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General Characteristics

Crew List

Memorabilia

About the Ship's Name

Coat of Arms

History

Homeports of USS Bainbridge

Construction Gallery

Image Gallery

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USS Bainbridge (DDG 96)

USS BAINBRIDGE is the 18^th Flight IIA ARLEIGH BURKE - class guided missile destroyer and the fifth ship in the Navy named after Commodore William Bainbridge. The BAINBRIDGE received worldwide attention for her role in the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in April 2009. Pirates tried to hijack his ship, the MV MAERSK ALABAMA, off Somalia but crewmembers were able to retake the ship and the pirates retreated in a lifeboat, taking Captain Phillips with them. US Navy SEAL snipers aboard the BAINBRIDGE resolved the situation on April 12, killing three pirates and capturing one.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: March 6, 1998
	Keel laid: May 7, 2003
	Launched: October 30, 2004
	Commissioned: November 12, 2005
	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 SH-60 (LAMPS 3) helicopters
	Armament: one Mk-45 5"/62 caliber lightweight gun, two Mk-41 VLS for Standard missiles and Tomahawk ASM/LAM, one 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two Mk-32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk-50 and Mk-46 torpedoes, two Mk 38 Mod 2 25mm machine gun systems
	Homeport: Norfolk, Va.
	Crew: approx. 320

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Crew List:

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

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to see which USS BAINBRIDGE memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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Click here to read more about the Ship's Namesake - Commodore William Bainbridge

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

The shield represents the protective power of the Aegis Weapons system. The Dark Blue and Gold, colors traditionally associated with the Navy, represent the sea and excellence. The anchor reflects the maritime tradition and achievement. The four silver stars recall the previous ships named in honor of Commodore Bainbridge. The ship's wheel symbolizes navigation. Gold denotes honor. The four bosses, the circular knoblike objects, reflect the warships commanded by Commodore Bainbridge: GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESSEX, PHILADELPHIA and CONSTITUTION. The Congressional Gold Medal centered on the wheel, represents the award received while commanding the ship CONSTITUTION, for it's December 1812 victory against HMS JAVA. This highest honor was awarded for his outstanding heroic service during the battle when the CONSTITUTION's ship's wheel was destroyed and he replaced it with the JAVA's wheel. The olive wreath denotes peace and Commodore Bainbridge's diplomatic missions in the Mediterranean. The border indicates distinction and 'battleship gray', is the primary color for the destroyer. Black denotes dignity. Born during the American Revolution, the thirteen pellets allude to the original 13 colonies, including New Jersey, the birthplace of Commodore Bainbridge.

The Crest:

The bald eagle, the symbol of National defense, power and authority, exemplifies Commodore Bainbridge's patriotism. The crossed tridents signify sea power; also, denoting the ship's modern technology, the AEGIS system and electronic warfare capabilities of the combat weapon system.

Supporters:

The crossed cannon barrels symbolize the past naval weaponry and naval readiness.

The Seal:

The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a White field enclosed by a Blue oval border edged on the outside with Gold rope and bearing the name 'USS BAINBRIDGE' at top and 'DDG 96' in base all in Gold.

The Motto:

Red, white and blue are the national colors. The motto embodies the Commodore's spirit and attitude throughout his military service.

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USS BAINBRIDGE History:

From contract award on March 6, 1998 to delivery into the Fleet, USS BAINBRIDGE followed the well-worn Bath Iron Works path of Flight IIA ARLEIGH BURKE destroyers. The keel was laid at Bath, Maine on May 7, 2003; the ship was launched on October 30, 2004, and christened the next day by sponsor Susan Bainbridge Hay. Commissioning followed at Port Everglades, Florida, on November 12, 2005, placing BAINBRIDGE under Commander John M. Dorey for the ship's first year of service.

Through 2006 and 2007, BAINBRIDGE completed successive basic, advanced, and integrated training phases from Norfolk, culminating in initial certification events and the ship's first extended underway periods with Atlantic Fleet destroyer squadrons. Those evolutions set the pattern for the ship's early deployments: maritime security tasking, air and missile defense events, and high-end exercises embedded within standing NATO maritime groups.

In April 2009, the destroyer was vectored to the emergency off Somalia surrounding the MAERSK ALABAMA hijacking. Under 5th Fleet control and working with other U.S. vessels and an embarked U.S. Navy special operations element, BAINBRIDGE stood by the lifeboat holding the ship's master and provided the platform for the precision action that ended the standoff on April 12, 2009. For its role, the crew received a Navy Unit Commendation covering April 8-16, 2009.

BAINBRIDGE returned to European waters in autumn 2010 for Joint Warrior 10-2, mooring at HMNB Clyde, Faslane on September 30, 2010, before starting the multi-week exercise off Scotland. The period emphasized combined anti-submarine, anti-surface, and air defense scenarios with allied air and sea forces and provided deployment workups under realistic North Atlantic conditions.

On January 4, 2011, the ship departed Norfolk for an independent seven-month deployment split between 6th and 5th Fleet tasking. After Mediterranean theater security operations and NATO integration, BAINBRIDGE entered the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden counter-piracy circuit in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor, working at intervals with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and other coalition units. The destroyer visited Aqaba, Jordan from July 3-7, 2011, then transited Suez northbound on July 9 and called at Haifa, Israel from July 10-14 while returning toward the Atlantic. BAINBRIDGE arrived back at Naval Station Norfolk on August 5, 2011, closing a 210-day employment focused on maritime security and counter-piracy operations.

