Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The commander of the guided missile destroyer that was struck by a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel last month off Japan was temporarily relived of command for medical reasons, a U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
Thousands of sailors and civilians gathered in Yokosuka, Japan for a memorial service to honor the seven sailors who died aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), according to U.S. 7th Fleet. Read More
USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. US Navy Photo
CORRECTION: Due to a mistake in a Navy release, Rear Adm. Brian Fort’s job in the service was misstated in a previous version of this post. Fort is the commander of Navy Region Hawaii and commander of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, not the Middle Atlantic.
An experienced surface warfare officer will lead the U.S. Navy’s investigation into the collision of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) and a merchant ship, according to an announcement released on Friday by U.S. 7th Fleet. Read More
USS Fitzgerald pier side at the U.S. naval base at Yokosuka, Japan
The crew of the guided-missile destroyer that was struck by a merchant ship on Friday off the coast of Japan fought to save the ship for an hour before the first calls went out for help, Japanese investigators now believe. Read More
A photo compilation depicting the seven sailors who died during June 17, 2017 collision between a merchant ship and the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald. USNI News Image
Seven enlisted sailors were killed in the June 17 collision between guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) and the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal. They ranged from age 19 to 37 and come from communities across the country and overseas. The following is a compilation of media reports about the seven sailors. Read More
USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan on June 17, 2017. US Navy Photo
This post was updated with identities of the seven U.S. sailors who died in the Friday collision and a statement from acting Secreatary of the Navy Sean Stackley.
The Navy has identified the seven sailors from the guided-missile destroyer who were killed following a collision with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, a U.S. 7th Fleet announced on Sunday evening. Read More
USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan on June 17, 2017. US Navy Photo
The guided missile destroyer struck by a merchant ship on Friday off the coast of Japan is now pier side at a U.S. naval base in Yokosuka while the search for seven missing sailors continues, a U.S. 7th Fleet spokesman told USNI News on Saturday morning. Read More
USS Fitzgerald bound for the U.S. naval base at Yokosuka, Japan following a collision with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel. The Yomiuri Shimbun Photo
Click to see the latest coverage on USS Fitzgerald from USNI News
Seven sailors are missing after a U.S. guided-missile destroyer collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship off the coast of Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet said in a Friday night statement to USNI News. Read More
The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group operate in the Sea of Japan on June 1, 2017, alongside Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ships JS Hyuga (DDH-181) and JS Ashigara (DDG-178). U.S. ships include USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) in the Vinson CSG, and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), USS Shiloh (CG-67), USS Barry (DDG-52), USS McCampbell (DDG-85), USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), and USS Mustin (DDG-89) in the Reagan CSG. Read More
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Mustin (DDG 89), USS McCampbell (DDG 85), and USS Barry (DDG 52) maneuver near the USS Stethem (DDG 63) during a surface exercise in waters south of Japan on Feb. 27, 2017. The destroyers eventually sailed to Guam to participate in the Multisail 2017 exercise with Japanese forces. US Navy photo.
The U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force began their annual bilateral training Multisail exercise today, which will this year include at-sea training hosted by the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center. Read More
