PCU Michael Murphy (DDG-112) is the 62nd ship of the s. She is named for Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 recipient Michael P. Murphy

Michael P. Murphy

Michael Patrick Murphy was a United States Navy SEAL posthumously awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in 2005 during the War in Afghanistan. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan; and the first member of...

 (1976–2005). Her contract was awarded on 13 September 2002 to the Bath Iron Works

Bath Iron Works

Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...

 and Vice Admiral John Morgan, the first commanding officer of , made the first cut of steel. DDG-112 was named Michael Murphy by Secretary of the Navy, Donald C. Winter

Donald C. Winter

Donald Charles Winter is an American businessman who served as United States Secretary of the Navy. A former top executive of Northrop Grumman, he was nominated in 2005 by President George W. Bush, confirmed by the United States Senate, and took the oath of office on January 3, 2006...

 on 7 May 2008 and her keel was laid down on 18 June 2010. The ship was christened on 7 May 2011, Murphy's birthday, by her sponsor

Ship Sponsor

A ship sponsor, by tradition, is a female civilian who is invited to "sponsor" a vessel, presumably to bestow good luck and divine protection over the seagoing vessel and all that sail aboard...

 Maureen Murphy, Murphy's mother.

History

On 18 June 2010, Maureen Murphy and Edwin Bard inscribed the signatures of Murphy's family on an iron plate during a dedication ceremony for Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Michael Murphy. The plate will be affixed to the ship's hull during construction. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in June 2005. He was the first sailor awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

After its 7 May 2011 christening, the destroyer was moved to dry dock

Dry dock

A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...

for several months in order to finalize the vessel's construction.

External links