USS Preble ( DDG - 88 ) USS " Preble " ( DDG - 88 ) is an " Arleigh Burke " - class destroyer in the United States Navy . She is the sixth U . S . Navy ship named for Commodore Edward Preble ( 1761 – 1807 ) . Preble served in the American Revolutionary War and was one of the early leaders of the Navy , serving in the Quasi - War with France and the First Barbary War . " Preble " was commissioned 9 November 2002 at the Commonwealth Pier / World Trade Center in Boston , Massachusetts . At her commissioning ceremony USS " Preble " was docked bow to bow with USS " Constitution " , the command of her namesake . The ceremony included a symbolic welcoming aboard of the spirit of Commodore Preble signaled by the ringing of chimes . Among the speakers at the commissioning were U . S . Senator Edward Kennedy , U . S . Representative Stephen Lynch , then Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vernon E . Clark USN ( Ret . ) and journalist and sailor Walter Cronkite . History . " Preble " departed San Diego in June 2004 for her maiden deployment with the Expeditionary Strike Group . " Preble " returned home after six months on 17 December 2004 . On 20 January 2007 , " Preble " departed for a routine deployment with the carrier strike group . " Preble " supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom , Expeditionary Strike Force training and exercise Valiant Shield 2007 during the deployment . She returned to her homeport after seven months on 29 August 2007 . In 2008 , " Preble " successfully completed an accelerated training cycle and passed a rigorous Inspection Board and Survey ( INSURV ) in May . That fall , " Preble " executed the integrated training phase with the " Stennis " Strike Group in preparation for a deployment in 2009 . " Preble " deployed on 17 January 2009 for a routine deployment with the " Stennis " Carrier Strike Group where she spent five months in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility , participated in Exercise Foal Eagle and culminated the deployment with a diplomatic port visit in Tahiti , French Polynesia . " Preble " returned to home port on 15 June 2009 . In 2010 " Preble " shifted to align with the Strike Group and hosted sailors from the Royal New Zealand Navy . The Anzac class frigate HMNZS " Te Kaha " and replenishment tanker HMNZS " Endeavour " conducted exercises with " Preble " during a 3 - day underway period . Additionally , " Preble " was called to act as the lead ship for a Destroyer Squadron Seven multi - group sail that showcased the ship ' s Anti - Submarine Warfare capabilities . In September 2010 , " Preble " conducted an Operational Test Launch of two Block 3C Tomahawk missiles and one Block 4E Tomahawk missile off the coast of San Nicholas Island . The launch was successful and aided in the further development of the weapon system . " Preble " participated in an Integrated Anti - Submarine Warfare Course at sea as well as three weeks of exercises with " Ronald Reagan " and sister ships in Destroyer Squadron Seven during the Composite Unit Training Exercise ( COMPTUEX ) in October to November 2010 . In November 2010 , " Preble " successfully conducted a Mark 54 torpedo technical evaluation in support of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center ’ s development of the torpedo . " Preble " accurately fired six MK 54 torpedoes during the evaluation . In all , " Preble " had a successful 2010 and was awarded the Destroyer Squadron Seven Battle Efficiency Award which recognizes sustained superior performance , operational effectiveness , and continuous readiness . In addition , the ship earned the Black E ( Maritime Warfare Excellence ) , Blue E ( Logistics Management and Supply Excellence ) , Yellow E ( Ship Safety ) and Red E ( Engineering / Survivability Excellence ) . In February 2011 , " Preble " deployed with Carrier Strike Group Seven . " Preble " was a first responder to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami . The ship conducted humanitarian and disaster relief efforts off the coast of northeastern Japan . After spending nearly a month off the coast of Japan , " Preble " began to conduct a series of fisheries patrols . From 28 February to 6 March 2011 , she conducted these patrols in the Exclusive Economic Zones of various Pacific island nations as part of the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative . With modern technology , fishing vessels have increased their capability and capacity to catch more fish , and consequently , it is imperative that the rights of small island nations to their EEZ be preserved to prevent illegal fishing and exploitation of their ecosystems . EEZ patrols are part of an ongoing partnership between the U . S . Navy and U . S . Coast Guard to reduce and eliminate illegal , unregulated , unreported ( IUU ) fishing and effectively enforce fishing regulations across the Western Pacific . " Preble " s mission supported the United States ' long - standing partnership with the maritime nations of Micronesia , Oceania , and the Marshall Islands , with the focus on IUU fishing in the EEZs of these island nations and on the high seas itself . During the course of this operation , " Preble " encountered multiple vessels conducting fishing operations in EEZ . All the data was reported to USCG District 14 for evaluation and follow - on action via the embarked Coast Guard liaison team . Also , " Preble " s embarked detachment of Sikorsky SH - 60 Seahawk helicopters from squadron HSL - 43 was used to conduct routine aerial patrols , enabling the surveillance team to search multiple areas of interest . She then continued west to operate as part of the Seventh and Fifth Fleets . " Preble " came under the command of the Fifth Fleet in May 2011 and conducted counter - piracy operations as part of Combined Task Force 151 . " Preble " returned home in late 2011 . On 25 August 2011 , BAE Systems Ship Repair was awarded a $ 14 . 5 million contract , in addition to a previous contract , to upgrade and repair " Preble " .