USS McCampbell

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## USS McCampbell (DDG-85)

USS McCampbell at the Intl. Fleet Review

**USS *McCampbell* (DDG-85)** is an *Arleigh Burke*-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of Naval Aviator Captain David S. McCampbell, a Medal of Honor and Navy Cross recipient who was the Navy's leading ace in World War II. This ship is the 35th destroyer of her class. USS *McCampbell* was the 20th ship of this class to be built by Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine, and construction began on 16 July 1999. She was launched and christened on 2 July 2000. On 17 August 2002, the commissioning ceremony was held at Pier 30 in San Francisco, California.

### Service History

She arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan as part of the Navy's Seventh Fleet in July 2007, and was then permanently home ported there.

On 23 June 2009, *McCampbell* replaced USS *John S. McCain* in shadowing the North Korean ship *Kang Nam 1* toward Burma in enforcement of a new United Nations resolution, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874.

In March 2011, *McCampbell* was the first US Navy vessel on station off northeastern Honshu, Japan to assist with relief efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and deliver food, supplies, and other material aid directly to survivors. Later, after the arrival of the aircraft carrier *Ronald Reagan*, the ship continued relief efforts as an element in Carrier Strike Group Seven, using the carrier as a supply distribution hub through early April.

On 13 June 2011, *McCampbell* intercepted the North Korean-flagged merchant vessel MV *Light*, en route to Myanmar, on 26 May, south of Shanghai. *McCampbell* requested permission to board the vessel, which was suspected of carrying missile technology, but was refused. After several days MV *Light* turned around and returned to North Korea, tracked by surveillance aircraft and satellites.

*McCampbell* rescued five Philippine fishermen on or about 24 October 2012. During a routine night mission, the embarked helicopter crew of *McCampbell* discovered five men signaling for help aboard a mostly-sunk fishing vessel. The helicopter crew deployed flotation rafts while *McCampbell* dispatched two boats, along with a translator, to assist in the rescue. *McCampbell* was operating with *George Washington* and Carrier Strike Group Five at that time.

*McCampbell* maintains on board an active VBSS team to conduct anti piracy, anti-smuggling, and anti-terrorist operations. The ship was an active participant in *IMDEX*, and the VBSS team was a centerpiece in the multilateral training effort held in conjunction with the exposition.

On 24 January 2019, *McCampbell* sailed through the Taiwan Strait on orders from the USS Pacific Fleet. *McCampbell* and replenishment oiler *Walter S. Diehl* "conducted a routine Taiwan Strait Transit" that was "in accordance with international law."

In July 2020 the ship left Yokosuka for Portland, Oregon to begin a midlife update at Vigor Shipyards. While the update has a set cost of US$133.4 million, with contract options that could rise up to as much as US$155.6 million.