USS Carney (DDG-64)

USS Carney (DDG-64) is 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration. She was laid down 3 August 1993 at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. She was launched 23 July 1994 with Betty Taussig, daughter of Admiral Carney, as sponsor. She was placed in commission 8 June 1996 and is homeported in Mayport, Florida.

History
Carney was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 14 prior to commissioning. Carney transferred to Destroyer Squadron 24 in September 1998. Her first deployment was to the Mediterranean Sea in 1997 and 1998 as part of the USS George Washington (CVN-73) battle group. In 1999 Carney deployed again to the Mediterranean setting a milestone as the first United States Navy ship to operate in a bilateral United States-Japan Naval Exercise to be conducted in the Mediterranean Sea. In May 2001 Carney participated in Fleet Week in New York City. In February 2002 Carney operated as part of the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) battle group while conducting phase one of technical evaluations of Cooperative Engagement Capability systems in the waters of Puerto Rico. Phase two of these evaluations were then conducted in the Virginia Capes operating area. She deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf in 2002 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On 10 June 2002 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited the ship in Manama, Bahrain. In December 2003 Carney participated in a Vandel Exercise testing the capability to intercept hostile missiles with the ship’s missiles. On 13 August 2004 Carney put to sea from Mayport in order to avoid the effects of Hurricane Charley. In March and April 2007, Carney visited St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia and Barbados to show the US's commitment to stability to its regional partners.

During its visit to Barbados, it hosted a reception. Among the guests were Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

In November 2007 Carney deployed with Carrier Strike Group Ten, led by USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), to the Middle East, where she carried out Theater Security Operations. She completed a number of multi-national exercises with a number of Middle Eastern countries and returned to Mayport, Florida on 4 June 2008.

Upgrade
On 12 November 2009, the Missile Defense Agency announced that Carney would be upgraded during fiscal 2012 to RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) capability in order to function as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.

Ship's crest
Azure, a cross paty or bearing a Viking helmet Proper, in chief four mullets of the second. Symbolism: Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy and recall the sea and excellence. The gold cross suggests the Navy Cross, one of the many decorations awarded to Admiral Carney for operations against enemy Japanese during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, from 23 to 26 October 1944... "(He) rendered invaluable assistance in formulating the plans for a series of combat operations in which tack forces of the third fleet engaged capital ships of the Japanese fleet, waging devastating attacks on major Japanese combatant and carrier task forces in the vicinity of Mindora, the Sulu Sea, and areas northeast of Luzon and off the central Philippines..." The helmet is symbolic of ancestral Viking and Celtic ferocity in combat. The four stars stand for the four Distinguished Service Medals received. Crest: Issuing from a wreath Or and Azure, three demi-spears pilewise Proper superimposed by a stylized anchor Or. Symbolism: The two spears form a "V" alluding to Admiral Carney's Legion of Merit with a "V" (Combat Distinguishing Device) for exceptionally meritorious conduct...in action against enemy Japanese forces... 5 March 1943 – 6 March 1943 and the Bronze Star Medal with combat "V" for operations in the Solomons area on the night of 29 July 1943. The three spears represent submarine, surface and air warfare. The anchor is reminiscent of Maritime tradition, United States naval strength, sea prowess and excellence of achievement. Motto: A tripartite scroll Azure doubled, garnished and inscribed "RESOLUTE COMMITTED SUCCESSFUL" in gold the coat of arms in full color as in the blazon, all upon a white background enclosed within a dark blue oval border edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription "USS CARNEY" at top and "DDG 64" in base all gold.