PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division officially started fabrication of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer Jeremiah Denton (DDG 129) on Jan. 7. The start of fabrication signifies the first 100 tons of steel have been cut. The destroyer honors former U.S. Sen. Jeremiah Denton (R-Ala.), a Vietnam War veteran awarded the Navy Cross for heroism while a prisoner of war. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1946, Denton went on to serve for 34 years as a test pilot, flight instructor and squadron leader. Following decades of military service, Denton was elected to the Senate in 1980 where he represented the state of Alabama for six years. Denton was born in Mobile, Ala. His wife, the former Kathryn Jane Maury, served as ship’s sponsor of the Ingalls-built Aegis guided missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) which was christened in 1985. Ingalls has delivered 32 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the Navy. Others under construction include Frank E. Peterson Jr. (DDG 121), Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123), Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) and Ted Stevens (DDG 128). (Source: HII 01/07/21)
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