Professional Association For Arleigh Burke Crewmembers And Supporters
The third interview in the DDG51 History Project is now posted – CAPT Brian Perkinson – first DDG51 Program Manager (PMS 400D).
CAPT Brian Perkinson (USN Ret), CAPT John Ingram [then PMS 400D], and RADM Paul Robinson (USN Ret) [Supship at DDG51 Delivery], on a later DDG51 Sea Trial
Failure has none
The ship was recently in the news with the first combat employment of AEGIS BMD – SM-3. The history of AEGIS BMD – SM-3 is as interesting and convoluted (maybe more) than the development of the ship.
Some of those without whom AEGIS BMD – SM-3 would not have been on station, and maybe not even the ship – BMD provides a fresh relevancy to the AEGIS fleet.
| Ronald Reagan | George W. Bush | ADM Boorda | VADM Rempt | VADM Williams |
| RADM Meyer | Lt Gen Kadish | LTG O’Reilly | Don Mitchell | RADM (Sel) Grant |
Mark Vandroff, CEO Fincantieri Marinette Marine, hosting Constellation Keel Authentication Ceremony, (Precomm Auxo)
It’s good to be here – at the keel laying for the future USS Constellation #FFG62 – with Congress, industry, the Navy and everybody here working together to drive towards one purpose – to deliver the Navy the Nation needs. pic.twitter.com/11SpYeJgqf
— USNavyCNO (@USNavyCNO) April 12, 2024
This is a special day as we lay the keel for the future USS Constellation #FFG62. Our frigates are a critical next step in modernizing our surface ship inventory & increasing the number of available platforms in service for our Fleethttps://t.co/nzhSvahPd7
— Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro (@SECNAV) April 12, 2024
The Association will be placing flowers at the Admiral & Bobbie’s grave on April 28, 2024 at 1100 in section 8 of the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.
After the Flower Laying Ceremony at the Admiral’s Gravesite, attendees are welcome to join up for lunch at a local Annapolis restaurant.
If you plan to attend, please reply to the Association Secretary e-mail invitation or Contact Us.
The history project is providing some new (old) artifacts. From Andy Summer’s files – rough seas transiting Atlantic on first deployment, March 1993, pictures from USS Theodore Rosevelt (CVN 71).
RDML Tom Moninger assigned to command Carrier Strike Group 12
(former CO)
CDR Eric Smitley takes command of USS Howard (DDG 83)
(former DCA)
The February issue of The Destroyerman is now available.
Highlights include:
Thanks to Shannon Peterson, Andy Paul, and Tom Halvorson for referring this link.
One of the Association’s objectives is to preserve the legacy of the Admiral and his ship.
We are starting a new effort for this preservation – oral histories of those that contributed to the success of Arleigh Burke.
Initial focus is the Arleigh Burke to Sea period, including design, construction, precomm, commissioning, DT-OT, PSA, deployment preparations, and first deployment. Time is of the essence as we are starting to lose the heroes that made Arleigh Burke to Sea a reality.
Note – this started with the title “Oral History” – but we are now using the more general title “History Project” – recognizing that submissions are also coming in as written answers to our questions and in the form of documents we are capturing to archive.
USS Arleigh Burke Association