Fitz milestone at HII-Pascagoula

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) achieved a milestone in its complex repair and restoration when it successfully launched and moored pier-side at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls shipyard on April 16. The launch reflects more than a year's effort in restoring and modernizing one of the Navy's most capable warships. Since the ship's arrival here in January 2018, work has focused on restoring the integrity of the hull and topside structures that were damaged during a collision in 2017 that claimed the lives of seven sailors. Due to the extent and complexity of the restoration, both repair and new construction procedures are being used to accomplish the restoration and modernization efforts. "This undocking is a step forward and brings us that much closer to getting Fitzgerald back out to sea - where the ship belongs," said Cmdr. Garrett Miller, the ship’s commanding officer. "I'm proud of this crew's hard work over the past year and look forward returning to the fleet with enhanced war-fighting capability and lethality." (Source: NAVSEA 04/16/19)