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Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced on November 19, 2012 that the Navy's next Virginia-class attack submarine, whose construction will begin in 2013, will be named the USS Delaware and Dr. Jill Biden will be the sponsor. ~ DoD News Release
Secretary Mabus said the Navy names its ships for states and other places in America in order to serve as a visible representation of America in every port around the world and that there is “always a strong connection between the people of a state and the ship that bears its name.” Mabus added that the name honors the great contributions and support Delaware has given the military through the years and pays homage to the state’s more than two centuries of naval heritage.
“I chose the name Delaware to honor the long-standing relationship between the Navy and our nation’s first state,” said Mabus. “It has been too long since there has been a USS Delaware in the fleet and this submarine will remind future deployed service members and state residents of their strong ties and many shared values for decades to come.”
Dr. Jill Biden speaks at a press conference with Secretary of the Navy Ray Maybus, Senator Tom Carper, and Delaware Lt. Governor Matt Denn, announcing the naming of the SSN 791 as the USS Delaware, in the Briefing Room at the Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia.
Dr. Biden was also recognized at the announcement for her work with First Lady Michelle Obama on the
Joining Forces initiative which lends support to active-duty personnel, veterans and their families and encourages all Americans to recognize, honor and support military families.
“It's a special honor for me to sponsor this submarine, because I'm such a proud military mom,” Dr. Biden said. “Four years ago … I stood in Dover, Delaware, watching as our son, Beau, prepared to deploy to Iraq with the Delaware Army National Guard. I remember it like it was yesterday. And this year, I'm looking forward to standing with our son, Hunter, when he is commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy. He follows in the footsteps of two of his grandfathers, who have also served in the Navy.
The USS Delaware is expected to begin its service in 2018.
The future USS Delaware will be the 7th ship of the US Navy to bear the name.
The first USS Delaware was a frigate built in 1775 and launched in July 1776 with Captain C. Alexander at command. She served to delay the British Fleet in approaching Pennsylvania and supplying the British Army. The British took possession of Philadelphia in September of 1777 and subsequently opened a destructive fire upon the USS Delaware which was anchored 500 yards from shore. After a brave defense against overwhelming odds, Captain Alexander was compelled to strike his colors and the Delaware was taken into the Royal Navy until sold in 1783.
The second Delaware was built in 1794 as the merchant ship Hamburgh Packet and purchased by the Navy in May of 1798 with Captain S. Decatur, Sr. assuming command.
She served during the Quasi-War with France as protection for American merchant shipping against French privateers. She guarded convoys, patrolled the West Indies and escorted convoys into Havana. Her first prize, the privateer La Croyable, was taken on July 7, 1798 and subsequently took three more prizes earning the thanks of the merchants of Havana for the protection she provided their merchantmen.
The Delaware returned to the West Indies from 1799-1800 where she took another privateer sloop and in October she took a brig, after a 7 hour chase, rescuing 30 Americans held prisoner. Her final cruise was off Cuba in the late winter of 1800 - 1801. She was sold in early June of 1801.
The third USS Delaware was a
"ship-of-the-line", launched in October 1820. She was roofed over and kept in yard until March 1827 when Captain J. Downs took command. She served in the interests of American commerce and diplomacy at Algeciras Bay, Spain until January 1830 and decommissioned the following month.
Recommissioned 15 July 1833, she received President Jackson on board 29 July amid a 24-gun salute at both arrival and departure. The following day she set sail for the Mediterranean for goodwill visits. She was placed in ordinary in 1836 and once again recommissioned in May of 1841 for a tour to patrol the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Her final decommission was in March 1844. She was burned on 20 April 1861 along with other ships to prevent their falling into Confederate hands.
The fourth Delaware was a side wheel steamer built in 1861 and purchased by the Navy in October that year with Lt. S.P. Quackenbush assuming command. She took up patrol in December 1861 on the James River and sailed for the North Carolina coast in January 1862. She took part in the capture of both Roanoke Island and Elizabeth City in February and shared in the capture of five Confederate steamers and two schooners. In March, after traveling up the Chowan River, she bombarded New Bern and captured four vessels.
The Delaware returned to Virginia waters between June and October 1862 where she had several encounters with enemy batteries and captured a number of small craft which she sent in as prizes. She continued operations in North Carolina and Virginia to patrol and perform picket duty, transport men and ordnance stores, and clear the rivers of torpedoes until the end of the war. The Delaware was decommissioned in August 1865 and sold to the Treasury Department in September that same year.
The fifth USS Delaware was the Piscataque (q.v.), a screw-steamer which was renamed Delaware 15 May 1869.
The sixth Delaware (BB-28) was launched 6 February 1909, sponsored by Mrs A.P. Cahall, niece of the Governor of Delaware and was commissioned on 4 April 1910 with Captain C. A. Gove in command. She sailed to England, France and Cuba; carried the remains of Chilean Minister Cruz to Valparaiso, Chile and took part in the fleet review accompanying the coronation of King George V in June of 1911.
From 1912 - 1917 she performed normal operations and practices in the US, Cuba, France and Mexico. With the outbreak of World War I, the Delaware returned to Hampton Roads to train armed guard crews and engineers. On 25 November 1917 she sailed for Scapa Flow, Scotland where she joined the 6th Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet to coordinate operations of the Allied Force.
She participated in several convoys throughout the region, often coming under submarine fire, and was relieved by the USS Arkansas in August 1918. Following an overhaul, she joined the Fleet in Cuban waters in March of 1919 and returned to New York in April that year. She continued to operate in division, squadron and fleet maneuvers until she was mothballed in August of 1923. She was stripped of her warlike equipment and decommissioned in November 1928.