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Destroyer Centennial Exhibit at Navy Memorial
U.S. Navy destroyer crews have stood ready to defend the United States
since 1902. In this centennial year of the destroyer, the U.S. Navy
Memorial is featuring a special exhibit highlighting the courage and
sacrifice of destroyer Sailors.
"Heroes in Tin Cans: A Century of the U.S. Navy's Destroyer
Sailor" was created by the Navy Memorial's Education Institute to
mark this milestone anniversary. It was dedicated during the Blessing of
the Fleet ceremonies on April 6. The exhibit was made possible by a
generous grant from DRS Technologies.
In six panels that are eight-feet-square apiece, the images and text of
the exhibit highlight the continuous dedication and professionalism of
destroyer Sailors. The photographs offer insight into the professional
challenges of these crewmembers in peace and war as well as in the face of
ever-changing technologies. Each panel presents a photo of a destroyer
along with a photo of a destroyer crew. These shots are supplemented by
smaller views that depict a Sailor's life aboard destroyers in different
eras.
Additional features of the exhibit include a timeline of significant
dates in destroyer history and silhouettes of destroyer classes from the
Bainbridge class in 1902 to the current Arleigh Burke class, the first of
which was commissioned in 1991. These silhouettes, which are done to
scale, show the changing shape and increasing sizes of destroyers during
the past hundred years.
A major component of the exhibit's modern-era panels is the imagery of
noted photographer Brian Wolff, who has captured images of today's Sailors
and featured them in several books including From the Sea and Riders of
the Storm. Wolff was even able to stage a new destroyer crew photograph
only weeks before the exhibit's opening.
Supplementing the images and text is a panel listing all the names of
the Navy's destroyers since 1902, including several that are currently
under construction. The list is presented by ship class, providing a feel
for the way in which the different destroyer classes (such as the World
War 11 Fletcher class) have been produced over time.
As crewmembers of one of the most versatile shiptypes in military
history, destroyer Sailors have demonstrated their skills and dedication
on missions as diverse as radar picket duty to protect aircraft carrier
battle groups, antisubmarine warfare patrols, shore bombardment in support
of amphibious forces, and classic engagements with enemy surface ships.
"Heroes in Tin Cans: A Century of the U.S. Navy's Destroyer
Sailor" will be on display through Spring of 2003.
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