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USS Gravely

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Gravely (DDG-107) in 2013
USS Gravely in 2013
History
United States
NameGravely
NamesakeSamuel L. Gravely, Jr.[1]
Awarded13 September 2002[2]
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding[2]
Laid down26 November 2007[2]
Launched30 March 2009[2]
Sponsored byAlma Gravely[1]
Christened16 May 2009[1]
Commissioned20 November 2010[3]
HomeportNorfolk[2]
Identification
MottoFirst To Conquer
Statusin active service[2]
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeArleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement9,200 long tons (9,300 t)
Length509 ft 6 in (155.30 m)[2]
Beam66 ft (20 m)[2]
Draft33 ft (10 m)[2]
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)[2]
Speed30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)[1]
Complement312 officers and enlisted[2]
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters

USS Gravely (DDG-107) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named after Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Commissioned in 2010, she has been on several overseas deployments.

Construction

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Gravely is the 57th destroyer in her class. She was authorized on 13 September 2002 and her keel was laid down on 26 November 2007 at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Gravely was launched on 30 March 2009.[2] The ship is named after Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., the first African American in the U.S. Navy to serve aboard a fighting ship as an officer, the first to command a Navy ship, the first fleet commander, and the first to become a flag officer, retiring as a vice admiral.[4][5] Admiral Gravely's wife, Alma Gravely, christened the ship on 16 May 2009 and serves as ship's sponsor. Retired Navy Admiral J. Paul Reason was the principal speaker at the ceremony, which was held at Northrop's facility in Pascagoula.[1] She successfully completed sea trials in June 2010.[6] Gravely, Northrop Grumman's 27th Aegis'equipped guided missile destroyer, was commissioned at Wilmington, North Carolina on 20 November 2010.[3]

Service history

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Forward 5 in/62 caliber gun of USS Gravely. Taken during Fleet Week 2012 in Boston. The superstructure of a German destroyer is in the left background.
Gravely fore VLS. Picture taken during Fleet Week 2012 in Boston. The ship in the background is a German destroyer.

In late August 2013 along with her sister ships Mahan, Barry, and Ramage, Gravely was sent to patrol the eastern Mediterranean Sea in response to rising rumors of an imminent US military intervention in the Syrian civil war.[7] On 28 October 2013, the destroyers Gravely and Ramage answered a distress call from a vessel carrying immigrants located 160 nautical miles (300 km; 180 mi) off the coast of Kalamata, Greece.[8] On 18 November 2013, Gravely returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, completing her first overseas deployment.[9]

On 28 March 2016, Gravely provided assistance to USS Sirocco, which had seized a stateless dhow transporting weapons. Once the weapons were offloaded, the dhow and its crew were released.[10] In June 2016 while escorting the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman the destroyer had a close encounter with a Russian Navy frigate, causing Russian and US Navy officials to accuse each other of dangerous and unprofessional conduct.[11] On 11 March 2019, as part of Carrier Strike Group Eight (CSG-8), Gravely received the Meritorious Unit Commendation award in support of Operation Inherent Resolve during the 2015-2016 deployment.[12]

On 13 May 2022, Gravely took part in a PASSEX training with the Finnish and Swedish navies in the northern Baltic Sea.[13] In May 2022, Gravely was homeported out of Naval Station Norfolk and a part of Destroyer Squadron 28, along with Carrier Strike Group 8 led by the USS Harry S. Truman.[14]

On 24 June 2022, Gravely returned to Norfolk.[15]

United States–Houthi conflict (2023–present)

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Main article: United States-Houthi conflict (2023–present)

On 14 October 2023, Lloyd Austin directed Dwight D. Eisenhower and her carrier strike group, which includes the cruiser Philippine Sea, along with Gravely and sister-destroyers Laboon and Mason, to the eastern Mediterranean in response to Israel's war with Hamas.[16] This is the second carrier strike group to be sent to the region in response to the conflict, following Gerald R. Ford and her group, which was dispatched only six days earlier.[17]

