The USS Howard DDG-83 is currently part of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. At this time it is off the coast of Somalia dealing with piracy. Read about it below and see photos and a video.
USS Howard
Barbary pirates have captured a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks and ammunition off the coast of Somalia. The US Destroyer, USS Howard, has moved in to keep an eye on the ship to ensure that the pirates don’t have the opportunity to unload the contents of the cargo vessel Faina. Meanwhile, a Russian frigate is enroute to the area.
The Faina was delivering the Russian weapons to Kenya. The American ship was watching the cargo ship out of concern for the amount of weapons on the ship and the increased level of piracy off the coast of Somalia. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991 and anarchy has reigned in the country and the seas off its coast.
While all this has been going on there are reports that another ship in the area has been seized. The second ship is a Greek tanker that was carrying refined petroleum from Europe to the Middle East and a crew of 19. It was taken in the Gulf of Aden by pirates.
The USS Howard DDG-83 is an Oscar Austin class guided missile destroyer. It is named for Marine Corps First Sergeant Jimmie E. Howard. Howard was awarded the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts for his service in the Korean War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Vietnam War. The ship was awarded the 2006 Battle E award on February 16, 2007.
The original USS Howard DD-179 was named for Charles W. Howard who was a U.S. Naval hero during the Civil War. That ship earned six battle stars in World War II.
The USS Howard’s home port is San Diego, California. She carries a crew of 380 and two SH-60 helicopters. She is armed with one Mk-45 5″/62 caliber lightweight gun, two Mk-41 VLS for Standard missiles and Tomahawk ASM/LAM, two 20mm Phalanx CIWS, two Mk-32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk-50 and Mk-46 torpedoes. Top speed is approximately 32 knots and weights approximately 9,200 tons when she’s fully loaded. She is 508.5 feet long and her beam is 67 feet.
The USS Howard was launched and christened on November 20, 1999 and commissioned on October 20, 2001.
USS Howard - Photos
USS Howard Deployment - May 19, 2008 - Video
November 5th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
During the election the news coverage of your mission has been neglected. Please update your web site. Very interested in this
November 29th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Actually, it’s an Arleigh Burke class, not Oscar Austin.
Just so you know.