USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117)

USS PAUL IGNATIUS is the 67th ARLEIGH BURKE - class guided missile destroyer and the first ship in the Navy to honor Paul Robert Ignatius, who served in the US Navy during World War II, as Secretary of the Navy from 1967-1969, and as Assistant Secretary of Defense during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: June 3, 2013
	Keel laid: September 11, 2015
	Launched: November 11, 2016
	Commissioned: July 27, 2019
	Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems' Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Miss.
	Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines
	Propellers: two
	Length: 508,5 feet (155 meters)
	Beam: 67 feet (20.4 meters)
	Draft: 30.5 feet (9.3 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 9,200 tons full load
	Speed: 32 knots
	Aircraft: two SH-60 (LAMPS 3) helicopters
	Armament: one Mk-45 5"/62 caliber lightweight gun, two Mk-41 VLS for Standard missiles and Tomahawk ASM/LAM, one 20mm Phalanx CIWS, one SeaRAM system, two Mk-32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk-50 and Mk-46 torpedoes, two Mk 38 Mod 2 25mm machine gun systems
	Homeport: Rota, Spain
	Crew: approx. 320

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PAUL IGNATIUS. 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 PAUL IGNATIUS memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

The chief of the shield is borrowed from the Seal of the University of Southern California, Paul Ignatius' proud Trojan alma mater. The sun signifies the west and, according to the University's symbolism, power and life. The three estoiles refer to the three years Ignatius served as Secretary of the Navy, 1967-1969. The chevron alludes to the bow of a ship, and the image of a destroyer symbolizes the USS PAUL IGNATIUS, described by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus as "a reminder of the experience and the wisdom of Paul Ignatius." The chevron is colored white for excellence.

The Crest:

America's national bird, the bald eagle, alludes to Paul Ignatius' proud heritage of selfless service. The United States and Secretary of the Navy flags symbolize his long career dedicated to his nation. The PAUL IGNATIUS will also serve at length; she is expected to be in the Fleet for three or four decades.

Supporters:

The crossed Navy swords symbolize teamwork and refer to Secretary Ignatius' tenure as a Navy Officer during World War II. The first part of the DDG 117 motto, "ALWAYS READY", is taken from the USS MANILA BAY's motto. During World War II, Ignatius served aboard the USS MANILA BAY (CVE 61) in Northern Japan with Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher who received the surrender from the Northern Japanese forces. The phrase "Fight On" is taken from the USC fight song.

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About the Ship's Name:

USS PAUL IGNATIUS is named after the 59th United States Secretary of the Navy.

After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1942, Ignatius was accepted for a master's program with Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts. The program carried the prerequisite of commissioning in the Army or Navy before attendance. In August of 1942, he was commissioned as an ensign in naval ordnance.

With the completion of service on the USS MANILA BAY (CVE 61) and the termination of World War II, Ignatius separated from the Naval service in 1946. He then attended Harvard Business School where he received a Master of Business Administration.

Upon graduating, Ignatius became a research assistant and ultimately an instructor in business administration for the school. This eventually led to his involvement in Harbridge House, a consulting and research firm that produced teaching materials for civilian organizations and the government.

Aiding in both the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations, Ignatius became the Assistant Secretary of the Army and later the Under Secretary of the Army. In 1965, he became the Assistant Secretary of Defense and then the Secretary of the Navy in 1967. He resides in Washington D.C. with his wife, Nancy Ignatius.

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Homeports of USS PAUL IGNATIUS:

Period	Homeport
commissioned at Port Everglades, Fla.
2019 - 2022	Mayport, Fla.
2022 - present	Rota, Spain

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USS PAUL IGNATIUS Image Gallery:

The photo below was taken by Lisa Raabe and shows the PAUL IGNATIUS at Tallinn, Estonia, on August 22, 2022. She shows the typical weapons system configuration of the Rota-based US Navy guided missile destroyers with a Phalanx CIWS forward and a SeaRAM system aft. USS PAUL IGNATIUS changed her homeport from Mayport, Fla., to Rota, Spain in mid-June 2022. Since early August, she's on her first forward-deployed patrol.