USS ''Barry'' (DDG-52) is an

guided missile destroyer A guided-missile destroyer (DDG) is a destroyer whose primary armament is guided missiles so they can provide anti-aircraft warfare screening for the fleet. The NATO standard designation for these vessels is DDG, while destroyers who have a prim ...

, commissioned in 1992. ''Barry'' is the fourth

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

ship named after the "Father of the American Navy", Commodore John Barry (1745–1803). Her homeport is Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan. Several improvements over exist on this ship and all following ''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyers. They include the ability to refuel a helicopter and several other small improvements. ''Barry''s

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

was laid down on 26 February 1990, at the

Ingalls Shipbuilding Ingalls Shipbuilding is a shipyard located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States, originally established in 1938, and now part of HII. It is a leading producer of ships for the United States Navy, and at 12,500 employees, the second largest ...

shipyard in

Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula ( ) is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is part of the Gulfport– Biloxi–Pascagoula Combined Statistical Area. The population was 2 ...

. She was launched on 10 May 1991, and christened on 8 June 1991, by her sponsor Rose Cochran, wife of United States Senator

Thad Cochran William Thad Cochran (; December 7, 1937 – May 30, 2019) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senator for Mississippi from 1978 until his resignation due to health issues in 2018. A Republican, he previously ...

. ''Barry'' was commissioned into the U.S. Atlantic Fleet on 12 December 1992, and was placed under the command of Commander

Gary Roughead Gary Roughead ( "rough head"; born July 15, 1951) is a former United States Navy officer who served as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations from September 29, 2007 to September 22, 2011. He previously served as Commander, United States Fleet Forces ...

. The commissioning ceremony took place at Naval Station Pascagoula in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Following ship's commissioning, ''Barry'' underwent Post Delivery Test and Trials (PDT&T). During this period, ''Barry'' tested every major system on board. An Operational Propulsion Plant Examination (OPPE) was conducted, with ''Barry'' receiving an overall grade of Excellent. Combat Systems Ship Qualifications Trials (CSSQT) were also conducted that included 13 missile firings. ''Barry'' has received many awards, including the

Battenberg Cup The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or submarine in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing co ...

for the years 1994, 1996, and 1998—making ''Barry'' one of only three ships (as of 2008) to have won the prestigious award three times. She has also been awarded the Battle E award 7 times, and received the Golden Anchor and Silver Anchor Awards for retention. More recently, in 2004 ''Barry'' received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for being the most improved ship in the Atlantic Fleet.

History

1993

In April 1993, ''Barry'' underwent Final Contract Trials (FCT) before returning to Ingalls Shipbuilding in May 1993, for a three-month Post Shakedown Availability (PSA). This availability included a 4-week dry-docking that included installation of the Navy's new generation Advanced Technology Design propellers, designed to reduce cavitation at high speed and improve fuel economy. Other improvements included installation of an Electro-Optical Sighting System (EOSS), application of Passive Countermeasure System (PCMS) material, tank stiffening and installation of a gray water collection system. On 21 October 1993, Captain

, ''Barry''s first commanding officer, was relieved by Commander James G. Stavridis. Barry was under command of (tactical) Destroyer Squadron 26 in 1993, 1994 and 1995, while administratively part of

Destroyer Squadron 2 Destroyer Squadron 2 is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It is administratively part of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic. , the following destroyers are assigned to this squadron: , , , , , , . Destroyer Squadron ...

. In November 1993, ''Barry'' received orders to proceed to Haiti, to take part in Operation Support Democracy. ''Barry''s duties included enforcing the embargo of arms and petroleum products to the island nation.

1994

In January 1994, ''Barry'' completed her first combined Combat Systems Assessment (CSA)/Cruise Missile Tactical Qualification (CMTQ), achieving one of the Atlantic Fleet's highest score to date. In March, ''Barry'' participated in exercise MAYFLYEX 94 where her

Aegis combat system The Aegis Combat System is an American integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and it is now produced by Lockheed Martin. Initially used by the United States Navy, Aegis is now used also by ...

successfully engaged and destroyed several

Exocet The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Etymology The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...

anti-ship cruise missiles. In April, ''Barry'' wrapped up her preparations for her first overseas combat deployment by participating in FLEETEX 2–94 with other units of the Battle Group. A highlight of this exercise was a covert SEAL team extraction in shallow water only a few miles off the Carolina coast, successfully validating the stealth characteristics of the DDG-51 class. On 20 May 1994, ''Barry'' departed

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, Virginia, on her first

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western Europe, Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa ...

deployment. During ''Barry''s maiden deployment, she served alongside the aircraft carrier ''George Washington'' as the backdrop for the 50th anniversary of D-Day. ''Barry'' also sailed the

and

Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...

s as "Red Crown" in support of the

No-Fly Zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's te ...

over Bosnia-Herzegovina. On 7 October 1994, ''Barry'' received orders to proceed to the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...

