Guess Who Came To Visit?

*ding ding* USS Halyburton.....arriving!

Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend kids! Welcome to Boston for the High Holy Day!

From LCDR Brawley we have a media advisory -

March 10, 2010

U.S. and German frigates to arrive Friday for St. Patrick’s Day weekend

BOSTON, MA –The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Halyburton (FFG 40) and the German frigate Hessen (F221) will arrive in Boston at 10 a.m. on Friday to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day weekend festivities. Halyburton will be berthed at Pier One in front of USS Constitution at the Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston National Historical Park. The ship, with a crew more than 200 officers and sailors, is commanded by Cmdr. John R. Schmidt. The German ship will be berthed at Pier 4 just outside the Navy Yard.

Halyburton’s most recent visit to the area was in 2002 when she participated in the Gloucester Schooner Festival. She was also one of the escorts for USS Constitution on July 21, 1997 as "Old Ironsides" celebrated her 200th birthday and her first unassisted sail in 116 years. Last April off the coast of Somalia, she, along with USS Bainbridge successfully rescued Captain Richard Phillips of the U.S.-flagged merchant vessel Maersk Alabama who was held captive by pirates in a lifeboat. Maersk Alabama First Mate, Shane Murphy, of MA will be recognized along with USS Halyburton’s honor guard at the Celtics/Pacers game at the Garden Friday night.

While in Boston, members of crew of the Mayport, Florida-based Halyburton will participate in a variety of holiday weekend activities including marching in Sunday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Boston (Hessen crew members will also march in the parade).

Halyburton will conduct free public tours on a first-come, first-served basis Saturday and Monday, 10 a.m. - 4p.m., and Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m. Hessen will conduct tours Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No reservations for tours will be accepted. All visitors to the ship will be screened and are subject to search. No weapons, bags of any kind, or drinking containers will be allowed. Small purses and cameras will be permitted. Visitors are welcome to photograph the exterior of the ship only.

The ships are not handicapped accessible. Due to the number of steep ladders required to tour the ship and because of her limited emergency medical capabilities, people with heart conditions, breathing difficulties or other medical conditions will not be permitted to board.

USS Halyburton is the thirty-fourth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided missile frigates. Built by Todd Shipyard Corporation in Seattle, Washington, the 3,800-ton, 453-foot long warship was commissioned on January 7, 1984. Surpassing 20 years of commissioned service, she continues to provide invaluable service to the fleet.

USS Halyburton utilizes two LM2500 gas turbine engines (the same engines as those installed in DC-10 aircraft) capable of sustaining speeds in excess of 28 knots and are controlled by state-of-the-art computers resulting in a “ready to go” status in less than 10 minutes.
The real heart of the ship’s fighting spirit is her crew. High technology systems demand skilled technicians and professional leadership. Halyburton meets the 21st Century challenges of modern naval warfare with approximately half the crew as older warships.

The ship is named after William David Halyburton, Jr. (2 October 1924 - 10 May 1945), who was a native of Canton, North Carolina, and a graduate of New Hanover High School in, Wilmington, N.C.. His enrollment at Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., where he planned to prepare himself for the ministry, was put aside to enter the United States Navy during World War II.

Petty Officer Halyburton was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 5th Marines during the Battle of Okinawa. He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.