Historical Notes:
USS
STETHEM (DDG 63) is the 13th ship of the DDG 51 ARLEIGH BURKE Aegis
Destroyer program, and the sixth to be built by Ingalls Shipbuilding
Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Construction
of STETHEM began at Ingalls on May 18, 1992 and the ship's keel was
laid on May 11, 1993. DDG 63 was launched on June 17, 1994 and was
christened "STETHEM" by Mrs. Patricia L. Stethem, mother of the ship's
namesake, Petty Officer Robert Dean Stethem, on July 16, 1994. STETHEM
transited the Panama Canal and was commissioned on October 21, 1995 in
Port Hueneme, California. Shortly afterward, STETHEM moved to her new
homeport of San Diego.
On February 15, 1996, STETHEM successfully completed her Post Delivery
Test and Trials, signifying her readiness for combat operations. On the
night of November 23, 1996, while returning from a port visit to
Victoria, British Columbia, STETHEM was diverted on a Search and Rescue
mission to recover survivors of a downed U.S. Air Force C-130 off the
coast of northern California. STETHEM and her two small boats patrolled
the seas in the vicinity of the crash for twenty hours while engaged in
recovery efforts, for which she was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard
Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal. STETHEM was recognized for her
spectacular achievements during her first year of service by winning
the 1996 Destroyer Squadron Twenty-One Battle Efficiency Award for
outstanding ship-wide mission readiness. On April 4, 1997, Commander
Steven Miller, the Pre-commissioning Commanding Officer, was relieved
by Commander James O'Keefe III. STETHEM sailed to the Arabian Gulf for
her maiden overseas deployment in May and reported for duties in
Bahrain on July 3. Over the course of the next three months, she served
as primary Air Warfare Commander, Surface Warfare Commander, Ready
Strike Platform, and LINK Coordinator. While fulfilling these multiple
warfare roles, STETHEM provided support to both the CONSTELLATION and
JOHN F. KENNEDY Battle Groups and U.S. Air Force aircraft engaged in
Operation Southern Watch. STETHEM supported United Nations Security
Council resolutions against Iraq, conducting 54 boardings and
inspections of suspected sanctions violators.
STETHEM's first deployment included port visits to Singapore, Malaysia,
Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Perth and Sydney,
Australia. She returned to San Diego in November 1997 to begin her
second inter-deployment training cycle.
Starting with an outstanding Command Assessment of Readiness for
Training (CART II) in May 1998, STETHEM set the standard for tailored
training by demonstrating exceptional proficiency in Combat Systems,
Navigation, Engineering, Mobility, Damage Control, and Logistics
Management. STETHEM's training teams' commitment to mission readiness
resulted in the validation of all Final Evaluation Period objectives
during Tailored Shipboard Training Availability Phase III(TSTA III) - a
first for any Surface Combatant. On September 25, Commander O'Keefe was
relieved as Commanding Officer by Commander Gerard Hueber.
On April 16, 1999, STETHEM departed on her second deployment to the
Arabian Gulf as part of Middle East Force 99-2. After port visits to
Guam, Saipan, Singapore, and Thailand, STETHEM reported for duty in the
Gulf and quickly went to work conducting Freedom of Navigation
Operations and Maritime Interception Operations. Over the course of her
seventy-six days on station, STETHEM served as Air Warfare Commander,
Ready Strike Platform, and Force Over-the-Horizon Track Coordinator and
also had the opportunity to support the THEODORE ROOSEVELT Battle Group
as Carrier Escort and Plane Guard. After serving a second time as
command ship for Northern Arabian Gulf Maritime Interception
Operations, STETHEM transited the Strait of Hormuz on 13 August. After
port visits to Fremantle and Port Kembla, Australia and Suva, Fiji, the
ship arrived home in San Diego on October 4.
In January the ship was honored for her achievements and awarded with
the 1999 Destroyer Squadron Twenty-One Battle Efficiency Award, her
second such award in just over four years of service. She was the
recipient of the Raytheon CIWS Award, the Pacific Force Retention
Award, and the Safety Award. On April 6, 2000, Chief Boatswain's Mate
(SEAL) Kenneth Stethem, Robert's brother, honored the ship by retiring
after twenty years of faithful and valorous service in the Special
Warfare Community. On April 7, Commander Gerard Heuber was relieved as
Commanding Officer by Commander Craig S. Faller.
Following another sterling Command Assessment of Readiness and Training
(CART II), STETHEM again set the standard by completing the Final
Evaluation Period (FEP) during TSTA III.