On 30 December 2023, Danish container ship Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call after coming under fire from four small ships commanded by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen. Attempts were also made to board Maersk Hangzhou by force, while a contracted security team defended the ship. Gravely and aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower responded to a distress call from the container ship. Verbal commands were radioed to the Houthi ships, while helicopters from Eisenhower were dispatched. After taking small arms fire, U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the four Houthi ships. There was no damage to U.S. equipment or personnel. In the process of responding to the distress call, Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen.[18][19]

On 12 January 2024, Gravely along with destroyer Mason and cruiser Philippine Sea fired Tomahawk cruise missiles at Houthi rebels in Yemen. Aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Three embarked on the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower participated in the strikes.[20]

On 30 January 2024, Gravely used its Phalanx CIWS to shoot down an incoming anti-ship cruise missile fired by the Houthis. U.S. officials said that the missile came within a mile of the destroyer.[21] No damage or injuries were reported.[22]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Navy Christens Newest Arleigh Burke Class Ship Gravely". Navy.mil. Navy News Service. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Gravely". Naval Vessel Register. NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office (NAVSHIPSO). Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  3. ^ a b Trettor, Eric (13 November 2010). "PCU Gravely Arrives in Wilmington for Commissioning". Navy News Service. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Navy Names Newest Arleigh Burke Class Ship USS Gravely". Department of Defense. 12 September 2006. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  5. ^ Bayot, Jennifer (26 October 2004). "Samuel L. Gravely Jr., 82, First Black Admiral in Navy, Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Pascagoula-built destroyer Gravely returns from sea trial". gulflive.com. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  7. ^ "U.S. and U.K. Move Ships Closer to Syria". USNI News. United States Naval Institute. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  8. ^ "U.S. ships head towards migrant vessel in distress off Greece". Reuters. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Destroyer Gravely returns to Norfolk Naval Station". The Virginian-Pilot. 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  10. ^ LeGrone, Sam (4 April 2016). "U.S. Navy Seizes Suspected Iranian Arms Shipment Bound for Yemen". USNI News. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. ^ Martinez, Luis; Reevell, Patrick; McLaughlin, Elizabeth (29 June 2016). "US Officials Say Russian Warship Intentionally Interfered With Navy Operations". ABC News. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  12. ^ "CSG 8 Receives MUC for 2015-2016 Deployment". DVIDS. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Finnish Navy Holds Drills In Northern Baltic Sea". Naval News. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  14. ^ "USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: May 23, 2022". usni.org. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  15. ^ @USNavy (26 June 2022). "Welcome Home! ⚓ 🎉 🇺🇸 The USS Gravely (DDG 109) returns home to Naval Station Norfolk, June 24, 2022, after a mont…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Raddatz, Martha; Martinez, Luis (14 October 2023). "Exclusive: US to send 2nd aircraft carrier to eastern Mediterranean". ABC News. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Statement From Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Force Posture Changes in the Middle E". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  18. ^ US Central Command (31 December 2023). "Iranian-backed Houthi small boats attack merchant vessel and U.S. Navy helicopters in Southern Red Sea". X (formerly Twitter).
  19. ^ Tanyos, Faris (30 December 2023). "Missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen strikes merchant vessel in Red Sea, Pentagon says". CBS News. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  20. ^ Mongilio, Heather (12 January 2024). "Ike's Carrier Air Wing 3, USS Gravely, USS Philippine Sea and USS Mason Struck Houthi Targets". USNI News. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  21. ^ Liebermann, Oren; Bertrand, Natasha (31 January 2024). "US warship had close call with Houthi missile in Red Sea". CNN. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  22. ^ Sherman, Ella; Epstein, Jake (31 January 2024). "A Houthi missile got so close to a US destroyer the warship turned to a last resort gun system to shoot it down: report". Business Insider. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Navadmin 179/23".
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