Guided Missile Destroyer
DDG 51 - USS Arleigh Burke
Type, Class:		Guided Missile Destroyer; DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class (Flight I); planned and built as DDG 51;
Builder:		Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, USA
STATUS:		Awarded: April 2, 1985 Laid down: December 6, 1988 Launched: September 16, 1989 Commissioned: July 4, 1991 ACTIVE UNIT/ in commission (Atlantic Fleet)
Homeport:		Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Namesake:		Named after and in honor of Admiral Arleigh Albert Burke (1901 - 1996) > see history, below;
Ship's Motto:		FAST AND FEARED
Technical Data: (Measures, Propulsion, Armament, Aviation, etc.)		see: INFO > Arleigh Burke - class Guided Missile Destroyer
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Arleigh Albert Burke
Midshipman - 1920			Ensign - 1923		Lieutenant Commander - 1939-40
Captain - 1944			Commodore - 1944-47		Commodore - 1945
Rear Admiral - 1951			Rear Admiral - 1951		Admiral - 1955
Admiral - 1956			Admiral - 1958		Admiral - 1959
Admiral - 1960			Admiral - 1960		retirement ceremony - 1961
Arleigh Burke and President Gerald Ford - 1977			retired - 1977		commissioning of DDG 51 - 1991
Namesake & History:
Admiral Arleigh Albert Burke (October 19, 1901 – January 1, 1996):
Arleigh Albert Burke, born on 19 October 1901 in Boulder, Colorado, entered the Naval Academy on 26 June 1919 and graduated on 7 June 1923. Joining the battleship Arizona (BB-39) soon thereafter, he began his naval career as a junior watch and division officer, and was given command of Arizona's turrent 4. Over the next few years, he served as that battleship's torpedo officer, assistant engineer, and ship's secretary. During this time, he developed an interest in gunnery, and qualified as head of the ship's plotting room, handling range direction for the battleship's gunnery exercises. In the spring of 1927, Burke spent a month at the Ford Instrument Co. facility in New York City, studying that company's new antiaircraft director. His initial bid for post-graduate work having been denied, Burke instead received orders on 2 April 1928 to the auxiliary vessel Procyon (AG-11), the flagship of Rear Admiral W. W. Phelps, Commander, Fleet Base Force. After serving as assistant navigator and ship's secretary, Burke became Admiral Phelps' flag lieutenant and force personnel officer in June 1928. In October of the same year, the Bureau of Navigation approved Burke's second request for post-graduate work, and on 17 June 1929, he reported to the Post-Graduate School at the Naval Academy to commence 15 months of rigorous course work first at Annapolis and, later, at Ann Arbor, Michigan. This intensive instruction in ordnance design, fire control, and ballistics culminated in his receiving an M. S. degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor on 22 June 1931. He then spent a year in visits to the major private plants and military installations involved in developing, producing, and storing explosives. In the spring of 1932, Burke received orders to the heavycruiser Chester (CA-27), and he remained in that ship for almost a year, serving as main battery officer. Ordered to the Base Force staff in April 1933 as assistant officer-in-charge of the Battle Force Camera Party, Burke worked in developing and using photographic equipment to "triangulate, tabulate, and analyze" the fall of shot in gunnery exercises - duty which required "meticulous accuracy and long days in preparation." For two years, Burke served with the Battle Force Camera Party, until he received orders to the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd) in Washington, D.C. Burke labored next in BuOrd's ammunition and explosives section, given the prime responsibility dealing with the purchase, storage, and distribution of ammunition charges acquired by the Navy. He also worked in the area of distributing ammunition for target practice, the design of a new storage area for high explosive ammunition, and research toward developing a more stable smokeless powder for use on board ships. The Chief of BuOrd, Rear Admiral Harold R. Stark, lauded the young officer's "keen grasp of ordnance in relation to the service," and foresaw his becoming "an officer of exceptional value to the service." In May 1937, Burke became the prospective executive officer of the recently launched destroyer Craven (DD-382). He served in that new destroyer until June 1939, exhibiting considerable administrative talent in the fields of discipline and material - invaluable experience in handling small warships. Promoted to lieutenant commander in August 1938, while in Craven, Burke received his