USS Ross Departs Norfolk for Deployment
25 March 2026
NORFOLK, Va. -- Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) got underway from Naval Station Norfolk March 25, 2026, to begin operations in support of its scheduled deployment.
The ship’s anticipated departure comes after months of training, maintenance, and certification events as part of the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group.
“The Ross crew is ready in all respects to deter aggression, protect freedom of the seas, and respond to any challenge," emphasized Capt. John Benfield, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 22. "They are part of the readiness engine of our great Navy, and they know that fortune favors valor."
Ross, stationed in Norfolk, Va, with a crew of approximately 300 Sailors, is a multi-mission guided-missile destroyer with air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, naval surface fire support, and surface warfare capability.
“Thank you to our families for all the continued support as we head out to sea. Because of them, the Sailors of USS Ross can fully embody our ship motto "Fortune Favors Valor" in every way," said Cmdr. Pia M. Chapman, commanding officer, USS Ross. "We've conducted extensive training, maintenance, and certification events as part of the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, and we are trained and ready for national tasking."
Ross is named for Medal of Honor recipient and retired Navy Captain Donald Kirby Ross, recognized for his bravery and refusal to abandon his duty during the December 1941 Pearl Harbor attacks. The ship’s keel was laid on April 10, 1995, in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and her christening was held one year later.
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime ready forces to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
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