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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books About the Ship's Coat of Arms COs of USS Mason About the Ship's Name Image Gallery to end of page |  |  |
USS MASON is the tenth Flight IIA ARLEIGH BURKE - class guided missile destroyer and the third ship in the Navy to bear the name.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: December 13, 1996 |
| Keel laid: January 20, 2000 | |
| Launched: June 23, 2001 | |
| Commissioned: April 12, 2003 | |
| Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine | |
| Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines | |
| Propellers: two | |
| Length: 508,5 feet (155 meters) | |
| Beam: 67 feet (20.4 meters) | |
| Draft: 30,5 feet (9.3 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 9,200 tons full load | |
| Speed: 32 knots | |
| Aircraft: two | |
| Armament: one | |
| Homeport: Mayport, Fla. | |
| Crew: approx. 320 |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS MASON. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS MASON Cruise Books:
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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:
The Shield:
Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally used by the Navy; red, white and blue are the national colors. The two chevrons commemorate DD 191 and DE 529, the two previous ships named "USS MASON." The opposing lions, which are adapted from the Mason Family Coat-of-Arms, represent the World War II Pacific and Atlantic campaigns. The left facing lion symbolizes the service and sacrifice of Ensign Newton Henry Mason in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The right facing lion symbolizes the crew’s courageous actions in the North Atlantic during Convoy NY 119 in the ship bearing Ensign Mason’s name. The trident, symbol of sea prowess, symbolizes DDG 87's modern warfare capabilities: The Aegis Weapons System, Theater Ballistic Missile Defense and Cooperative Engagement Capability.
The Crest:
The helm symbolizes a strong defense and the projection of power. The anchor refers to John Young Mason, namesake of DD 191 who was Secretary of the Navy under Presidents John Tyler and James K. Polk. The cross alludes to the Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to Newton Henry Mason. The wreath denotes the many awards, honors and achievements of the previous ships named MASON and the crews who served in them.
The Supporters:
Laurel is emblematic of honor and high achievement of the African American crew of DE 529 and marks their selfless contribution to the eventual desegregation of the Navy. The shamrock is symbolic of their good fortune during arduous operations in the North Atlantic and the warm Irish welcome afforded them on their port visit to Northern Ireland.
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USS MASON's Commanding Officers:
| Period | Name |
|---|---|
| April 12, 2003 - May 2004 | Commander David Gale, USN |
| May 2004 - January 2006 | Commander Eugene H. Black, III, USN |
| January 2006 - August 2007 | Commander John V. Fuller, USN |
| August 2007 - 2009 | Commander Robert E. Clark, USN |
| 2009 - March 2011 | Commander Kevin M. Robinson, USN |
| March 2011 - August 2012 | Commander Adan G. Cruz, USN |
| August 2012 - February 2014 | Commander D. Wilson Marks,USN |
| February 2014 - August 2015 | Commander Mikal Phillips, USN |
| August 2015 - present | Commander Christopher J. Gilbertson, USN |
back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Ship’s Name:
USS MASON is named in honor of two previous ships of that name. The first MASON (DD 191) (1920-1941) was named for John Young Mason, born April 18, 1799, in Greene County, Va. Both a political leader and diplomat, he was secretary of the Navy for Presidents John Tyler, 1844 to 1845, and James K. Polk, 1846 to 1849. As minister to France, he joined James Buchanan and Pierre Soulé, ministers to Great Britain and Spain respectively, on Oct. 18, 1854, in issuing the famous Ostend Manifesto. This document justified seizing Cuba if Spain would not sell the colony to the United States. Mason died in Paris, France, Oct. 3, 1859.
The second MASON (DE 529) (1944-1945) was named for Ensign Newton Henry Mason, born Dec. 24, 1918, in New York City. He enlisted as a seaman in the Naval Reserve, Nov. 7, 1940 and on Feb. 10, 1941 was appointed an aviation cadet. Assigned to Fighting Squadron 3, he died following aerial combat against Japanese forces during the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 8 and 9, 1942. Mason was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his skill and courage in battle.
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USS MASON Image Gallery:
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The photos below were taken by me and show the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 29, 2010.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the MASON undergoing repairs and modernization as part of the DDG Modernization (DDG MOD) upgrade at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair facility in Norfolk, Va. MASON entered dry-dock TITAN on January 30, 2012 - along with her sistership BULKELEY (DDG 84) - in the first ever tandem dry-docking of two US Navy Aegis guided missile destroyers. The TITAN is the largest floating dry-dock on the East Coast, measuring 950 feet long and 160 feet wide, with a lift capacity of 52,000 tons. The photos were taken on May 6, 2012.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the MASON at Amsterdam, Netherlands, on August 7, 2013. The photos show her moored at Vlothaven Quay, from where she got underway shortly after noon and taking the Noordzeekanaal she later headed for the North Sea. The Netherlands were the first stop for MASON after she left Norfolk, Va., on July 22 for a deployment as part of the HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) Strike Group.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on May 8, 2014.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 23, 2014.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on April 29, 2015.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on October 6, 2015.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MASON at the Marine Hydraulics Industries (MHI) Ship Repair & Services shipyard in Norfolk, Va., for a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) on October 4, 2017.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on September 21, 2018.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the MASON at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on December 26, 2021.
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