first sea command the following summer. On 5 June 1939, he assumed command oiMugford (DD-389), the flagship for Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 8, Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 4, Battle Force. Under his leadership, Mugford won the Destroyer Gunnery Trophy for 1939-1940, finished third in engineering, and high in communications. Relieved on 30 July 1940, Burke returned to Washington to serve as an inspector at the Naval Gun Factory. He worked devotedly in this important shore billet, but, following American entry into World War II in December 1941, incessantly sought to return to sea. Finally, late in 1942, orders sent him to the South Pacific. After commanding in turn DesDiv 43, DesDiv 44, and DesRon 12, Burke received command of DesRon 23. Burke soon emerged as a combat leader, earning the Navy Cross for leading the "Little Beavers," as DesRon 23 came to be called, in the first bombardment of the Buka-Bonis area and the first daylight bombardment of Japanese positions in the Short-lands. During the night of 1 and 2 November 1943, as American force under Rear Admiral A. S. Merrill - of which DesRon 23 formed a part - met a more powerful Japanese unit, and defeated it decisively in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay. The "Little Beavers" also earned the Presidential Unit Citation under Burke's leadership, and their commodore earned the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for his "indomitable fighting spirit and great personal courage." DesRon 23 daringly defied Japanese aircraft and closed strongly fortified shores to deliver sustained shellings of Japanese coastal defenses and cover amphibious assaults. Burke later earned the Legion of Merit for his leadership of DesRon 23 in battle off Kavieng, New Ireland, and Duke of York Island on 17 and 23 February 1944. The ships of his squadron destroyed two Japanese auxiliary vessels, one large cargo ship, a minelayer, and four barges in addition to inflicting severe damage on enemy shore installations. DesRon 23 effected a skillful withdrawal without damage. Having earned the nickname "31-knot Burke" for his highspeed combat performance, he soon became chief of staff to Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Commander, Fast Carrier Task Force, TF 58, in March 1944. He remained as Admiral Mitscher's chief of staff into June 1945; during this time, he received promotion to commodore. Burke planned and executed a long series of offensive operations in the reduction of the perimeter of Japanese defenses in New Guinea, the Carolines, the Marianas, Halmahera and Philippine Islands; his "superb professional skill, tireless energy, and coolness of decision in that work earned him his second Legion of Merit. He then received his second DSM for his efficient control of the tactical disposition, the operation, the security and the explosive offensive power of TF 58 in its support of the landings at Iwo Jima and Okinawa and carrier air strikes on the Japanese homeland. On 11 May 1945, two suicide planes crashed Admiral Mitscher's flagship, Bunker Hill (CV-17). Burke unhesitatingly proceeded to a compartment in which men were trapped, and despite fire and heavy smoke, succeeded in evacuating the sailors there. He received a letter of commendation for his courage and promptand efficient action "with utter disregard for his own personal safety . . ."in rescuing the men. Three days later, after Admiral Mitscher had transferred his flag to the famed carrier Enterprise (CV-6) on 14 May, a kamikaze crashed that ship; Burke again arranged for the transfer of command, and "in spite of all difficulties . . . maintained tactical control of the Task Force ..." For his conspicuous gallantry on both occasions, on 11 and 14 May, Burke was awarded the Silver Star. In July 1945, Burke returned to Washington and served as BuOrd's Director of Research and Development, before he went to the Mediterranean in January 1946, as the chief of staff to Vice Admiral Mitscher, Commander, 8th Fleet. He served in that capacity until March 1946, when Mitscher (promoted to admiral) was given command of the Atlantic Fleet. Burke remained with that great carrier leader in the same capacity until Mitscher's death in February 1947. Following service on the General Board, Burke took command of the light cruiser Huntington (CL-107); but soon returned to shore duty to head the new Organizational Research and Policy Divisi9n (OP 23) under the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), established to advise CNO during efforts to implement the National Security Act of 1947. During this time, he coordinated