Military

DDG 103 Truxtun

On May 7, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that Secretary of the Navy Gordon England had decided that DDG hull number 103 would be named Truxtun.

Truxtun is a Flight IIA variant of the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer and incorporates a helicopter hanger facility into the original design. The ship can each carry two SH-60B/R helicopters. Guided missile destroyers operate independently and in conjunction with carrier strike groups, surface action groups, expeditionary strike groups and replenishment groups.

TRUXTUN was homeported in Norfolk, VA as designated by the homeport assignment message. The ship was scheduled to leave Pascagoula in 2009. The exact date of TRUXTUN's commissioning was delayed approximately 18 months from the original scehdule of June 2007 due to Hurricane Katrina. USS Truxtun (DDG 103), was commissioned Saturday, 25 April 2009, during a ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Charleston, SC.

When warships are formally commissioned In the U.S. Navy, they are given the title USS, an abbreviation for United States Ship. Prior to the commissioning ceremony, the vessel's title is PCU, which stands for Pre-commissioning Unit. Therefore, until DDG-103 is commissioned, its formal title is PCU TRUXTUN. Once commissioned, the title changed to USS TRUXTUN. The titles given to sea going vessels is a deep rooted tradition and for merchant ships in particular, the title can allude to the type of vessel. An example is SS Neptune where the "SS" stands for Steam Ship. Another common title for merchant ships is MV for Motor Vessel. British warships are entitled HMS for "Her Majesties Ship." Similarly, Australian warships are entitled HMAS for "Her Majesties Australian Ship."

The term PCU, or simply "Precom Unit" or "Unit," is also used to refer to the Pre-commissioning Unit administration support facility located at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula. The PCU support facility houses the offices for the crews of each PCU being constructed in Pascagoula. For the purposes of the entire Pre-commissioning process, think of the "Precom Unit" or "PCU" as the actual ship in Pascagoula.

Three previous ships carry this name: DD 14, DD 229 and CGN 35.

Commodore Thomas Truxtun

DDG 103 honors Commodore Thomas Truxtun (1755-1822) who embarked upon a seafaring career at age 12. At age 16, he was pressed into service in the Royal Navy. By the time he was 20, he had risen to command of Andrew Caldwell, bringing large quantities of gunpowder into Philadelphia in 1775. He signed on as a lieutenant onboard the Congress, the first privateer to be fitted out for service against Great Britain, and in 1776-77 participated in the capture of many prizes. Successively, he commanded Independence, Commerce and St. James. At a dinner in Truxtun's honor, George Washington declared his services had been worth those of a regiment. When the United States Navy was organized, he was selected as one of its first six captains on June 4, 1798. He was assigned command of the Constellation, one of the new frigates, and he put to sea immediately to prosecute the undeclared naval war with revolutionary France. On Feb. 9, 1799, Truxtun scored the first of his two most famous victories. After an hour's fight, Constellation battered the French warship L'Insurgente into submission in one of the most illustrious battles of the Quasi-War with France. Truxtun retired from the Navy as a commodore.