USS Luce Renaming Project

We are attempting to have one of the new Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) Class destroyers named the USS Stephen B. Luce. Bob DiSogra, OS3 1971 - 1972 is heading up this project and needs our support. The following are Bob's letters to the crew on this issue. Get on board and write a letter!

Hi everyone,

We're starting to get responses from SECNAV about the 4th USS LUCE!

The letters have acknowledged our requests however, we need MORE letters to go to SECNAV!!

Also, it appears that they've added a few more hull numbers in the DDG series (they're up to DDG 112 now).

Chuck Coon found four USS MAHAN's and FIVE - 5!! - USS Porter's (the 5 ships were named between father and son).

C'mon guys - this is it!!

The Honorable Gordon R. England
Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350 - 1000

Bob DiSogra, OS3
1971 - 1972

The Navy has plans to build more Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) Class Destroyers. At present, only six of those (not built) ships still have no name according to various Navy Internet websites!

SO, OUR LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN MUST START NOW IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE NAME "LUCE" ON THE STERN OF ONE OF THESE NEW SHIPS!!!

It would only be fitting for one of these six ships to have the honor of bearing the name "LUCE".

The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) makes the final decision on what new ships will be named. Of course, there are others in the Naval chain of command that make recommendations to SECNAV. Congressional and Senatorial input is also a big plus!

Please download the attached 22 page attachment. It is a two part list of all the Congressional and Senatorial Sub-Committees that have something to do with Naval affairs – including naming ships!

The Committee’s office address, phone and fax numbers are listed. Fax is the fastest! (see SAMPLE LETTER below). Their WWW Homepage URL’s are listed along with the Parent Committee’s name (i.e. Appropriations, etc.)

Each political party is identified as to who is in the Majority and who is in the Minority. You will also see their party affiliation and state. Also, the Washington phone and fax #’s are listed. Finally, their e-mail addresses is listed.

If you use “Ctrl + F” and type in your two letter state abbreviation then click on “FIND” you will be able to identify your state’s representative(s) if they are on any of these committees.

THAT'S YOUR STARTING POINT – be sure to mention in your cover letter (also enclosed) that you are a resident/constituent – especially your Senator!

THE REPRESENTATIVE'S E-MAIL ADDRESS

It's so easy to send an e-mail however, I’d like all of you to copy and past the enclosed letter (with your editing and any additional comments).

You are guaranteed a “hard copy” reply from the Committee members on their official stationary BUT YOU SHOULD REQUEST A COPY ANYWAY.

This is your official “proof of support” (hopefully) that you will need when you write another letter – yes, another letter – to the Secretary of the Navy.

A PERSONAL VISIT – THE BEST WAY TO GO!

Visiting your local representative (Sub-Committee member or not) in their local office has major advantages! They put a face and name together…they'll see your USS Luce hat/shirt…they’ll remember your enthusiasm! All these representatives know each other in some way or another…they may know those representatives on those Committees and will contact them on your behalf!

Now, even if you do not get to sit down and discuss the “new Luce” with the Congressman/Senator, you will at least have had the ear of “live” person (an administrative aide) taking notes as you ask for your representative's support. Again, you will get a “hard copy” reply on official stationary (as an attachment to the SECNAV letter).

Copy and paste the following names/addresses into a MSWord Document, print it and give it to your representative to avoid research delays by their staff.

ADM Vern Clark, USN
Chief of Naval Operations
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-2000

RADM Michael G. Mullen, USN
Director, Surface Warfare Division
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-2000

VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, USN
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for
Resources, Warfare Requirements
and Assessments
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-2000

RADM William W. Cobb Jr., USN
Program Executive Officer
Theater Surface Combatants
2531 Jefferson Davis Highway
NC-2 Room 10N16
Arlington, VA 22242-5165

The Honorable Gordon R. England

Secretary of the Navy

1000 Navy Pentagon

NOTE: SECNAV approves all names for Navy ships.

It is up to us, the crewmen of LUCE to ensure that these distinguished people are made aware of the rich heritage that the name "LUCE" has carried with it throughout Naval history.

Please pass this along to other LUCE vets who do not have access to the Internet.

I proudly served on the USS Luce [add your DD-522, DLG-7 or DDG-38] from 19 __ to 19 __ as a/an (rating).

I seek your support - in the form of a letter to the Honorable Gordon R. England, Secretary of the Navy - urging him to consider “LUCE” as the name for one of the Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke Class” destroyers after Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce.

Brief history: Rear Admiral Stephen B. Luce (1827 – 1917) was a distinguished naval war strategist and the founder of the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI. Rear Adm. Luce also served as the College’s first President.

Rear Adm. Luce’s distinguished naval career has been honored many ways. Following his death in 1917, a new Navy destroyer (DD-99) bore his name in 1918. The ship served gallantly during the war and stayed in service until 1931.

A second USS Luce (DD-522) was commissioned early in World War II but met a tragic end in the South Pacific at the hands of kamikaze planes in May, 1944. She took 126 of her 312 officers and men down with her. She received five battle stars for World War II service.

In 1961, a third USS Luce was commissioned and served as a peace time deterrent during the cold war. She also saw extensive service in the Middle East before she was decommissioned in 1991.

Luce Hall, at the US Naval Academy, houses the Academy’s Professional Development and Leadership and Law Departments, a modern Planetarium, as well as the most technologically advanced classrooms in the nation and a state-of-the-art Network Centric Warfare Center.

