NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The USS Truxtun (DDG 103), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, departed Naval Station Norfolk shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, as the ship and her 300 sailors are deploying to support operations within U.S. Southern and Central Command.
The mission marks a rapid return to the sea for the Truxtun crew. The destroyer previously completed a deployment in 2025, leaving only a few months between the end of that mission and the start of this current deployment. Despite the quick turnaround, officials said the ship and its crew are prepared for the tasks ahead.
March 2025: USS Truxtun departs from Naval Station Norfolk for deployment
James Koffi, Commander of USS Truxtun, said the crew has spent months preparing for a wide range of mission possibilities. He noted that the Sailors followed specific readiness rigors established by the Navy. “We spent a lot of time as far as making sure that we were trained up and rigorous,” Commander Koffi said. “So we have a standard that the Navy sets for each and every ship, to make sure that we’re ready for deployment. So we went through those rigors with all of our crew and, very confident of our abilities to execute tasking.”
Family members gathered to say farewell to the sailors before the ship pulled away from the pier…