USS Mahan

## USS Mahan (DDG-72)

USS Mahan underway

**USS *Mahan* (DDG-72)** is an *Arleigh Burke*-class destroyer currently in service with the United States Navy. This ship is the 22nd destroyer of her class. USS *Mahan* was the 12th ship of this class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and construction began on 17 August 1995. She was launched and christened on 29 June 1996. On 14 February 1998 she was commissioned in Tampa, Florida. *Mahan* is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and as of 2012 was attached to Destroyer Squadron 2. By 2016, the ship was part of Destroyer Squadron 22.

### Namesake

She is named for seapower naval theorist Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan USN (1840-1914) and is the fourth Navy ship to bear the name. Mahan served with the Union's blockading squadrons during the American Civil War, and served as President of the Naval War College for two terms. Furthermore, he was a renowned U.S. Naval theoretician and is best known as the author of the book "The Influence of Sea Power upon History", which, with his other scholarly works, continues to influence strategic and geopolitical thinking throughout the world.

### Service History

The keel of *Mahan* was laid on 17 August 1995. Her mast was stepped on 6 February 1996, and she was launched and christened later that year on 29 June. The ship's sponsor is Mrs. Jennie Lou Arthur, wife of Admiral Stan Arthur. Her Aegis Combat System was lit off on 19 December.

1997 was a busy year for *Mahan*. Alpha/Bravo trials occurred on 21 July, Charlie trials on 5 August, and Delta trials on 12 August. The ship was officially transferred to the Navy on 22 August, and her Crew moved aboard on 17 October.

The ship’s first underway was 16–17 January 1998 from Bath, Maine, to Portland, Maine, for a three-day port visit. The weather was particularly heavy, and many of the crew members who had not put to sea before felt the effects of seasickness. Underway from Portland on 21 January, the ship pulled into her new homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, on 24 January. *Mahan* stayed in Norfolk until departing for her commissioning ceremony.

*Mahan* was commissioned at 1100 on 14 February 1998 at Tampa, Florida by the Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic, Vice Admiral Henry C. Griffin, III, USN with Commander Michael L. James, USN, commanding. Distinguished guests included Mr. Allen Cameron, President of Bath Iron Works, the Hon. Charles T. Canady, Congressman from Florida’s 12th District, and the Hon. George Nethercutt, Congressman from Washington’s 5th District. *Mahan* stayed in Tampa until 17 February, returning to Norfolk on 21 February. *Mahan* briefly left at the end of the month to conduct Combat Direction Finding System testing at sea.

The next few months saw events including Command Assessment of Readiness and Training (CART), ammunition onload at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA), Industrial Hygiene Survey, Combat Systems Ship’s Qualification Trial (CSSQT), evaluation at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), MISSILEX, Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) qualification, VANDALEX, Final Conduct Trial, a post-Shipyard Availability Conference, and a recruiting video shoot, all before the end of July. In August, *Mahan* hosted the change of command ceremony for Commander Destroyer Squadron 26.

*Mahan* was placed in drydock in Portland, Maine on 1 September as part of the post-Shipyard Availability (PSA). *Mahan* departed Portland on 16 November, and during the transit back to Norfolk, conducted her first underway replenishment, with USNS *Big Horn*. The ship was underway twice for Helicopter Deck Landing Qualifications (DLQs) before the end of the year.

On 16 February 2007, *Mahan* was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.

n June 2009, *Mahan* participated as an opposition force unit during USS *Harry S. Truman*'s Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

In July 2009, *Mahan* participated in Operation Northern Trident, where she met two Royal Australian Navy ships, HMAS *Sydney* and HMAS *Ballarat*, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The three ships conducted combined exercises at sea and a four-day port visit to New York City, New York. *Mahan* crew members worked with their Australian counterparts in cleaning the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines Center in midtown Manhattan. Receptions were held onboard all three ships while offering tours to the public. Crew members were able to pay their respects by conducting a wreath laying ceremony at the World Trade Center. Several sailors also reenlisted in Times Square and at the World Trade Center site.

USS *Mahan* began a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at the BAE Systems Ship Repair shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia on 6 January 2010. The extensive upgrades and installations received during this time focused on improving the ship's Command and Control capability. *Mahan* left the shipyard on 10 March, and completed a light-off assessment on 25 March, ending the SRA. The remainder of 2010 was dedicated to completing Basic Phase training, which had commenced prior to starting the SRA in 2009, conducting Integrated Phase training, and final repairs and installations to ensure *Mahan* was materially ready for an extended deployment. *Mahan* participated in the USS *Kearsarge* Amphibious Readiness Group's COMPTUEX in July, resulting in certification for maritime support operations. *Mahan*'s executive officer was relieved on 17 September 2010 following an investigation and commodore's mast.

In August 2011, USS *Mahan* made a port visit to Rockland, Maine, in support of the 64th annual Maine Lobster Festival. The crew participated in a parade, tours, a cooking contest, community service projects, and a 10K race. Later that month, *Mahan* visited Newport, Rhode Island to be the Surface Warfare Officer's School (SWOS) Ship for the week of 15–19 August. *Mahan* was sortied along with 26 other ships in preparation for Hurricane Irene, returning 1 September 2011. *Mahan* began a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at the Marine Hydraulics International shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, on 26 October 2011. During this availability, the ship received the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System upgrade. Commander Adam Aycock relieved Commander Kurt Mondlak as commanding officer on 4 November 2011.

USS *Mahan*'s SRA ended on 29 February 2012, which was immediately followed by a light-off assessment and sea trials. The ship went through four Continuous Maintenance Availabilities (CMAVs) in April, June, September, and November. Following a command investigation, 13 *Mahan* sailors were awarded non-judicial punishment for illegal drug use during a captain's mast on 4 April 2012. On 10 April 2012, *Mahan* hosted a retired Chief Sonar Technician. In June and July, *Mahan* hosted midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps as part of Cortramid. In October, *Mahan* was evaluated by the Board of Inspection and Survey as part of a regularly scheduled inspection. Not only was *Mahan* the first ship to successfully demonstrate Ballistic Missile Defense during the inspection, the ship also achieved the highest score for a destroyer in several years. Later in October, *Mahan* was the host ship for the United States Naval Academy Homecoming Weekend in Annapolis, Maryland. The ship completed Independent Deployer Certification Exercise (IDCERTEX) in December in preparation for her upcoming deployment.

USS *Mahan* held a memorial ceremony on 6 December 2013, in honor of the 69th anniversary of the Battle of Ormoc Bay in which USS *Mahan* (DD-364) lost six crewmembers. On 10 January 2014, three USS *Mahan* (DDG-72) sailors traveled to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, to present a flag to a veteran of USS *Mahan* (DD-364) who was unable to make the December ceremony.

USS *Mahan* visited New Orleans, Louisiana, during the 2014 Mardi Gras celebration.

A shooting occurred on the ship just before midnight on 24 March 2014, while the ship was pier-side at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. Master-At-Arms Second Class Mark Mayo who was on duty as the Chief of the Guard, dove in front of the ship's Petty Officer of the Watch to shield her from the gunman. For his actions, he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. Mayo was killed and the civilian suspect was shot and killed by Naval Security Forces. The civilian armed himself by wrestling the weapon free from a Norfolk Naval Station Guard.