD-563, was named for David Ross, a captain in the Continental Navy.

USS <i>Mahan</i> (DDG-72)

USS Mahan (DDG-72) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer currently in service with the United States Navy. This ship is the 22nd destroyer of her class. USS Mahan was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and construction began on 17 August 1995. She was launched and christened on 29 June 1996. On 14 February 1998 she was commissioned in Tampa, Florida. Mahan is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and as of 2012 was attached to Destroyer Squadron 2. By 2016, the ship was part of Destroyer Squadron 22.

USS <i>McFaul</i> Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer

USS McFaul (DDG-74) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Donald L. McFaul. This ship is the 24th destroyer of her class. USS McFaul was the 11th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and construction began on 26 January 1996. She was launched on 18 January 1997 and was christened on 12 April 1997. On 25 April 1998 she had her commissioning ceremony at the Garden City Terminal in Savannah, Georgia. As of July 2020 the ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 26 based out of Naval Station Norfolk.

USS <i>OKane</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS O'Kane (DDG-77) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, starting on 8 May 1997. The ship was commissioned on 23 October 1999. She is named for Medal of Honor recipient Rear Admiral Richard O'Kane.

USS <i>Porter</i> (DDG-78) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Porter (DDG-78) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Porter is the fifth US Navy ship to be named after US Navy officers Commodore David Porter, and his son, Admiral David Dixon Porter. This ship is the 28th destroyer of her class. Porter was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was laid down on 2 December 1996, launched and christened on 12 November 1997, and commissioned 20 March 1999, in Port Canaveral, Florida.

USS <i>Roosevelt</i> (DDG-80) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy. She is named in honor of both President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, the then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. This ship is the 30th destroyer of her class. USS Roosevelt was the 13th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and construction began on 15 December 1997. She was launched on 10 January 1999 and was christened on 23 January 1999. On 14 October 2000 the commissioning ceremony was held at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

USS <i>Preble</i> (DDG-88) U.S. Navy Destroyer

USS Preble (DDG-88) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the sixth U.S. Navy ship named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, who served in the American Revolutionary War and was one of the early leaders of the Navy.

USS <i>James E. Williams</i> US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS James E. Williams (DDG-95) is a Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was named for Boatswain's mate Petty officer first class James Eliott Williams (1930–1999), a River Patrol Boat commander and Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War who is considered to be the most decorated enlisted man in Navy history. As of April 2023 the ship is part of Destroyer Squadron 26 based out of Naval Station Norfolk.

USS <i>Farragut</i> (DDG-99)

USS Farragut (DDG-99) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the fifth Navy ship named for Admiral David Farragut (1801–1870), and the 49th ship of the Arleigh Burke class.

USS <i>Bainbridge</i> (DDG-96) United States Navy guided missile destroyer

USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is the fifth ship to carry that name, and the 46th destroyer of a planned 75-ship class. Bainbridge is named in honor of Commodore William Bainbridge, who as commander of the frigate USS Constitution distinguished himself in the War of 1812 when he and his crew captured HMS Java, a 38-gun fifth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 12</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group Twelve is one of four U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. USS Gerald R. Ford is the aircraft carrier assigned as the strike group's flagship. Units currently assigned to Carrier Strike Group Twelve included Carrier Air Wing Eight; the Ticonderoga-class cruisersVicksburg and Normandy; and Destroyer Squadron 2.

References

  1. 1 2 "USS BULKELEY, Built by Northrop Grumman, to be Commissioned in New York City". northropgrumman.com. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Mk46 MOD 1 Optical Sight System". Kollmorgen. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Rockwell, David (12 July 2017). "The Kollmorgen/L-3 KEO Legacy". Teal Group. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Hart, Jackie (17 December 2023). "Decoy Launch System Installed Aboard USS Ramage". navy.mil. Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  5. ↑ McConnell, Patrick (2012). "Dhow in Distress". In Welle, Joshua; Ennis, John; Kranz, Katherine; Plaster, Graham (eds.). In the Shadow of Greatness: Voices of Leadership, Sacrifice, and Service from America's Longest War . Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-1612511382.
  6. ↑ "4 American hostages killed by Somali pirates". NBC News. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Navy frees ship from suspected Indian Ocean pirates". CNN. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "3 pirates indicted over attack on Japan-run tanker in Indian Ocean". Japan Today. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.[ dead link ]
  9. ↑ "USS Bulkeley Protects MV Artemis Glory From Pirate Attack". Combined Maritime Forces. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Todd Allen (16 July 2011). "USS Enterprise Returns To Norfolk". Newport News Daily Press .
  11. ↑ "USS Bulkeley departs Norfolk as part of a Homeport Shift". SeaPower. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "USS Bulkeley completes Home Port Shift in Rota". SeaPower. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "History". www.surflant.usff.navy.mil. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Navy Destroyer Helps Rescue 31 People in Eastern Med".
  15. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/01/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah/97050b6e-56ed-5586-946c-f3861c0841df?smid=url-share
  16. ↑ "Guided-missile destroyer Bulkeley earns Arizona Memorial Trophey". 2 August 2007.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.