“Our shipbuilders are patriots who take pride in each and every one of the ships we build at Ingalls,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. “DDG 113 is no exception. John Finn forged a great legacy as he fought valiantly, while wounded, to protect our country. It is an honor for our shipbuilders to build the ship that will carry on that legacy in the U.S. Navy destroyer fleet. Nearly three decades of talented shipbuilders working in the DDG 51 program make me confident DDG 113 will surely honor her namesake.”

The signing of the DD 250 document officially transfers custody of the ship from HII to the U.S. Navy. The signing took place during a morning ceremony and included an acknowledgement at 7:38 a.m., remembering the time the attacks began on Dec. 7, 1941.

“This is a very unique moment,” said George Nungesser, Ingalls’ DDG 51 program manager. “Years of working with the DDG 51 program has created a team of shipbuilders who truly understand what it means to build these ships. Today they share in the honor of delivering this ship on the 75^th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and are able to take a moment to honor the men and women who will continue to carry on the mission that John Finn and his fellow sailors fought so bravely for. It is a memory that will last forever.”

Finn received the Medal of Honor for machine-gunning Japanese warplanes for over two hours during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, despite being shot in the foot and shoulder and suffering numerous shrapnel wounds. He retired as a lieutenant after 30 years of service and lived to be 100 years old, passing in 2010.

Ingalls has delivered 28 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to the U.S. Navy. Other destroyers currently under construction at Ingalls include Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) and Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121). Construction of Lenah H. Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) is scheduled to begin in 2017.

About Huntington Ingalls Industries

Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Integrated Missions Solutions, Nuclear and Environmental, and Oil and Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 37,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit: