PASCAGOULA, Miss., Dec. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division
delivered the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided missile destroyer John Finn (DDG 113) to the U.S. Navy today,
the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The ship’s namesake helped shoot down Japanese warplanes during the
attack and was the first Medal of Honor recipient of World War II.
“Our shipbuilders are patriots who take pride in each and every one of the ships we build at Ingalls,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding
President Brian Cuccias. “DDG 113 is no exception. John Finn forged a great legacy as he fought valiantly, while wounded, to
protect our country. It is an honor for our shipbuilders to build the ship that will carry on that legacy in the U.S. Navy
destroyer fleet. Nearly three decades of talented shipbuilders working in the DDG 51 program make me confident DDG 113 will surely
honor her namesake.”
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/john-finn-ddg-113-delivered.
The signing of the DD 250 document officially transfers custody of the ship from HII to the U.S. Navy. The signing took place
during a morning ceremony and included an acknowledgement at 7:38 a.m., remembering the time the attacks began on Dec. 7, 1941.
“This is a very unique moment,” said George Nungesser, Ingalls’ DDG 51 program manager. “Years of working with the DDG 51
program has created a team of shipbuilders who truly understand what it means to build these ships. Today they share in the honor
of delivering this ship on the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and are able to take a moment to honor the men and women
who will continue to carry on the mission that John Finn and his fellow sailors fought so bravely for. It is a memory that will
last forever.”
Finn received the Medal of Honor for machine-gunning Japanese warplanes for over two hours during the 1941 attack on Pearl
Harbor, despite being shot in the foot and shoulder and suffering numerous shrapnel wounds. He retired as a lieutenant after 30
years of service and lived to be 100 years old, passing in 2010.
Ingalls has delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy. Other destroyers currently under construction
at Ingalls include Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) and
Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121). Construction of Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) is scheduled to begin in
2017.
Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to
partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and
Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division
provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Integrated Missions Solutions, Nuclear and Environmental,
and Oil and Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 37,000 people operating both domestically and
internationally. For more information, visit:
Contact: Bill Glenn william.glenn@hii-co.com 228-935-1323
