USS Pinckney

USS Pinckney (DDG-91) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for African American Officer's Cook First Class William Pinckney (1915–1976),[1] who received the Navy Cross for his courageous rescue of a fellow crewmember on board the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Santa Cruz.

Not to be confused with the similarly spelled USS Pinkney, a WWII evacuation transport.

USS Pinckney (foreground) sails alongside the Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón
History
United States
Name: USS Pinckney
Namesake: William Pinckney
Ordered: 6 March 1998
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down: 16 July 2001
Launched: 26 June 2002
Commissioned: 29 May 2004
Homeport: Naval Base San Diego
Identification:
Motto: Proud to Serve
Status: in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement: 9,200 long tons (9,300 t)
Length: 509 ft 6 in (155.30 m)
Beam: 66 ft (20 m)
Draft: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion: 4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speed: >30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement: 380 officers and enlisted
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 2 x SH-60 Seahawk helicopters

Pinckney was laid down on 16 July 2001 by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi; launched on 26 June 2002; and commissioned on 29 May 2004 at Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme.

As of January 2018, Pinckney is homeported at NS San Diego, and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 23.[2]

Coat of Arms
  • SHIELD

Gules, on a grid shaped as an Aegis shield Sable the head of a trident issuing from base Argent (Silver Gray); overall a bald eagle's head erased Proper.

  • CREST

On a wreath Argent and Gules a laurel wreath Proper surmounted by a demi-compass rose Celeste; overall a stylized Navy Cross.

  • MOTTO

A scroll Azure fimbriated and inscribed "PROUD TO SERVE".

  • SEAL

The arms as blazoned in full color upon a white oval enclosed within a dark blue collar edged on the outside with a gold chain of ninety-one links and one locking link (a canting reference to the sip's designation as DDG 91) with the name "USS PINCKNEY" above and "DDG 91" below in gold letters.

  • SHIELD Symbolism

Gules (Scarlet) denotes courage and sacrifice. The black grid shaped like an Aegis shield refers to the destroyer class to which the Pinckney belongs and its state-of-the-art equipment and armament. It also suggests a mess grill, symbolizing the duties of William Pinckney as Navy Cook Third Class aboard the USS Enterprise at the time of his heroic act in saving his shipmate. The trident symbolizes authority at sea. The eagle's head denotes vigilance, resolve and seagoing defense of the United States. White (Argent) indicates integrity; black (Sable) signifies strength and fortitude.

  • CREST Symbolism

The Navy Cross indicates the award for heroism made to William Pinckney for his exemplary actions under fire in saving the life of a fellow sailor during the battle of Santa Cruz. The compass-rose signifies navigational expertise and global action during World War II. The wreath of laurel represents honor and achievement.

Ship history

USS Pinckney made her maiden deployment September 2005. During this deployment, she made port visits to Guam, Singapore, Australia, Fiji and Hawaii. During this deployment, Pinckney became the first ever guided missile destroyer to refuel and replenish the Mark Five (MK V) high-performance combatant craft. She returned home after five months underway on 24 February 2006.[3]

On 16 February 2007, Pinckney was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.[4]

Pinckney departed San Diego on 2 April 2007 along with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz for a 6-month deployment. She returned home on 30 September 2007.[5]

On 8 March 2014, Pinckney was diverted from a training mission in the South China Sea, to the southern coast of Vietnam, to help search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.[6]

Deployments
  • September 2005-24 February 2006 Maiden deployment[7]
  • 2 April 2007 – 30 September 2007 Western Pacific
  • 17 January 2020 – July 2020 4th/7th fleet

Awards

References
  1. "William Pinckney". United States Navy. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  2. "Carrier Strike Group Eleven". U.S. Navy. 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. USS Pinckney Returns From Historic Deployment Archived 22 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine. U.S. Navy
  4. Surface Force Ships, Crews Earn Battle "E". U.S. Navy
  5. "Pinckney Returns Home". US Navy. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  6. "Missing Malaysia plane: Search area widened". BBC. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  7. USS Pinckney Returns From Historic Deployment Archived 22 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine. U.S. Navy
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