Namesake:

Commodore David Porter / Admiral David Dixon Porter

David Dixon Porter was born on June 8, 1814, and was a native of Pennsylvania. He was the second son of David Porter, who commanded the Essex in the war of 1812-14 with Great Britain. Young Porter entered the service as midshipman in February, 1829, and served in the Mediterranean until 1835, when he was employed for several years in coast survey and river explorations. At the close of 1845 he was placed on special duty at the Washington observatory, resigning in 1846 to take part in the Mexican war. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was promoted to the rank of commander, and in 1862 the mortar fleet for the bombardment of the forts below New Orleans was placed under his orders. Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter spent much of 1862-1863 along the Mississippi River and in smaller Mississippi Rivers, including the Yazoo, the Coldwater, the Tallahatchie, and the Yalobusha. He directed campaigns against a long list of Confederate positions in the Mississippi Delta, from the Grand Gulf batteries, to the Chickasaw Bluffs to Miliken's Bend and Port Hudson. After the capture of New Orleans he went up the river with his fleet, and was engaged in the unsuccessful seige of Vicksburg in July, 1862. During the second siege of that place, in the summer of 1863, he bombarded the works and materially assisted Gen. Grant, who commanded the besieging army. For this he made rear admiral. Porter did not leave Mississippi until his successful support of General Grant's siege of Vicksburg was completed with General Pemberton's surrender in July 1863. For his Civil War service, Porter received four letters of thanks from Congress, and was promoted to Vice Admiral in 1866.

He was also engaged in the two combined attacks on Forth Fisher, which commands the approaches to Wilmington, North Carolina. The first of these attempts, at the close of 1864, miscarried; the second, in January, 1865, was completely successful. In July, 1866, he was made vice-admiral, and after the death of Farragut, was promoted, October, 1870, to the rank of admiral, which carried with it the command of the entire navy of the United States, subject only to the order of the president. Admiral Porter urged the importance of protecting the coast approaches to all the large cities of the United States, with heavily armored monitors, carrying the heaviest guns.

David Dixon Porter was nearly forgotten because his career and accomplishments have often been misinterpreted, when, in fact, he was arguably the foremost naval hero of the Civil War. Though Porter rose faster through the ranks, commanded more men and ships, won more victories, and was awarded more Congressional votes of thanks than any other officer in the U.S. Navy, historians have been influenced by his own postwar accounts, which were flawed by an unquenchable ego, thin skin, and a burning desire to vindicate his equally controversial father. David Dixon Porter was a firebrand hero of New Orleans, Vicksburg, and Fort Fisher. His unique tactics and techniques rank among the most imaginative and successful in naval history. The crew onboard Porter's flagship encountered daring, brilliant attacks against the punishing batteries at Vicksburg and Fisher and costly failures at Steele's Bayou and Red River. David Dixon Porter held critical strategy meetings with Sherman and Grant, and a thrilling chase up and down the coast of South America after Semmes on the CSS Sumter. David Dixon Porter was a talented fighter and colorful personality with a marvelous sense of humor, earning respect and friendship from the likes of Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman, but drew the ire of political generals like Butler, Banks, and McClernand. He was a potent mix of energy, ambition, courage, and creativity with rash behavior, paranoia, and a taste for intrigue.

Historical Notes:

Ship's Crest:

The Shield:  Dark blue and gold represent the sea and excellence and are the colors traditionally used by the Navy; red is emblematic of sacrifice and courage. The shield is divided in four recalling the previous USS PORTERS and highlighting the four cardinal compass points and the US Navys world-wide mission. The stars commemorate the battle stars earned in World War II by the second and third USS PORTER. The Aegis shield symbolizes DDG 78s modern warfare capabilities; and is red to reflect courage and action. The torch, from the Statue of Liberty, suggests the ships motto and symbolizes the principles of freedom upon which our country was founded.

The Crest: The crossed Naval Officers swords honor both David PORTER and his son as well as representing the ships mission to "Train, Fight and Win." The laurel, arm, and trident are adapted from the US Naval Academy coat of arms; they highlight David Dixon PORTERs tenure as superintendent of the Academy. The trident, the symbol of sea power, alludes to the Aegis vertical launch system; its three tines reflect the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War that the PORTERs served.

Motto:  A scroll Or doubled and inscribed "FREEDOMS CHAMPION" Azure.

PHOTOS