In mid-September and during a port visit in San Francisco, STETHEM was
called out to sea by the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force West. STETHEM
escorted fishing vessel Gran Tauro, caught with over five metric tons
of uncut cocaine aboard - a net worth of over $500 million, to San
Diego. The waning days of December were spent conducting final
preparations for the MEF 01-1 Deployment and relaxing after another
successful year of operations and training. In January the ship was
honored for her achievements and awarded with the 2000 Destroyer
Squadron Twenty-One Battle Efficiency Award for the second consecutive
year. On January 13, 2001, STETHEM departed on her third deployment to
the Arabian Gulf as part of MEF 01-1. After port visits to Hawaii,
Guam, Singapore, and Thailand, STETHEM in-chopped FIFTH Fleet on
February 28, 2001. Over the course of her sixty-eight days on station
in the Arabian Gulf, STETHEM conducted Maritime Interception
Operations, served as Air Warfare Commander, supported Operation
Southern Watch, served as a ready strike platform, and participated as
a key player in two international naval exercises, Arabian Gauntlet and
Neon Falcon. Maritime Interception Operations resulted in the capture
of motor vessel Diamond, the third largest arrest of an oil-smuggling
sanctions violator since the Gulf War. STETHEM escorted the HARRY S
TRUMAN through the Strait of Hormuz on 27 April and, after port visits
to Oman, Singapore, Darwin and Cairns, Australia, American Somoa, and
Hawaii, the ship arrived home in San Diego on June 28.
After enjoying Post-Oversees Movement Stand-down, STETHEM supported the
JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) Battle Group during their Final Battle Problem
as an opposing force. In early September, STETHEM went through INSURV
inspections and once again set the standard. Within hours after the
terrorist attack in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11,
STETHEM, already underway for INSURV, was called into station in
support of OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE and tasked with conducting air
surveillance of the approaches to San Diego and providing Air Defense
coverage to vital shipping assets.
On September 30, STETHEM entered her third Drydock Selective Restricted
Availability (DSRA) at Southwest Marine and Continental Maritime
Shipyards. The purpose of this nine-week availability was to install
equipment enhancements and quality of life upgrades. During this
period, the Program Executive Office of Theater Surface Combatants
(PEO-TSC) announced that STETHEM would be the lead ship for the testing
of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS), the next
generation of STRIKE warfare capability.
On November 21st, amidst fellow Commanding Officers, families, friends,
and the assembled crew, STETHEM's fourth Commanding Officer, Commander
Craig Faller, was relieved by Commander David W. Melin. The Change of
Command Ceremony was made even more special by the attendance of Mr.
and Mrs. Richard Stethem, parents of the ship's namesake, and the guest
speaker, Ken Stethem, Robbie's brother. With the terrorist attack of
September 11th being so fresh in America's memory, Ken Stethem
delivered a powerful speech about Robbie's sacrifice for his country
and his steadfastness and courage in the face of terror and certain
death. Also, on November 21st, STETHEM's Immediate Superior In Command
(ISIC) shifted from Commander, Destroyer Squadron Twenty-One, the
Rampant Lions, to Commander, Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Three, Arleigh
Burke's famous "Little Beaver" squadron.
STETHEM departed the drydock on October 30th, and moved to Continental
Maritime Shipyard in San Diego. Upon her return to Naval Station San
Diego on the 6th of December, STETHEM marked the end of the 9.4 million
dollar refurbishment and refitting period. STETHEM was underway the
following week to begin working up for her next deployment. Upon her
return to port of the 14th of December, STETHEM began her holiday leave
and standown period. After holiday leave, the crew assembled in
mid-January to continue efforts in support of the inter-deployment
training cycle and Tactical Tomahawk testing. In early February,
STETHEM anchored off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the
crew enjoyed some hard-earned liberty. This was the first foreign port
visit by any U.S. Combatant since the terrorist attacks on America on
September 11, 2001.
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The
Shield: Dark
blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy and
represent the sea and excellence. Red is emblematic of sacrifice and
valor. Blue represents loyalty; white integrity. The shield symbolizes
the power and protection of Aegis, the shield of Zeus. The bronze star
honors the posthumous award Petty Officer Stethem received for bravery
in the face of adversity. The anchor represents naval strength and a
strong global presence. The thunderbolts signify the firepower of USS
STETHEM. The border reflects unity, and the orle of rivets commemorates
Petty Officer Stethem's service as a Seabee in Naval Mobile
Construction Battalion Sixty-Two.
