USS Mustin on 26 May 2017
History
United States
NameMustin
NamesakeMustin family
Ordered6 March 1998
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding
Laid down15 January 2001
Launched12 December 2001
Commissioned26 July 2003
HomeportSan Diego
Identification
MottoToujours L'Audace; "Always Be Bold"
Honours and
awards		See Awards
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeArleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement9,200 tons
Length509 ft 6 in (155.30 m)
Beam66 ft (20 m)
Draft31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speedexceeds 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement380 officers and enlisted
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopters

USS Mustin (DDG-89) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of the Mustin family who have devoted over a century to US Naval service. This ship is the 39th destroyer of her class. Mustin was the 18th ship of this class to be built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and construction began on 15 January 2001. She was launched on 12 December 2001 and was christened on 15 December 2001. On 26 July 2003, a twilight commissioning ceremony was held at the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California.

Namesakes

Often referred to as "The Father of Naval Aviation", Captain Henry C. Mustin (1874–1923), a graduate of the US Naval Academy (class of 1896), was the principal architect for the concept of the catapult launch. He married Corinne DeForest Montague, great-granddaughter of Commodore Arthur Sinclair, and a first cousin and close confidante of Wallis Simpson. Simpson gained notoriety for her controversial relationship with King Edward VIII of Great Britain who abdicated his crown to marry her in 1936.[1] The Mustins had three children: Lloyd M., Henry A. and Gordon S.

As a Lieutenant Commander in January 1914, Mustin established Naval Aeronautic Station Pensacola, the Navy's first permanent air station together with a flight school, and became its first Commanding Officer. The first flight was made from the station on 2 February by Lieutenant J. H. Towers and Ensign G. de Chevalier. On 5 November 1915, while underway, Lieutenant Commander Mustin successfully flew an AB-2 flying boat off the stern of armored cruiser USS North Carolina (ACR-12) in Pensacola Bay, Florid, making the first ever recorded catapult launch from a ship underway. In 1899, he earned a commendation for distinguished service in the capture of Vigan, Philippines. The first operational missions of naval aircraft were flown under his command during the Veracruz operation in 1914 and he was the first to hold the title: Commander, Aircraft Squadrons, Pacific Fleet. Designated Naval Aviator Number Eleven, Captain Mustin was instrumental in the design of the Naval Aviator insignia.

His eldest son, Vice Admiral Lloyd M. Mustin (1911–1999), also a Naval Academy graduate (class of 1932), took part in developing the Navy's first lead-computing anti-aircraft gun sight, which proved of major importance in the air-sea actions of World War II, and served on the cruiser USS Atlanta (CL-51) during the naval battle of Guadalcanal. His ship was lost during that action, but he and other survivors landed on shore and he then served with a naval unit attached to the 1st Marine Division. His post-war service included commands at sea and development and evaluation of weapon systems. He later served as director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Vice Admiral Mustin's two sons, Vice Admiral Henry C. Mustin and Lieutenant Commander Thomas M. Mustin continued their family's tradition of military service. Vice Admiral Henry Mustin, another graduate of the Naval Academy (class of 1955), was a decorated Vietnam veteran who served in the 1980s as the Naval Inspector General, Commander, Second Fleet and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans and Policy. Lieutenant Commander Mustin, also a Naval Academy graduate (class of 1962) earned a Bronze Star during the Vietnam War for river patrol combat action.

Vice Admiral Henry Mustin's son John Burton Mustin (born 1967), a Naval Academy graduate (class of 1990), is a United States Navy vice admiral who currently serves as Chief of Navy Reserve since 7 August 2020. He previously served as the Vice Commander of the Fleet Forces Command.

Service history

On 1 February 2005, Mustin began her maiden deployment and returned on 1 August.

In July 2006, Mustin and her crew of 300 were deployed to Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, home of the Navy's Seventh Fleet, for permanent assignment. Though this was during the same month as the North Korea missile tests, the deployment was unrelated.

