THE CREW of the Michael Murphy pose on the deck in this undated handout photo. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer has since left Bath ioron Works and is en route to its commissioning in New York City and future homeport in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
As many of you know, USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) sailed away from Bath Iron Works on Sept. 5. As commanding officer, I know that Michael Murphy is truly a special ship, as all those involved with her, especially our crew, look with deep pride at being able to represent Lt. Michael Patrick Murphy and his 18 teammates, all true American heroes who sacrificed their lives for freedom and each other in the mountains of Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings in 2005.
As the ship and crew now sail smartly off the East Coast, many of us now look ahead to commissioning of the ship in New York City in early October, or to our eventual arrival to our homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in mid-November, but we also look back to our time spent in Maine.
For some it was a short stay, maybe only four months, while for others it was close to two years. Our primary focus was of course getting to know our ship, being ready to take her to sea, and beginning the process of building a combat ready ship and crew. However, we also were able to enjoy a bit of the Mid-coast, and what rings true for all the crew of Michael Murphy, is the deep respect and admiration of all things Maine.
First and foremost is the amazement at the work ethic we saw every day amongst the shipbuilders of Bath Iron Works. You will not find a better shipbuilder in the world, period. We’ve witnessed them take our ship from chunks of steel and miles of un-pulled cable, and turn it into the Navy’s newest, most technically advanced, and best Arleigh Burke Class destroyer. These same shipbuilders also trained us, teaching us about the construction and operation of this fine ship so that we could guide her to her full potential. Now the crew of USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) proudly sails our ship, knowing full well that we have a ship that will always sail strong and keep us safe under any circumstances.
I also would like to tip my hat specifically to the people of Bath and Brunswick who welcomed our sailors and our families into their communities and homes. For us ‘out of state folk,’ we often heard before arriving that Mainers did not always welcome strangers. But for all of us, that was farthest from the truth. The people of Bath and Brunswick, and all the Midcoast, welcomed us with open arms, showing us all the great opportunities and activities within their communities or in the outdoors. We felt a deep and sincere appreciation for our military service, and received a level of friendship you don’t find anywhere else in the country. You should all feel lucky to be living in a place that is such a well-kept secret, I know we did.
So, although we now look with great anticipation to what lies ahead for us on this great ship and in our future home of Hawaii, we will forever be tied to our true friends on the Mid-coast, and our stay here, although brief, will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
Very respectfully,
Cmdr. Tom Shultz
Commanding officer, USS
Michael Murphy (DDG 112)
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