the Navy's defense in the B-36 controversy in 1949. He then served as Navy Secretary on the Defense Research and Development Board. After the Korean War broke out in June 1950, Burke became deputy chief of staff to Commander, Naval Forces, Far East, that September, bringing to the task a "sound knowledge of naval administration and professional skill" that aided in the reorganization of the staff to meet ever-increasing responsibilities in the Korean War. He received a third Legion of Merit for his service in that capacity. In May 1951, Burke was given command of Cruiser Division (CruDiv) 5 off the coast of Korea, but only served in the post until July, at which time he joined the United Nations delegation to the truce talks in Korea. From 9 July to 5 December 1951, Burke's keen discernment and decisive judgement proved of inestimable value in "countering enemy intransigence, misrepresentation and evasion with reasoned negotiation, demonstrable truth, and conciliatory measures." As advisor to the chief delegate on all phases of the armistice talks, Burke offered "timely recommendations for solutions to the varied intricate problems encountered" by the negotiators; his services in that capacity earned Burke an Oak Leaf cluster from the Army in lieu of a fourth Legion of Merit. Early in December 1951, Burke returned to Washington to head CNO's Strategic Plans Division. Command of CruDiv 6 in the Mediterranean and the position of Commander, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, followed in turn before President Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Burke as CNO, promoting him over 92 more senior flag officers. Serving in that office from 17 August 1955 to 1 August 1961, he is the only officer to hold that post through three two-year terms. During Burke's tenure as CNO, he acted as a major force in developing the Navy's "Polaris" submarine missile program and keeping it under that service's control, and utilized the Forrestal (CV-59)-class aircraft carriers in the nuclear deterrence role. On 1 August 1961, Burke retired from the Navy. Since then, he has resided in Washington, D.C., devoting part of his time to advisory committees and boards of directors of such worthwhile activities as veterans organizations, patriotic groups and educational institutions, as well as to the Navy he had served so well. Admiral Burke died on January 1, 1996;
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51):
After commissioning and throughout 1992, Arleigh Burke conducted extensive testing at sea. As is often the case with new ship classes, Navy and commercial engineers encountered a number of discrepancies in shipboard systems that required the attention of the cognizant design and production agencies. An additional phase of testing was added to verify the effectiveness of the modifications made to these systems-modifications incorporated into later ships of the Arleigh Burke class. Following her initial operational testing, Arleigh Burke deployed to the Adriatic Sea in 1993, serving as "Green Crown" during Operation Provide Promise. During her second deployment in 1995, Arleigh Burke sailed the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas as "Red Crown" in support of the No-Fly Zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. During her third cruise in 1998, she sailed the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Red, and Black Seas, exercising every facet of Surface Warfare as a participant in numerous U.S. and allied exercises. During her fourth cruise in 2000-2001, Arleigh Burke saw service in the Mediterranean and Red Seas and the Persian Gulf, enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq and conducting exercises with allied and coalition naval partners. On her fifth deployment in 2003, Arleigh Burke and the other units of the Theodore Roosevelt-led Strike Group participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this wartime cruise, Arleigh Burke conducted Tomahawk missile strikes against regime targets in Iraq, escorted merchant ships and naval auxiliaries through geographic chokepoints, executed Leadership Interdiction operations in the North Arabian Sea, and undertook counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden. This cruise, which lasted from January through June 2003, saw Arleigh Burke at sea nearly 93 percent of the time. Arleigh Burke has earned one Navy Unit Commendation, three Meritorious Unit Commendations, three Battle Efficiency Awards, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, and five Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
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