#AtoZchallenge – USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53)

USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) is the third Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer and the first ship of the class homeported on the west coast. She is named after American Revolutionary War naval captain John Paul Jones and the second ship to be so named. She was built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship is currently part of Destroyer Squadron 23, and administratively reports to Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific.

John Paul Jones is capable of operating independently, as an element of a coordinated force, or as the nucleus of a surface action group, and to direct and coordinate anti-air, surface, undersea, and strike warfare operations. The ship is named in honor of John Paul Jones and derives her motto from his words: “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm’s way.”

Picture credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joseph Pol Sebastian

The ship is equipped with the Aegis combat system and is capable of conducting both offensive and defensive operations using Tomahawk cruise missiles, RGM-84 Harpoon and RIM-66 Standard missiles, CIWS, and 5-inch (127 mm) gun. The Arleigh Burke class is the first class of U.S. warships to be fitted with an integrated chemical, biological and radiological defense system

Construction of USS John Paul Jones began on 8 August 1990 at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The ship was christened and launched on 26 October 1991.

USS John Paul Jones launches a RIM-174 Standard ERAM (Standard Missile-6, SM-6) during a live-fire test of the ship’s Aegis weapons system in the Pacific Ocean in June 2014

John Paul Jones was selected as the Shock Trial platform for the DDG-51 class. The ship was subjected to a series of close-range explosions in order for the Navy to obtain critical information concerning the survivability of the DDG-51 class in a shock environment. The crew prepared the ship for the most demanding and complex surface ship shock trial test in the history of the Navy. The ship has completed four deployments to the Persian Gulf.^[1]

On 7 October 2001, John Paul Jones launched the first Tomahawk missiles into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In June 2010 she began a ten-month yard period during which her machinery control system and many HM&E systems were upgraded. This was a first in class effort, similar to the CG-47 mid-life upgrade undertaken on the Ticonderoga hull.

On 10 June 2011, she anchored off the coast of Malibu, California at the beginning of a three-day celebration called Navy Days designed to thank the sailors and their families for their service to the country.^[5]

On 29 November 2011, John Paul Jones was the first ship to deploy after receiving the DDGMOD (HM&E) upgrade.

On 1 November 2015, John Paul Jones participated in Campaign Fierce Sentry Flight Test Operational-02 Event 2 (FTO-02 E2), a complex $230 million U.S. military missile defense system test event conducted at Wake Island and the surrounding ocean areas. During the test, the destroyer shot down a simulated anti-ship cruise missile but failed to intercept a medium-range ballistic missile that was launched from a C-17 transport plane.

On 18 January 2016, John Paul Jones sank the decommissioned guided-missile frigate Reuben James in a test of a new anti-surface warfare variant of the Raytheon Standard Missile 6 (SM-6), becoming the first ship to sink a ship with the new variant of the missile. John Paul Jones fired the missile on the U.S. Pacific Missile Range near Hawaii.

On 3 February 2017, John Paul Jones completed a ballistic missile intercept in a test off the west coast of Hawaii. The test marks the first time that a ballistic missile has been targeted using the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor

John Paul Jones has been awarded the Navy Battle E six times, Meritorious Unit Commendation twice, and was the first ship to win SWO (Surface Warfare Officer) of the year award.

#AtoZchallenge isn’t only about me. Many, many other bloggers are participating this year. I encourage you to visit a few. Don’t forget to like and comment so we know who you are so we can thank you. Additionally, you may find a blog or three you like enough to follow. If you do, hit those subscribe buttons and get to reading! Thanks for coming by today; here are a few suggestions you might want to look at:

On My Way Home: https://romi005.blogspot.com/

Wolf of Words: http://kingmengi.wordpress.com/

J-Dubs Grin and Bear It: http://jilywily.wordpress.com/

Me Otherwise: http://www.meotherwise.com/

Less Beaten Paths of America: https://lessbeatenpaths.com/

Thanks for coming by Ol’ Big Jim’s place today. Y’all come back!

About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cup of tea while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining is of historical events should read from his past or imaginative reimaginings of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.

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