US Navy christens newest Arleigh Burke class ship as DDG 105 Dewey
On 26 January, 2008, Under gray skies providing a slight, cold drizzle, Deborah Mullen,wife of Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stepped before the massive 9,200-ton guided-missile destroyer and, with all the grit her slight frame could muster, gave it a good whack, just under the “bullnose.”
The christening signifies that the ship is seaworthy, but it is still about a year away from being operational as a destroyer. While the outside is painted and pristine, with colorful signal flags adorning the ship from bow to stern, the inside is a literal web of wires – 1.5 million feet worth – and the floors are planked with plywood. The unfinished steel walls are covered with hand-scrawled numbers and directions for placement. Computer systems and equipment are covered and protected.
The ship was put in the water Jan. 18. Northrop Grumman officials said they hope to have all of its power working in June. Its crew will then be brought in and the ship will be put through a battery of performance tests before being commissioned and turned over to the crew for sailing to its home port of San Diego.
Designated the DDG 105, the new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey, most famous for leading his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898, and destroying the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss. A popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him, in March 1903.
Two previous ships have carried his name. The first was a destroyer that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service. This newest destroyer is the 55th of 62 Arleigh Burke class destroyers. It has a crew of about 360.