Photo By Chief Petty Officer Joshua Karsten | 231207-N-GR655-1254 WASHINGTON D.C. (December 7, 2023) – Cmdr. Thomas Digan, center...... read more read more
Subscribe
GROTON, Connecticut – Crewmembers from the future USS Arizona (SSN 803) traveled from Groton, Connecticut, Dec. 7, to the Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. and Arlington National Cemetary to honor the former USS Arizona (BB 39) on the 82nd anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Cmdr. Thomas Digan, commanding officer of the pre-commissioning unit (PCU) Arizona, and crew marked their official formation during an establishment-of-command ceremony in October 2023.
“We are all very proud to be a part of the next warship named after the Grand Canyon state and look forward to completing this new construction process and eventually take Arizona out to sea to defend America for decades to come,” said Digan during the ceremony. “I look forward to continuing to build Arizona and for us all to take part in Arizona’s ongoing success.”
The USS Arizona Legacy Foundation, PCU Arizona’s namesake committee from the state of Arizona, jointly hosted the two-day event with the Navy Memorial non-profit organization, including an official meet-and-greet with Arizona and D.C. leadership, a screening of an upcoming WWII documentary, a panel discussion, and three wreath-laying ceremonies at the memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
“It’s an honor to be at the Navy Memorial today to help commemorate Pearl Harbor Day,” Digan said. “We’re going to lay a wreath here at the Navy memorial to honor Pearl Harbor Day, and later today, we’re going to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - definitely a special day for us and we’re honored to be taking part both of those events.”
PCU Arizona will be the fourth U.S. Navy ship named for the state of Arizona and the first since the battleship Arizona sank in 1941 during the attacks on Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor remains submerged as the final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed that day while serving onboard the battleship.
“PCU Arizona is the first warship named after the state of Arizona since December 7th, 1941,” Digan added. “It’s been 82 years and we just manned up in July. it’s an honor to just continue that heritage and legacy onboard our submarine.”
Digan’s establishment of command is an integral step in the road to commissioning. The establishment of command followed a keel laying ceremony which took place in December 2022 at Electric Boat’s hull fabrication facility in Quonset Point, RI.
The crew ended their U.S. capital visit with a ceremonial wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor the remains of at least 85 Arizona crew members who were recovered but not identified. They were buried as “Unknowns” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, also known as the Punchbowl Cemetery.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Arbaugh, a nuclear machinist assigned to PCU Arizona, expressed his excitement to participate in the ceremonies, calling a it “tremendous opportunity.”
“We are at Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on December 7th 1941 on the battleship BB39 USS Arizona, Arbaugh said. “I am honored to be here to carry on the legacy of the USS Arizona by serving aboard the PCU Arizona and carrying on the memory and the traditions of BB39.”
Nikki Stratton, PCU Arizona’s sponsor and granddaughter of the late Donald Stratton, one of the last surviving members of Battleship Arizona, praised the crew for traveling from Groton, saying their presence “adds life to the story of PCU Arizona and BB 39.”
“It gives this entire day full meaning knowing that there is now a USS Arizona crew,” Stratton explained. “It shows that we have gone full circle, and the fact that USS Arizona has a crew again after 82 years, is just unbelievable.”
The newest Arizona submarine will hold a crew of 135. Digan said the ship is currently manning and training the crew, and are on track to begin nuclear propulsion training next. PCU Arizona is currently being constructed at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Quonset Point, RI. The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine will ultimately join SUBRON 12, one of two submarine squadrons based out of Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn. SUBRON 12’s primary mission is to provide attack submarines that are ready, willing, and able to meet the unique challenges of undersea combat and deployed operations in unforgiving environments across the globe.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2023 16:10 |
| Story ID: | 459427 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Hometown: | ARLINGTON, VA, US |
| Hometown: | PEARL HARBOR, HI, US |
| Hometown: | PHOENIX, AZ, US |
| Hometown: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 666 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Future submarine USS Arizona honors WWII battleship USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor Day ceremony in D.C., by CPO Joshua Karsten, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT