The USS Stevens during its commissioning weekend in Whittier. The vessel will make a stop in Juneau, then head for its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, through the Panama Canal.
The USS Ted Stevens, an advanced Navy destroyer, was commissioned Oct. 3 in Whittier amid much fanfare.
The vessel, technically a DDG 128, is one of the newest Advanced Arleigh Burke Class (Flight III) Guided Missile Destroyer.
Sen. Stevens represented Alaska as one of the longest-serving senators in history. He died in 2010 in a plane crash near Dillingham, less than two years after leaving office. Before his political career, Stevens was a decorated World War II aviator. He supported the Flying Tigers, a group of American pilots who fought the Japanese in the Chinese-Burma-India theater of war. When Stevens returned from the war, he earned his law degree and began practicing in Fairbanks. In 1953, he was appointed a U.S. attorney. Three years later, he went to work for the Department of the Interior under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. During this era, he advocated for statehood.
He was appointed to the U.S. Senate after the death of Sen. Bob Bartlett in 1968.
Stevens was an active lawmaker who became affectionately as "Uncle Ted." He championed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), which passed in 1971. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is named in part for him. He also was key in major legislation, such as the Title IX antidiscrimination law, the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Anchorage airport is named after him.
Stevens lived in Girdwood and had strong friendships in Whittier due to the proximity between the communities. Whittier was a fitting location to launch the vessel into service.
Ship commissioning
This naval tradition dates to 1775 and occurs after the ship has completed its "sea trials" where operation of all systems is tested and verified. Once completed, the ship's pennant is hoisted, the ship's compliment of sailors is given the command to "man our ship and bring her to life" and the warship is officially placed into active service for the U.S. Navy.
Whittier port
The port hasn't seen a military vessel in port in about 80 years, but Whittier was once a waypoint on the Portage trail. In 1914, the "Alaska Engineering Expedition" mapped the area and envisioned a rail line to support the trail. In 1941, the U.S. Army selected Whittier as the site to build an ice-free, deep-water port to support growing military operations in Alaska. The fjord-like inlet, with its mountains and constant heavy cloud coverage protected transport ships from attack; i.e., WWII bombers needed line of sight for targeting. The US Army built the rail line, the tunnel and the infrastructure to support 1,000 people. Today, Whittier is a port of call for the Alaska Maritime Highway (ferry system), for many cruise lines and maintains a harbor supporting Alaska's recreational fishing.
The USS Ted Stevens
The ship is 510 feet in length, has 66 feet beam (width) and displaces of 9,217 tons when fully loaded. With an average top speed of 36 mph, this destroyer is 33%-50% faster than commercial vessels. The captain, Mary Katey Hays, and crew of 380 sailors can choose armaments ranging from machine guns to missiles to match the mission. This flexibility allows the highest margin of tactical advantage while minimizing exposure to direct fire; e.g., missiles and cannon allow "stand-off" target engagements. The speed, maneuverability and small arms support interdiction engagements.
The Senior Voice thanks the Inn at Whittier for making the trip possible.