Therefore, a fourth “LUCE” will continue to honor Rear Adm. Luce not only for his brilliance as a naval strategist but whose War College continues to train thousands of officers in naval warfare to this day! I am confident that the officers and crew of the newest “USS Luce” will be the Navy’s finest!

Thank you for your time to take this request into consideration. I look forward to your positive reply.

List of Past Operations (optional)

Name	Number	Builder	Homeport	Ordered	Commissioned	Decommissioned

Arleigh Burke	DDG 51	Bath	Norfolk	1985	04 Jul 1991	2026
Barry	DDG 52	Ingalls	Norfolk	1987	12 Dec 1992	2027
John Paul Jones	DDG 53	Bath	San Diego	1987	18 Dec 1993	2028
Curtis Wilbur	DDG 54	Bath	Yokosuka	1989	19 Mar 1994	2029
Stout	DDG 55	Ingalls	Norfolk	1989	13 Aug 1994	2029
John S. McCain	DDG 56	Bath	Yokosuka	1989	02 Jul 1994	2029
Mitscher	DDG 57	Ingalls	Norfolk	1989	10 Dec 1994	2029
Laboon	DDG 58	Bath	Norfolk	1989	18 Mar 1995	2029
Russell	DDG 59	Ingalls	Pearl Harbor	1990	20 May 1995	2030
Paul Hamilton	DDG 60	Bath	Pearl Harbor	1990	27 May 1995	2030
Ramage	DDG 61	Ingalls	Norfolk	1990	22 Jul 1995	2030
Fitzgerald	DDG 62	Bath	San Diego	1990	14 Oct 1995	2030
Stethem	DDG 63	Ingalls	San Diego	1990	21 Oct 1995	2030
Carney	DDG 64	Bath	Mayport	1991	13 Apr 1996	2031
Benfold	DDG 65	Ingalls	San Diego	1991	30 Mar 1996	2031
Gonzalez	DDG 66	Bath	Norfolk	1991	12 Oct 1996	2031
Cole	DDG 67	Ingalls	Norfolk	1991	08 Jun 1996	2031
The Sullivans	DDG 68	Bath	Mayport	1992	19 Apr 1997	2032
Milius	DDG 69	Ingalls	San Diego	1992	23 Nov 1996	2032
Hopper	DDG 70	Bath	Pearl Harbor	1992	06 Sep 1997	2032
Ross	DDG 71	Ingalls	Norfolk	1992	28 Jun 1997	2032

Mahan	DDG 72	Bath	Norfolk	1992	14 Feb 1998	2033
Decatur	DDG 73	Bath	San Diego	1993	29 Aug 1998	2033
McFaul	DDG 74	Ingalls	Norfolk	1993	25 Apr 1998	2033
Donald Cook	DDG 75	Bath	Norfolk	1993	04 Dec 1998	2033
Higgins	DDG 76	Bath	San Diego	1993	24 Apr 1999	2034
O'Kane	DDG 77	Bath	Pearl Harbor	1994	23 Oct 1999	2034
Porter	DDG 78	Ingalls	Norfolk	1994	10 Mar 1999	2034

Oscar Austin	DDG 79	Bath	Norfolk	1994	19 Aug 2000	2034
Roosevelt	DDG 80	Ingalls	Mayport	1995	14 Oct 2000	2035
Winston Churchill	DDG 81	Bath	Norfolk	1995	2000	2035
Lassen	DDG 82	Ingalls	building	1996	Apr 2001	2036
Howard	DDG 83	Bath	San Diego	1996	2001	2036
Bulkeley	DDG 84	Ingalls	Norfolk	1996	2001	2036
McCampbell	DDG 85	Ingalls	building	1996	2001	2036
Shoup	DDG-86	Ingalls	authorized	1997	2002	2037
Mason	DDG-87	Bath	authorized	1997	2002	2037
Preble	DDG-88	Ingalls	authorized	1997	2002	2037
Mustin	DDG-89	Ingalls	authorized	1998	2002	2037
Chaffee	DDG-90	Bath	authorized	1998	2003	2038
Pinckney	DDG-91	Ingalls	authorized	1998	2003	2038
Momsen	DDG-92	Bath	authorized	1998	2003	2038
Chung-Hoon	DDG-93	Ingalls	authorized	1999	2004	2039
see below	DDG-94	Bath	authorized	1999	2004	2039
see below	DDG-95	Ingalls	authorized	1999	2004	2039
see below	DDG-96	Bath	authorized	2000	2005	2040
see below	DDG-97	Ingalls	authorized	2000	2005	2040
see below	DDG-98	Ingalls	authorized	2000	2005	2040
see below	DDG-99	Bath	authorized	2001	2006	2041
see below	DDG-100	Ingalls	authorized	2001	2006	2041
see below	DDG-101	Bath	authorized	2001	2006	2041
see below	DDG-102	Ingalls	authorized	2002	2007	2042
see below	DDG-103			2002	2007	2042
see below	DDG-104			2002	2007	2042
see below	DDG-105			2003	2008	2043
UNNAMED	DDG-106			2003	2008	2043
UNNAMED	DDG-107			2003	2008	2043
NOTE: In 1997 DDG-89 through DDG-101 were authorized in FY1998 Multi-Year Procurement to be incrementally funded through appropriations in subsequent years. Here's the most current list of assigned names: