 |
||
|
HOME
|
US Navy -
ships
|
US Navy - air
units
|
USMC - air
units
|
International
Navies
|
Weapon Systems
|
Special Reports |
||
|
US Navy - Guided Missile Destroyer DDG 121 - USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. |
||
|
||
| 07/24 | ||
|
Type,
class: Guided Missile Destroyer - DDG; Arleigh Burke
class, Flight IIA TI Builder: Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA STATUS: Awarded: June 3, 2013 Laid down: February 21, 2017 Launched: July 13, 2018 Commissioned: May 14, 2022 IN SERVICE Homeport: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii Namesake: Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Jr. / USMC (1932-2015) Ships Motto: INTO THE TIGER'S JAW Technical data: see: INFO > Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyer - DDG |
||
| images | ||
 moored at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii in preparation for Exercise RIMPAC 24 - June 2024  Pacific Ocean - February 2024  Pacific Ocean - February 2024  passing the USS Utah (BB 31) memorial - Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - June 2023  Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii - June 2023  arriving at her homeport, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii - June 13, 2022  arriving at her homeport, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii - June 13, 2022  arriving at her homeport, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii - June 13, 2022  Marine Corps Base Hawaii - June 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  commissioning ceremony - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  prepared for commissioning - Charleston, South Carolina - May 14, 2022  arriving at Charleston, South Carolina for her upcoming commissioning - May 9, 2022  trials  trials  outfitting - July 2018        under construction at Huntington Ingalls shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi - November 2017 |
||
|
USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121): PASCAGOULA, Miss. (NNS) -- The construction of future USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) is officially underway at Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard. The milestone, which signifies the first 100 tons of steel being cut, was marked with a ceremony held in the shipyard's fabrication shop, April 27. The guided-missile destroyer honors Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr. who was the first African American aviator and general officer in the United States Marine Corps. After entering the Naval Aviation Cadet Program in 1950, Petersen would go on to fly more than 350 combat missions throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars. "With this milestone, Ingalls is now in various stages of production on five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers," said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "DDG 121 will greatly benefit from the serial production of those earlier ships and once delivered, will be the 70th destroyer of its class to join the U.S. Fleet." Frank E. Petersen Jr. will be built in the Flight IIA configuration with the AEGIS Baseline 9 Combat System, which includes Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability. This system delivers quick reaction time, high firepower, and increased electronic countermeasures capability for Anti-Air Warfare. |
||
|
Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen Jr. / USMC (1932-2015): Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr. (USMC) (March 2, 1932 - August 25, 2015) was a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General. He was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general. Petersen retired from the Marine Corps in 1988 after 38 years of service. "At the time of his retirement he was by date of aviator designation the senior ranking aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps and the United States Navy with respective titles of 'Silver Hawk' and 'Gray Eagle'. His date of designation as an aviator also precedes all other aviators in the U.S. Air Force and Army." In 2010, President Obama appointed Petersen to the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy. Personal life: Frank E. Petersen was born on March 2, 1932 in Topeka, Kansas. He married Eleanor "Ellie" Burton in 1955, while he was a pilot on rotation for test flights in dropping an atomic bomb and was called for a flight on the night of his wedding. Their marriage ended in divorce, but produced four biological children; Frank E. Petersen III, Gayle Petersen, Linda Pulliam, and Dana Moore. He also had a stepdaughter whom he adopted, Monique Petersen. Petersen died at his home in Stevensville, Maryland on August 25, 2015 from lung cancer. Military career: When Petersen aced the United States Navy entrance exam in 1950, the recruiter told him he would make a "great steward." However, being motivated by the recent Korean War combat death of Jesse L. Brown, the Navy’s first black aviator, Petersen vowed to be a pilot. After serving as a seaman apprentice, he then served as an electronics technician. In 1951, he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. After completing flight training, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1952. Petersen served combat tours in two wars, Korea (1953) and Vietnam (1968). His first tactical assignment was with Marine Fighter Squadron 212 during the Korean War. He would fly a total of 350 combat missions and over 4,000 hours in various fighter/attack aircraft. He held command positions at all levels of Marine Corps aviation, commanding a Marine Fighter Squadron, a Marine Aircraft Group and a Marine Aircraft Wing. He was also the first African-American to command a fighter squadron, a fighter air group, an air wing and a major base. On February 23, 1979, he was promoted to Brigadier General, becoming the first African-American General in the Marine Corps. Petersen relinquished duties as the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia on July 8, 1988. He served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff from July 8–31 and retired from the Marine Corps on August 1, 1988. Upon his retirement, he was presented the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service as the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, from June 1986 to July 1988. (wikipedia) - - - - - another history: Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen, Jr., retired from the Marine Corps on 1 August 1988. He was presented the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service as the CG, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, from June 1986 to July 1988, upon his retirement. Frank E. Petersen, Jr. was born 2 March 1932, in Topeka, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Navy as a seaman apprentice in June 1950. He served as an electronics technician and in 1951 entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. In October 1952, he completed flight training and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. His first tactical assignment was with Marine Fighter Squadron 212 during the Korean conflict. He commanded a Marine Fighter Squadron, a Marine Aircraft Group, a Marine Amphibious Brigade, a Marine Aircraft Wing and his present command. General Petersen served two combat tours, Korea in 1953 and Vietnam in 1968. He flew in excess of 350 combat missions, and had over 4,000 hours in various fighter/attack aircraft. He received his bachelor's degree in 1967 and his master's degree in 1973, both from George Washington University, Washington, D.C. In 1987 he was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Law degree granted by Virginia Union University. In addition he also attended the following service schools: the Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Virginia; the Aviation Safety Officers Course at the University of Southern California; and the National War College, Washington, D.C., class of 1973. In February 1979 he was selected for promotion to brigadier general, and in May 1983 was advanced to the rank of major general. He was promoted to lieutenant general on 12 June 1986. His numerous decorations include: the Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit with Combat "V", Distinguished Flying Cross; Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" and the Air Force Commendation Medal. At the time of his retirement he was by date of aviator designation the senior ranking aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy with respective titles of "Silver Hawk" and "Grey Eagle". His date of designation as an aviator also precedes all other aviators in the U.S. Air Force and Army. Lieutenant General Petersen relinquished duties as the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, on 8 July 1988. He served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff from 8 July 1988 until 31 July, and retired from the Marine Corps on 1 August 1988. LtGen Petersen passed away on 25 August 2015 at the age of 83. (USMC)
|
||
| patches + more | ||
  |
||
| | seaforces.org | USN ships start page | |
