THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996 TAG: 9606080261
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 40 lines
Two of the Navy's newest ships, both destined for Norfolk, are being commissioned into service today in Louisiana and Florida.
When they arrive here later this month, they will boost the total number of warships based in Hampton Roads to 101.
The dock landing ship Oak Hill and the destroyer Cole have a combined crew of more than 700 people and annual salaries totaling nearly $26 million. With them come an estimated 320 new family members.
The Oak Hill, named after the Northern Virginia estate of President James Monroe, is a 16,695-ton, 609-foot-long troop and cargo carrier. Built at Avondale Industries in New Orleans, the Oak Hill carries a crew of 23 officers and 397 enlisted personnel. It also can accommodate 500 troops.
Commanded by Cmdr. Michael A. Durnan, it is scheduled to arrive at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base on June 20. There it will join its sister ship, the Carter Hall.
The $250 million ships are known as the Harpers Ferry class, originally designed as a six-ship program but reduced to three by the Pentagon.
The destroyer Cole is the 17th Arleigh Burke-class ship to be built. It is named after Marine Sgt. Darrel Samuel Cole, awarded the Medal Of Honor posthumously in World War II.
Commanded by Cmdr. M. Stewart O'Bryan, it has a crew of 29 officers and 315 enlisted members. The 504-foot, 8,373-ton ship is the seventh of its class to be based in Norfolk. It is scheduled to arrive here June 21.
Defense Secretary William J. Perry is to be the keynote speaker at the Cole's commissioning in Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale today. His wife, Lee, is the ship's sponsor.
Retired Marine Gen. Walt Boomer is to speak at the Oak Hill's commissioning at Woldenberg Park in New Orleans.
The new ships bring to 72 the number of surface force ships based in Hampton Roads. There also are 21 submarines based in the area, two submarine tenders and six aircraft carriers.
KEYWORDS: COMMISSIONING by CNB