USS Michael Murphy

USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)

USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) navigating toward open waters off the coast of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in 2013.
History
United States
Name:	USS Michael Murphy
Namesake:	Michael P. Murphy[1]
Awarded:	13 September 2002[2]
Builder:	Bath Iron Works[2]
Laid down:	18 June 2010[1]
Sponsored by:	Maureen Murphy[3]
Christened:	7 May 2011[4]
Launched:	8 May 2011[2]
Commissioned:	6 October 2012 [5]
Homeport:	Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, U.S.[6]
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement:	9,200 tons[2]
Length:	510 ft (160 m)[2]
Beam:	66 ft (20 m)[2]
Draft:	33 ft (10 m)[2]
Propulsion:	4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speed:	35+ knots[3]
Complement:	323 Sailors (23 officers and 300 enlisted)[7]
Armament:	1 × 32 cell, 1 × 64 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems, 96 × RIM-66 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-Asroc, missiles 1 × 5 in (130 mm)/62, 2 × 25 mm Mk 38, 4 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) guns 2 × Mk 46 triple torpedo tubes 1 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried:	2× SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters
Notes:	Michael Murphy (DDG 112) was to be the last of the 62 Arleigh Burke destroyers but, following the proposed cancellation of the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer programme after the completion of the first three vessels, the US Navy will continue construction on the Arleigh Burke class.[8]

USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) is the 62nd ship of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. She is named for Medal of Honor recipient Michael P. Murphy (1976–2005). Her contract was awarded on 13 September 2002 to the Bath Iron Works and Vice Admiral John Morgan, the first commanding officer of Arleigh Burke, made the first cut of steel.^[9] DDG-112 was named Michael Murphy by Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter on 7 May 2008 and her keel was laid down on 18 June 2010. The ship was christened on 7 May 2011, Murphy's birthday,^[4] by her sponsor Maureen Murphy, Michael Murphy's mother.^{[1][3][10][11]}

History

Maureen Murphy, left, and Edwin Bard inscribe the signatures of Michael Murphy's family on an iron plate during a dedication ceremony.

On 18 June 2010, Maureen Murphy and Edwin Bard inscribed the signatures of Murphy's family on an iron plate during a dedication ceremony for Michael Murphy. The plate was affixed to the ship's hull during construction. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in June 2005. He was the first sailor awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

After its 7 May 2011 christening, the destroyer was moved to dry dock for several months in order to finalize the vessel's construction.^[4]

On 1 October 2012 the destroyer arrived in New York for its commissioning, which occurred on 6 October. Built by Bath Iron Works, the 509-foot (155 m) long ship was to be based in Pearl Harbor.^[12]

On 16 October 2012 Michael Murphy arrived in Barbados for its first international port of call. Led by Ambassador Larry L. Palmer, dozens of sailors ventured out into the community today to help the children of Barbados at the Boscobelle Primary School and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.^[13][14] On 21 November, Michael Murphy arrived at her home port of Naval Station Pearl Harbor (part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam).^[15][16]

On 15 February 2013 Michael Murphy held its first family day cruise.^[17] On 23 May 2013 Michael Murphy held its first change of command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Cmdr. Thomas E. Shultz turned over command to Cmdr. Corey J. Turner.^[18]

On 4 February 2014 Michael Murphy participated with aviation forces from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps in joint training exercise Koa Kai. Participating units conducted integrated flight operations, anti-surface and anti-submarine training.^[19] On 28 February, the Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Protecteur suffered a fire and breakdown approximately 340 nautical miles (630 km) northeast of Pearl Harbor that left the ship stranded without power, lighting or water. Michael Murphy (already operating underway) was immediately dispatched to assist in her towing and recovery efforts. Michael Murphy received 17 family members of the crew and two civilian contractors from Protecteur; however, due to adverse weather conditions, Michael Murphy's attempts to take her under tow were unsuccessful. The cruiser USS Chosin arrived two days later and successfully connected and towed the stricken ship until the hawser broke.^[20] The sea-going tug, USNS Sioux, arrived on 2 March and assumed the towing duties and returned Protecteur to Naval Station Pearl Harbor on 6 March.^{[21][22][23][24]}

On 7 July 2014 Michael Murphy departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to participate in at-sea phase of a multinational exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC). On 26 June, RIMPAC 2014 commenced and Michael Murphy participated in all 36 days to include the closing reception on 1 August.^[25][26]

On 20 October 2014, Michael Murphy departed on her first deployment to the Western Pacific with the United States Seventh Fleet.^[27]

On 26 May 2015, Michael Murphy was awarded with a Canadian Forces Unit Commendation in recognition of the service it provided to the damaged Canadian naval vessel Protecteur after it had caught fire.^[28]

In January 2017, the Michael Murphy, along with the USS Wayne E. Meyer and USS Lake Champlain, accompanied the USS Carl Vinson in a deployment to the western Pacific. In April of that year, the Carl Vinson strike group cancelled a scheduled port call in Australia in response to increasing tensions between the United States and North Korea over the DPRK's nuclear weapons program.

References

External links

Media related to USS Michael Murphy at Wikimedia Commons

• Official page
• Willshaw, Fred (2010). "PCU Michael Murphy (DDG-112)". Destroyer Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 26 June 2010.