General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia History About the Ship's Name About the Ship's Coat of Arms Image Gallery to end of page
USS Donald Cook (DDG 75)
USS DONALD COOK is the 25th ship in the Navy's ARLEIGH BURKE - class of Guided Missile Destroyers and the first ship in the Navy named after US Marine Corps Colonel Donald Cook.
| General Characteristics: | Keel Laid: July 7, 1996 |
| Launched: May 3, 1997 |
| Commissioned: December 4, 1998 |
| Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine |
| Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines |
| Propellers: two |
| Blades on each Propeller: five |
| Length: 505,25 feet (154 meters) |
| Beam: 67 feet (20.4 meters) |
| Draft: 30,5 feet (9.3 meters) |
| Displacement: approx. 8.300 tons full load |
| Speed: 30+ knots |
| Aircraft: None. But LAMPS 3 electronics installed on landing deck for coordinated DDG/helicopter ASW operations. |
| Armament: two MK 41 VLS for Standard missiles, Tomahawk; Harpoon missile launchers, one Mk 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun, two Phalanx CIWS, Mk 46 torpedoes (from two triple tube mounts) |
| Homeport: Norfolk, Va. |
| Crew: 23 Officers, 24 Chief Petty Officers and 291 Enlisted |
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Crew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS DONALD COOK. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
- Click here to view the list.
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- Click here to see which USS DONALD COOK memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.
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History of USS DONALD COOK:
| Date | Event |
|---|
| May 3, 1997 | Ship Launch |
| July 11, 1997 | Ship Tow to Portland for Sonar Dome |
| August 16, 1997 | Ship Tow back to BIW after Dome install |
| January 9, 1998 | AEGIS Light Off (ALO) |
| April 4, 1998 | Maine Engine Light Off (MELO) |
| June 29, 1998 | Combined A/B Shipyard Trials |
| July 14, 1998 | Navy Acceptance Trials Charlie |
| August 1998 | Receipt of Homeport Certificate |
| August 21, 1998 | Ships Custody Transfer (SCT) / This commences ship move aboard |
| November 16, 1998 | Sailaway (from BIW) |
| December 4, 1998 | Commissioning in Philadelphia, Pa. |
| August 20, 1999 | Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) in Portland, Maine |
| June 2000 | Departed on its maiden deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf as part of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) Battle Group. |
| October 2000 | Provided support for sister ship COLE (DDG 67) after she was attacked by terrorists in Aden, Yemen. |
| December 2000 | Returned to Norfolk, Va. |
| August 2001 | Participation in the Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) for the THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) Battle Group in the US Atlantic Fleet Operating Areas along the Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina coasts. |
| February - March 2002 | NATO Exercise Strong Resolve in Northern Europe |
| December 5, 2002 | Left Norfolk, Va. on its second deployment. Assigned to the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) Battle Group USS COOK operated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. |
| March 20, 2003 | Involved in the first Tomahawk strikes against Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. |
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Click here to read about the Destroyer’s Name, about Colonel Donald G. Cook.
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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:
(Click on the coat of arms for a larger version)
The Shield:
Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally used by the US Navy; red is emblematic of valor and sacrifice. The reversed star denotes the Medal of Honor, our country's highest honor, posthumously awarded to Colonel Donald G. Cook for his spirit of sacrifice and extraordinary heroism. The gauntlet grasps a broken chain underscoring Colonel cook's internment as a prisoner of war by the Viet Cong during which he unselfishly put the interests of his comrades before that of his own well-being and, eventually, his life. The swords are crossed to signify the spirit of teamwork while symbolizing the heritage of the US Navy and Marine Corps. The Mameluke represents Colonel Cook's service as a Marine.
The Crest:
The eagle symbolizes the principles of freedom upon which our country as founded and highlights military vigilance and national defense. The tridents represent sea power and underscore USS DONALD COOK'S AEGIS firepower and the capability to conduct operations in multi-threat environments.
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USS DONALD COOK Image Gallery:
The photos below were taken by Carl Groll in February 2002 during exercise Strong Resolve in the Baltic Sea. The first two pictures show the DONALD COOK entering the port of Kiel, Germany. The third photo shows the COOK at anchor in the Kieler Förde.
The photos below were taken by me and show the DONALD COOK during overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on November 10, 2008.
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(Click on the coat of arms for a larger version)
