The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108), celebrated 10 years of active service, Oct. 10.

As the 58th Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer and the 100th Aegis Weapons System delivered to the Navy, Wayne E. Meyer conducts a variety of missions for both peace and war time. However, her true strength resides in the men and women who serve in this ship as one unified team.

Wayne E. Meyer was commissioned Oct. 10, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and named after Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, the founding Project Manager of Aegis Shipbuilding and affectionately known as the “Father of Aegis.” Wayne E. Meyer’s crew takes great pride in Meyer’s reputation and accomplishments in delivering the Aegis Weapons System to the U.S. Navy. Wayne E. Meyer’s motto, “One Powerful Legacy,” truly embodies their warrior ethos.

“The USS Wayne E. Meyer has provided a reliable presence in multiple theaters these past 10 years,” said Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Alex Mamikonian. “Admiral Meyer’s vision is a reality today as the U.S. sails with the most advanced weapons. The first 10 years are only the beginning of a ship which honors the ‘Father of Aegis’ and will continue to build on such an important legacy.”

Meyer was born April 21, 1926 in Brunswick, Missouri. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943, was commissioned as an ensign in the naval reserves in 1946, and two years later, he transferred to active duty. After several years at sea, he returned to school and attended the Joint Guided Missile School and the Navy Line School before receiving orders to the Galveston-class guided-missile light cruiser USS Galveston (CLG 3). In 1966, he transferred to the Naval Ordnance Engineering Corps as the Director of Engineering at the Naval Ship Missile Systems Station in Port Hueneme, California. Three years later, he became the manager of the Aegis Weapons System.

In July 1974, he assumed the duties as the founding project manager, Aegis shipbuilding. In 1983, he was assigned as Deputy Commander of Weapons and Combat Systems at the Naval Sea Systems Command. Meyer died Sept. 1, 2009, and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) is conducting security and stability operations in the Indo-Pacific region while assigned to Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN (DESRON 15), the Navy's largest forward deployed DESRON and the U.S. Seventh Fleet's principal surface force.

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