USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)

Career
Namesake:	Navy SEAL 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]
Status:	Under construction
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:	30+ knots[3]
Complement:	380 officers and enlisted[2]
Armament:	1× 32 cell, 1× 64 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems, 96× RIM-66 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk, RIM-162 ESSM Quadpack, or RUM-139 VL-ASROC missiles 1× 5 in (127 mm)/62, 2× 25 mm, 4× 12.7 mm guns 2× Mk 46 triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:	2× SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters

PCU 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.^[5] 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, Murphy's mother.^[1][3][6][7]

History

photo by MC 2nd Class Dale Patrick B. Frost

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 Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Michael Murphy. The plate will be 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]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Keel for Future USS Michael Murphy Authenticated". Navy News Service. 18 June 2010. http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=54166. Retrieved 18 June 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Michael Murphy". Naval Vessel Register. http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DDG112.htm. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} O'Brien, Kevin S. (7 May 2008). "SECNAV Names New Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Michael Murphy". Navy News Service. http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=36931. Retrieved 18 June 2010. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} Candiotti, Susan; Ross Levitt (7 May 2011). "Navy ship dedicated to fallen SEAL". CNN. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-05-07/us/maine.ship.christened_1_navy-ship-taliban-fighters-taliban-leader?_s=PM:US. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
5. ^ "BIW News" (PDF). Bath Iron Works. September 2007. p. 3. http://www.gdbiw.com/news_and_events/biw_news/2007_archive/BIW_News_Sept07web%20Final.pdf. Retrieved 18 June 2010. 
6. ^ "Fallen Navy SEAL honored with warship". Associated Press. May 7, 2011. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/07/state/n123340D54.DTL&tsp=1. Retrieved May 7, 2011. 
7. ^ Sharp, David, (Associated Press), "Warship Built In Maine Bears Name Of Navy SEAL", Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 8 May 2011.

External links

Media related to USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) at Wikimedia Commons

• Willshaw, Fred (2010). "PCU Michael Murphy (DDG-112)". Destroyer Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/01112.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-26.