Ingalls Shipbuilding hosts a keel laying ceremony for Arleigh Burke-class Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129)
Jeremiah Denton is the third Flight III destroyer to be constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding
HII says that the company’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The ship’s name honors former U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton Jr., a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism while a prisoner of war.
Denton spent 34 years as a naval aviator, including eight years of torture as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He is known for his act of genius during a televised broadcast in captivity, when Denton spelled out the word “torture” through Morse code using his eyes to blink the code. Following his career in the Navy, Denton was elected to the U.S. Senate representing his home state of Alabama in 1980.
The ship’s co-sponsors and daughters of the namesake, Madeleine Denton Doak and Mary Denton Lewis, were in attendance and joined Ingalls shipbuilders in welding their initials onto a steel plate, signifying the keel of DDG 129 as being “truly and fairly laid.” The plate will remain affixed to the ship throughout its lifetime.
Jeremiah Denton is the third Flight III destroyer to be constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding. The Flight III upgrade incorporates a number of design modifications that collectively provide significantly enhanced capability.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the U.S. military strategy. Guided missile destroyers are capable of simultaneously fighting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.
HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as America’s largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable an all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s skilled workforce is 44,000 strong.
