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USS Mitscher (DDG 57)



USS MITSCHER is the Navy’s seventh ARLEIGH BURKE - class Guided Missile Destroyer and the second ship in the Navy named after Admiral Marc A. Mitscher.

General Characteristics:Keel Laid: February 12, 1992
Launched: May 7, 1993
Commissioned: December 10, 1994
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss.
Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines
Propellers: two
Blades on each Propeller: five
Length: 505,25 feet (154 meters)
Beam: 67 feet (20.4 meters)
Draft: 30,5 feet (9.3 meters)
Displacement: approx. 8.300 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots
Aircraft: None. But LAMPS 3 electronics installed on landing deck for coordinated DDG/helicopter ASW operations.
Armament: two MK 41 VLS for Standard missiles, Tomahawk; Harpoon missile launchers, one Mk 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun, two Phalanx CIWS, Mk 46 torpedoes (from two triple tube mounts)
Homeport: Norfolk, Va.
Crew: 23 Officers, 24 Chief Petty Officers and 291 Enlisted


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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MITSCHER. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


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USS MITSCHER Cruise Books:


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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy, and represent the sea and excellence. Red is emblematic of sacrifice and valor. The cross throughout the shield recalls the Navy Cross Admiral Mitscher was awarded for his participation in the first transatlantic air passage. The two stars above the cross commemorate his awards of 2nd and 3rd distinguished service medals and his 2nd and 3rd awards of the Navy Cross for meritorious service during operations in the Pacific during World War II. The armored gauntlet represents the strength and survivability of the ship. The lightning bolts symbolize energy and speed and the ability of the ship to conduct multi-mission operations in any dimension. Admiral Mitscher was a pioneer of strike warfare and a steadfast proponent of quick, decisive action. The gauntlet grasping the lightning bolt highlights U.S.S. MITSCHER's motto "SEIZE THE DAY", which embodies Admiral Mitscher's tenacious fighting spirit and dignifies DDG 57's legacy.

The Crest:

The combined anchor and trident symbolize sea prowess and combat readiness. The life preserver ringing the anchor commemorates Admiral Mitscher's compassion for his crew as manifested through his relentless determination in tracking down and recovering downed aircrews. The three tines of the trident represent the ship’s significant capabilities in strike, air, and subsurface warfare. The trident's position, rising above the crest, symbolizes the ability to project power over great distances. The gold wings represent Admiral Mitscher's service and dedication, throughout his career, in advancing naval aviation and developing strike warfare.




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History of USS MITSCHER

DDG 57 was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her sponsor was Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson.

USS MITSCHER was commissioned on December 10th, 1994. She transferred to her homeport in Norfolk, Virginia later in December 1994, and has since made several Mediterranean deployments as part of a Carrier Battle Group and gone on many Caribbean exercises.

On January 12, 2001, USS MITSCHER began a six-month deployment with the TRUMAN Battle Group. The entire battle group had trained together for the past eight months in preparation for this deployment through a series of increasingly demanding exercises and operations. These pre-deployment exercises culminated in October with the successful completion of Joint Task Force Exercise 01-1 and NATO Exercise Unified Spirit 2000.

During its 2001 deployment, USS MITSCHER visited Algiers, Algeria, for an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) exercise with the Algerian Navy. The joint exercise included surface and subsurface units. MITSCHER and an Algerian Koni-class frigate, RAIS KELLICH, were the surface participants. The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS NORFOLK (SSN 714) and the Algerian Kilo-class attack submarine EL HADJ SLIMANE, composed the subsurface force.


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USS MITSCHER Patch Gallery:

MED 2002-2003


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The photo below was taken by Brian Barton and shows USS MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on July 23, 2002.



The photos below were taken by me and show the USS MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 29, 2010.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 28, 2013.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS MITSCHER undergoing an Extended Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (E-DSRA) at General Dynamics NASSCO at Norfolk, Va., on October 6, 2015.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on April 13, 2016.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 12, 2016.



The photos below were taken by me and show the MITSCHER berthed alongside USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81) at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Scotland, on September 30, 2017. Both ships departed Norfolk, Va., on September 8, and are now in Scotland to participate in Exercises Formidable Shield and Joint Warrior 172.



The photos below were taken by me and show the MITSCHER shortly after departure from Faslane, Scotland, on October 1, 2017, to join Exercise Joint Warrior 172. Note the unusual position of the squadron's emblem on the first stack and the new white communications antenna next to the aft VLS.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning on May 25, 2018, during an open ship event aboard USS MITSCHER as part of Fleet Week New York.

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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MITSCHER at the Marine Hydraulics Industries (MHI) Ship Repair & Services shipyard at Norfolk, Va., on December 7, 2019.



The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on December 26, 2021.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MITSCHER at the BAE Systems shipyard in Norfolk, Va., on September 6, 2022.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MITSCHER at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 9, 2023.



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