A Sixth Fleet deployment in 2013 followed a similar rhythm of Mediterranean presence and allied interoperability. BAINBRIDGE left Norfolk in mid-June 2013, made a routine port call at Naples on July 8, 2013, continued theater security tasks through late summer and autumn, and returned to Norfolk on January 15, 2014, concluding roughly six months forward.

The ship deployed again in 2015 for Mediterranean operations. Among the waypoints was a June 26, 2015, transit of Souda Bay, Crete during turnover and logistics sequencing. BAINBRIDGE returned to Norfolk on December 2, 2015. In April 2016, following a command investigation connected to that deployment, the Navy relieved the commanding officer, the former executive officer, and the command master chief; Commander Martin Marty Robertson assumed command on April 8, 2016.

In March 2018, Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center executed a focused CMAV on BAINBRIDGE to prepare for material inspection and operations, repairing firemain systems and overhauling the anchor windlass among other preservation work. The destroyer then moved north for BALTOPS 2018, conducting replenishment at sea with German support ship FGS FRANKFURT AM MAIN (A 1412) and integrating in large-force maritime and air events. On June 15, 2018, BAINBRIDGE moored at Kiel for Kiel Week, concluding the Baltic phase.

On June 13, 2019, in the Gulf of Oman, BAINBRIDGE responded to the distress of the tanker KOKUKA COURAGEOUS following explosive damage during the Gulf of Oman incident. The destroyer took aboard the tanker's mariners and later returned 21 crew to the vessel to assist towing and follow-on actions under 5th Fleet coordination.

From December 2021 into 2022, BAINBRIDGE deployed with the HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) Carrier Strike Group in 6th Fleet. The ship's itinerary included Aksaz, Turkey on July 18, 2022 and Civitavecchia, Italy on August 2, 2022, amid intensive NATO integration. BAINBRIDGE returned to Norfolk on September 9, 2022 after nine months forward.

Following that cruise the ship entered a docking selected restricted availability at General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk managed with MARMC, a 14-month package that returned BAINBRIDGE to the Fleet on December 6, 2023, after significant hull, mechanical, electrical, and boat handling equipment work.

On June 24, 2025, BAINBRIDGE again departed Norfolk, this time as a DESRON TWO unit within Carrier Strike Group Twelve built around USS GERALD R. FORD (CVN 78), bound for European waters. After initial Mediterranean tasking, the destroyer made a scheduled port visit to Civitavecchia on August 3, 2025. From that Italian stop the strike group's center of gravity shifted north. By August 23, 2025, BAINBRIDGE was operating in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea, conducting an underway replenishment with fast combat support ship USNS SUPPLY (T-AOE 6) and forming up with allied and U.S. escorts for high-latitude operations. In late August and early September, the destroyer worked closely with USS MAHAN (DDG 72) and USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81) in a surface action group framework and exercised with Royal Norwegian Navy units HNOMS THOR HEYERDAHL (F 314) and HNOMS MAUD (A 530). The group also completed photo exercises and patrol evolutions alongside French FREMM frigate FS AQUITAINE (D 650) and German air-defense frigate FGS HAMBURG (F 220), with logistics supported by USNS WILLIAM MCLEAN (T-AKE 12) and French fleet oiler FS SOMME (A 631). BAINBRIDGE transited the North Cape approaches and northern fjords during this phase, including Soroysundet on September 7 and the North Cape fjord on August 29, operating above the Arctic Circle as weather allowed while FORD flew with Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s in the region. The period ran through approximately September 8, 2025, after which the carrier made a public port call at Oslo on September 12, while surface escorts visited other ports in the region. BAINBRIDGE arrived at Helsinki, Finland, on September 14 for a scheduled port call.

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Homeports of USS BAINBRIDGE:

Period	Homeport
commissioned at Port Everglades, Fla.
2005 - present	Norfolk, Va.

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USS BAINBRIDGE Construction Gallery:

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USS BAINBRIDGE Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by me and show the BAINBRIDGE at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., on November 9, 2008.

The photos below were taken by me and show the USS BAINBRIDGE passing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on her way to Naval Base Norfolk, Va, on October 28, 2010. The BAINBRIDGE is returning home after participating in exercise Joint Warrior held off Great Britain earlier in October. The last two photos show the BAINBRIDGE moored at Naval Base Norfolk on October 29.

The photos below were taken by me and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard, Norfolk, Va., undergoing a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) on May 6, 2012.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at Marine Hydraulics Industries (MHI) Ship Repair & Services shipyard in Norfolk, Va., for a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) on May 8, 2014.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at Naval Base Norfolk, Va. on October 23, 2014.

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

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at the Marine Hydraulics Shipyard at Norfolk, Va., undergoing a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) on October 12, 2016.

The clip and the photos below were taken by me and show the USS BAINBRIDGE arriving at Kiel, Germany, on June 15, 2018. The port visit marks the end of BALTOPS 2018 and allows the ship to participate in the Kiel Week celebrations.

The photos below were taken by me during an open ship event aboard USS BAINBRIDGE at Naval Base Kiel, Germany, on June 17, 2018.


			Click here for more Photos.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at Naval Base Norfolk, Va. on September 21, 2018.

The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the USS BAINBRIDGE along with sistership USS COLE (DDG 67) at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va., on September 6, 2022. Both ships are at the end of a seven-month deployment to the US 5th and 6th Fleet Areas of Operations. They conducted an ammo offload at Yorktown from September 4-9 before returning home to Naval Base Norfolk on September 9.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE undergoing a Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair in Norfolk, Va. on October 9, 2023.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS BAINBRIDGE at Naval Base Norfolk, Va. on October 4, 2024.

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