' in response to

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

's massing of troops on the

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...

i border. In what would become known as Operation Vigilant Warrior, ''Barry''s participation included escort of both ''George Washington'', and an amphibious assault group, to anchorage off Kuwait City. ''Barry'' also served as alternate Persian Gulf Anti-Air Warfare Coordinator (AAWC), and principal

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Eur ...

strike platform during the crisis. ''Barry'' received a Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the

Armed Forces Service Medal The Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM) is a military award of the United States military that was created on January 11, 1996, by President Bill Clinton under . The AFSM is a deployed service medal that is presented to those service members who e ...

, and the

NATO Medal The NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is manufactured by Eekelers-Centini Intl, of Hemiksem, Belgium. ...

for her actions during the deployment and returned home to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

on 17 November 1994.

1995

In January 1995, ''Barry'' began a three-month SRA at Moon Engineering located in Portsmouth, Virginia. This SRA included the Women at Sea (WAS) modification.

2003

In March 2003, she was assigned to

Destroyer Squadron 26 Destroyer Squadron 26 (DESRON-26) is a destroyer squadron of the United States Navy. It was first created in 1950. It has seen action in the Korean War, service in the Atlantic, in the Vietnam War. From 1974 for a period it became the 'Mod Squad', ...

2004

In 2004, ''Barry'' participated at the annual Fleet Week in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

2006

In 2006, ''Barry'' joined her sister ship, , in providing cover for '' Orient Queen'', a cruise ship chartered by the United States to help evacuate American citizens during the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon conflict.

2011

On 1 March 2011, ''Barry'' was dispatched to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

, in response to the 2011 Libyan civil war. On 19 March 2011, the Navy reported that ''Barry'' fired 55 Tomahawk cruise missiles to suppress the Libyan air defense system in support of

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 Resolution 1973 was adopted by the United Nations Security Council on 17 March 2011 in response to the First Libyan Civil War. The resolution formed the legal basis for military intervention in the Libyan Civil War, demanding "an immediate ceas ...

. The official codename for the U.S. part of the operation is Operation Odyssey Dawn. On 28 March, ''Barry'' assisted a U.S. Navy

P-3C Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.

boats which were firing upon merchant vessels.

2013

In late August 2013, she was ordered, alongside her sister ships , and to patrol the eastern

in response to rising rumors of an imminent military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

2016

In early 2016, ''Barry'' conducted a hull swap with , in which the two crews switched ships. ''Lassen'' operated out of Yokosuka, from 2005 to 2016. ''Barry'' completed midlife modernization prior to making the switch and was outfitted with Aegis Baseline 9, the latest combat system, which is capable of defensive and offensive operations against aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, surface ships, submarines and shore targets. ''Barry'' also received a fully integrated bridge, quality-of-life upgrades, and advanced galley during refit.

2020

On 10 April and 24 April 2020, ''Barry'' transited the

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. The Taiwan Strait is itself a ...

2022

In 2022, ''Barry'' was part of

Carrier Strike Group 5 Carrier Strike Group 5, also known as CSG 5 or CARSTRKGRU 5, is the U.S. Navy carrier strike group assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and permanently forward deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet. CSG 5 is responsible for unit-level training ...

led by . Also deployed was sister ship and cruiser .

Awards

* Navy Unit Commendation - (Jan 1994-Dec 1997, Oct 1997-Apr 1998, 5-31 Mar 2011) *

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...

- (2-8 Jun 1994, Jun-Nov 1994, Apr-Sep 2002, Jan 2011-Nov 2012, Feb-Nov 2020) *

Navy E Ribbon The Navy "E" Ribbon or Battle Efficiency Ribbon (informally the Battle "E" ribbon) was authorized on March 31, 1976, by Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf as a unit award for battle efficiency competition. The service ribbon replaced t ...

- (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2020) *

Humanitarian Service Medal The Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM) is a military service medal of the United States Armed Forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under . The medal may be awarded to members of the United States military (includ ...

- (Jul-Aug 2006) *

- (1994, 1996, 1998) *Bloodhound award (2020-Pacific) *Spokane Trophy - (2020)

Gallery

File:US Navy 050402-N-6363M-034 Waves crash over the bow of the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) as she plows through heavy seas while underway in the Mediterranean Sea.jpg, USS ''Barry'' underway on 2 April 2005 File:USS Barry approaches Souda Bay.jpg, USS ''Barry'' in Souda Bay on 7 November 2008 File:US Navy 090106-N-6544L-158 USS Barry (DDG 52) sits in port during its visit to Valetta to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the.jpg, USS ''Barry'' in

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an administrative unit and capital of Malta. Located on the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, its population within administrative limits in 2014 wa ...

on 6 January 2009 File:US Navy 110415-N-7293M-711 A 7-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce (LPD 15) approaches the Arleigh B.jpg, USS ''Barry'' underway on 15 April 2011 File:The guided missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) conducts a berth shift at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece, April 29, 2013, during a scheduled port visit 130429-N-JN142-030.jpg, USS ''Barry'' in

Souda Bay Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour near the town of Souda on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akrotiri p ...

on 29 April 2013

References

External links

Official USS ''Barry'' Web site
* 20 March 2007.

Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...

NAVSEA The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is the largest of the United States Navy's five "systems commands," or materiel (not to be confused with "material") organizations. From a physical perspective, NAVSEA has four shipyards for shipbuilding, c ...

Shipbuilding Support Office (NAVSHIPSO)