During the 2008 Cyclone Nargis crisis in Myanmar and the subsequent Joint Task Force Caring Response aid mission, Mustin, then as part of the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which including USS Juneau and USS Harpers Ferry, stood by off Burma from 13 May to 5 June, waiting for the Myanmar junta government to permit US aid to its citizens.[2] However, in early June, with permission still not forthcoming, it was decided to return the ARG to its scheduled operations.[3]

In March 2011, in company with aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, Mustin was deployed off northeastern Honshu, Japan.[4][5] The mission was to assist with relief efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[6]

During the 2011 Thailand floods, Mustin was docked at Port Laem Chabang on a routine visit when the Thai government requested the warship to prolong her stay for up to six days to provide aerial surveillance of the flooding. In response, The Pentagon gave permission for the two Seahawk helicopters, from HSL-51 detachment Six, to provide the imaging.[7]

On 28 May 2020, Mustin conducted a freedom of navigation operation past the Paracel Islands, which the Navy said it "upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging the restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam and also by challenging China’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands".[8][9]

On 19 December 2020, Mustin transited the contested Taiwan Strait, which the US Navy said was "in accordance with international law" to "demonstrate the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."[10]

In Spring 2021, Mustin monitored Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning after the latter sailed through the Miyako Strait, along with alleged Chinese militia boats amassed near Whitsun Reef in the Philippines. Liaoning entered the Philippine Sea immediately after the Whitsun Reef incident. On 4 April, Mustin approached Liaoning, maneuvred between her and her escorts, and photographed the commanding officer relaxing with his feet up, next to the executive officer with his arms crossed. Mustin was accused of "cognitive warfare" and was called "very vile."[11] A quote from one media outlet described the incident as such;

"There are some photos that come to define the beginning of an era, and the Mustin photo has that feel. It perfectly encapsulates this moment in time as the US Navy, and the rest of the western world, looks on as China’s military continues its meteoric rise. Liaoning, China’s first carrier, is an excellent example of that."[12]

Later, Vice Admiral Roy Kitchener claimed the photo was evidence that the carrier had "operating restrictions" with her escorts which allowed the US warship to get so close.[13]

After completing a homeport shift from Yokosuka in July 2021, she is now part of Destroyer Squadron 1, based at San Diego, California.

Awards

USS Mustin in 2015 with awards visible on the starboard bridge wing.

Mustin has been awarded the Navy E Ribbon for 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018.[14] Mustin also received the Humanitarian Service Medal for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami as well as Typhoon Haiyan.[14] As part of Task Force 70, Mustin received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for 10 April 2012 to 31 December 2013.[14]

  • Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Ship-Helicopter Safety Award - (2014)

Coat of arms

Shield

The shield has background of blue with four gold stars, an inflamed delta, a triple barreled battleship gun, annulet and polestar.

Crest

The crest consists thirteen stars over a Surface Warfare Officer device bounded by palm fronds and dolphins.

Motto

The motto is written on a scroll of white with blue trim.

The ship's motto is "Toujours L'Audace" or "Always be Bold".

Seal

The coat of arms in full color as in the blazon, upon a white background enclosed within a dark blue oval border edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription "USS Mustin" at the top and "DDG 89" in the base all gold.

Notes

  1. ↑ Morton 2003
  2. ↑ Fletcher, Martin; Sugden, Joanna (9 May 2008). "US threatens military aid drops as Burma leaders stall". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  3. ↑ "2008 USPACOM Press Releases". USPACOM. 2008. Archived from the original on 23 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2011. U.S. Navy Ships to Depart Coast of Burma
  4. ↑ Rabiroff, John (17 March 2011). "U.S. military delivers 40 tons of supplies to hardest-hit areas". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "Warships Supporting Earthquake in Japan". Seawaves. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011.
  6. ↑ Stewart, Joshua (14 March 2011). "Navy ships off Japan move to avoid radiation". Military Times. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "US military helicopters to survey deadly Thai flooding". BBC. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2015. Thai authorities have asked US military helicopters to survey flooding ...
  8. ↑ US warship challenges restrictions near disputed islands in South China Sea. 28 May 2020. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  9. ↑ Khu trục hạm Mỹ USS Mustin tiếp tục thách đố Trung Quốc ở Biển Đông. 28 May 2020. Nguoi Viet Daily News (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "USS Mustin conducts Taiwan Strait Transit". c7f.navy.mil. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "US navy warns China 'we're watching you' as destroyer shadows Liaoning carrier group". scmp.com. 11 April 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "U.S. and Chinese Carriers Are Both Sailing in the South China Sea. That's Strange". Popular Mechanics. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "US Navy says its photo of Chinese aircraft carrier showed PLA's 'restrictions'". scmp.com. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 "Unit Awards Website". US Navy. Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2015.

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

  • Morton, John Fass (2003). Mustin: A Naval Family of the Twentieth Century. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591144922.
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