USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)
USS Fitzgerald pulls into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March, 2003
Career (US)
Name:	USS Fitzgerald
Namesake:	Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald, USN
Ordered:	22 February 1990
Builder:	Bath Iron Works
Laid down:	9 February 1993
Launched:	29 January 1994
Commissioned:	14 October 1995
Nickname:	Fighting Fitz
Status:	in active service, as of 2024
Badge:
General characteristics
Class & type:	Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement:	Light: approx. 6,800 long tons (6,900 t) Full: approx. 8,900 long tons (9,000 t)
Length:	505 ft (154 m)
Beam:	66 ft (20 m)
Draft:	31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion:	4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower (75 MW)
Speed:	>30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:	4,400 nautical miles at 20 knots (8,100 km at 37 km/h)
Complement:	33 commissioned officers 38 chief petty officers 210 enlisted personnel
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPY-1D 3D Radar AN/SPS-67(V)2 Surface Search Radar AN/SPS-73(V)12 Surface Search Radar AN/SPG-62 Fire Control Radar AN/SQS-53C Sonar Array AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar AN/SQQ-28 LAMPS III Shipboard System
Electronic warfare & decoys:	AN/SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Warfare System AN/SLQ-25 Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures MK 36 MOD 12 Decoy Launching System AN/SLQ-39 CHAFF Buoys
Armament:	1 × 29 cell, 1 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launching systems with 90 × RIM-156 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-ASROC missiles 2 x Mk 141 Harpoon Missile Launcher SSM 1 × Mark 45 5/54 in (127/54 mm) 2 × 25 mm chain gun 4 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) guns 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 2 × Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:	2 Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters can be embarked
Motto:	Protect your People

USS Fitzgerald in the Coral Sea, June 2005

Indian Navy guided-missile destroyer INS Mysore (D 60, foreground) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) transit in formation in support of Exercise Malabar 07-01

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), named for Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald, USN (1938–1967) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was laid down by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine 9 February 1993; launched 29 January 1994; and commissioned 14 October 1995 in Newport, R.I. She was then homeported in Naval Station San Diego, CA.

Operations

In early April 2004, it was announced that she would be one of fifteen destroyers and three cruisers which would be deployed to counter ballistic missile threats worldwide. She arrived in Yokosuka, Japan 30 September 2004 to join the U.S. 7th Fleet after participating in a personnel exchange known as "Super Swap". 140 sailors from USS O'Brien (DD-975) transferred to Fitzgerald and 95 of Fitzgerald’s sailors joined the decommissioning unit for O'Brien. She is now homeported at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan.

In March 2011, in company with the carrier Ronald Reagan, the ship was deployed off northeastern Honshu, Japan to assist with relief efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

On 16 November 2011, the Fitzgerald while docked in Manila, Philippines acted as the site where US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario signed the Manila Declaration calling for multilateral talks to resolve maritime disputes and to mark the 60th anniversary of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

Ship's crest

The Fitzgerald family coat of arms (a white shield with a red saltire) provides the foundation for the coat of arms for Fitzgerald. The shield signifies defense, while the saltire connotes strength and its red color represents valor and action. This traditional design has been modified by the addition of a blue cross paty interlaced with a gold annulet and four shamrocks. The cross commemorates the Navy Cross posthumously awarded to Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald for extraordinary heroism in the Vietnam battle that took his life. The annulet symbolizes the continuity of everlasting hope, fidelity and unity. The four shamrocks represent Lieutenant Fitzgerald's Irish family and heritage.

Supporters

The sword and cutlass crossed behind the shield depict Lieutenant Fitzgerald's personal experiences as both an officer and enlisted sailor, as well as the professional excellence and teamwork in the United States Navy. The dolphins flanking the shield signify maritime dominance and allude to Fitzgerald's role in preserving America's command of the seas.

Crest

The trident, a traditional symbol of maritime prowess, represents both Lieutenant Fitzgerald's graduation from the United States Naval Academy and Fitzgerald's war fighting capabilities. Each tine of the trident depicts separate warfare areas—air, surface and sub-surface—in which Fitzgerald possesses unmatched strengths. Lions, the traditional symbol for strength and courage on land, support each side of the trident. They commemorate the circumstances under which Lieutenant Fitzgerald gave his life and to signify the eternal vigilance and teamwork necessary to project America's maritime power ashore.

Motto

The scroll, in the national colors of red, white, and blue and emblazoned with the motto "PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE," bears testimony to the ideals and actions exemplified throughout the life of William Charles Fitzgerald. This motto also links the Fitzgeralds' ancient family history—their Gallic war cry translates as "Defend the castle forever" – with the gallantry, dedication and extraordinary heroism of Lieutenant Fitzgerald and the honored traditions of the United States Navy.

Commanding Officers

The commanding officer (CO) of the of the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) , is the United States Navy officer who is the most senior officer on ship. The CO is the ultimate authority over operations of the Fitzgerald and her crew.

List of commanding officers

#	Name	Start of tenure	End of tenure
12	CDR Jonathan Lowe Schmitz	000000002012-12-17-000017 December 2012	999999999999-99-99-0000
11	CDR Brian T. Mutty	000000002011-07-26-000026 July 2011	000000002012-12-17-000017 December 2012
10	CDR Dennis Velez	000000002010-05-18-000018 May 2010	000000002011-07-26-000026 July 2011
9	CDR Richard John Dromerhauser	000000002008-10-31-000031 October 2008	000000002010-05-18-000018 May 2010
8	CDR Daniel P. Dusek	000000002007-05-04-00004 May 2007	000000002008-10-31-000031 October 2008
7	CDR David Wayne Hughes	000000002005-09-07-00007 September 2005	000000002007-05-04-00004 May 2007
6	CDR Bradley Joseph Smith	000000002003-10-24-000024 October 2003	000000002005-09-07-00007 September 2005
5	CDR John Phillip Neagley	000000002001-12-12-000012 December 2001	000000002003-10-24-000024 October 2003
4	CDR Alfred Collins	000000002000-04-19-000019 April 2000	000000002001-12-12-000012 December 2001
3	CDR James Stephen Grant	000000001998-10-23-000023 October 1998	000000002000-04-19-000019 April 2000
2	CDR Charles Walt Martoglio	000000001997-04-30-000030 April 1997	000000001998-10-23-000023 October 1998
1	CDR Gary Michael Holst	000000001995-10-14-000014 October 1995	000000001997-04-30-000030 April 1997

References

Notes

Sources

• This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

External links

• • Official website
  • Naval Vessel Register entry for USS Fitzgerald
  • navsource.org: USS Fitzgerald
  • Yokosuka Naval Base Community Website
  • USS Fitzgerald News