Portland Rose Festival Fleet Week, June 7, 2012

Both of these photos have been altered at PicMonkey with the HDR special effect.
 

As much as I love parades, my favorite event connected with the Portland Rose Festival is the arrival of the fleet. I took this photo of the Portland Fire Bureau's fireboat as it passed under the Broadway Bridge which is in full open position during a bridge lift. The bridge lift means that not too far north of the fireboat there must be a United States Navy vessel on its way to dock at the west seawall, right in downtown Portland.

Turned out that the guided-missle destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) was the first to arrive.

The destroyer's dimensions: length, 510 feet; beam, 66 feet; and draught, 31 feet. It's surface speed can reach 37 mph. The engines are 4 x General Electric LM2500-30 gasoline turbines developing 100,000 shaft horsepower to 2 x shafts.

Here are two interesting articles about the destroyer which I found on the Internet at Navy dot mil. 

Navy Welcomes William P. Lawrence To The Fleet Story Number: NNS110604-08Release Date: 6/4/2011 9:23:00 PM A A A By Mass Communication Specialist First Class Brian S. Finney MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) --

The Navy welcomed guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) into the fleet during a commissioning ceremony in Mobile, Ala., June 4.

The newest Arleigh Burke-class ship, the 60th of its class, is named in honor of the late Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, a highly-decorated Naval aviator and Vietname prisoner of war.

Lawrence began his naval career as an academic scholar and athlete at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he later returned to occupy the Chair of Naval Leadership after retiring from active duty, Feb. 1, 1986.

His aircraft was shot down over North Vietnam in June 1967 and he was held captive until March 1973. His dedication and perseverance during that period inspired the ship to claim the motto, "Never Give In."

"[Lawrence] and many others were heroes among heroes by leading a resistance of our prisoners in Vietnam," said Adm. James Winnefeld, commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and Commander, United States Northern Command. "Indeed we should recognize those men that are with us today because consistent with our ship's motto, they never gave in."

"I assure you we will be ready," said Cmdr. Tom Williams, commanding officer, USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). "Whatever challenge may be ahead for this crew, we have set a good course and the only course I will accept is toward excellence."

An audience of more than 3,000 attended the ceremony, held at the Alabama State Docks. The crowd consisted of family and friends of USS William P. Lawrence crew members, a host of U.S. military veterans and many others associated with the Lawrence family.

The ship was christened by three women important to Lawrence, his widow, Diane Wilcox Lawrence, and daughters, Dr. Laurie Macpherson Lawrence and U.S. Navy Capt. (ret.) Wendy B. Lawrence, the ship's sponsor.

The ceremony concluded when the Lawrence family said, bring our ship to life!" The Sailors then manned the rails.

"I look at this as a spring board to much greater things, it's my first command and I couldn't be happier," said Sonar Technician Seaman Apprentice Scott Peterson. "I am very proud to be a part of the most technologically advanced warship in the world."

During the ship's brief stop in Mobile, the crew of William P. Lawrence was heartily welcomed by the local community. The city's minor league baseball team hosted a Navy night, during which Williams threw the first pitch. Crew members also donated many service hours to Habitat for Humanities community relations projects.

"The Sailors on this ship has taken [Lawrence's] spirit and his character to heart and they're the real secret to making this the best ship in the fleet, said Williams. "We're named for a modern naval hero who was known as the Sailor's Admiral, and he really took care of people."

And here's one more: Navy's Newest Destroyer To Arrive In San Diego Story Number: NNS110628-16Release Date: 6/28/2011 9:31:00 PM A A A From Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs SAN DIEGO (NNS) --

Sailors on the Navy's newest destroyer are scheduled to arrive with their ship at Naval Base San Diego, July 1.

The guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), the 60th Arleigh Burke class destroyer, was built in Pascagoula, Miss. and commissioned during a ceremony at the Alabama State Docks in Mobile, Ala. June 4.

After commissioning, the ship departed Mobile and sailed through the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean on its voyage to its homeport of San Diego.

Cmdr. Thomas R. Williams II is the first commanding officer of the 9,200-ton warship's 280-person crew.

"It is wonderful to celebrate our homecoming on the 4th of July weekend with our families," said Williams. "Our goal as a command for the past year was to make it home by the 4th, and I'm very proud of the Lawrence warriors who worked so hard to make it possible."

The new destroyer honors the late Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, an accomplished leader and the first naval aviator to fly twice the speed of sound. During the Vietnam War, as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 143, Lawrence was awarded the Silver Star for a strike against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam. He completed his mission, but was captured after his aircraft went down in June 1967 and remained a prisoner of war (POW) until March 1973. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his leadership to fellow POWs.

While a POW, Vice Adm. Lawrence composed a poem entitled "Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee," which was subsequently designated as the official poem of the State of Tennessee by the state legislature.

The ship is capable of carrying Tomahawk missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, surface-to-air missiles, as well as a five-inch gun and two SH-60 helicopters.

William P. Lawrence helps provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within 3rd Fleet's 50-million square mile area of responsibility in the Eastern Pacific, as well as supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy when forward deployed.