Reflecting a little as I think about the ships 35th Birthday. Thought I would share her coat of arms, which was so proudly displayed through out the ship and on many collectibles and pieces of memorabilia, along with what the design stands for...................Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the U.S. Navy, and both are symbolic of the Navys element, the sea, and of the goal of excellence The shield symbolizes an event which took place during the Tripolitan Wars when 1st Lt. Presley Neville OBannon (USMC), at the head of an escort of seven Marines and one Midshipman, stormed the fort at Derna in Tripoli. This fort is represented by the embattled partition line. With his own hands OBannon hoisted the American flag for the first time over a captured position in the Old World. At Malta, according to tradition, Hamid presented OBannon with the jewelled sword he had carried while a refugee with the Mamelukes in Egypt. This type of blade, known as a Mameluke sword, is worn by Marines Officers today and is the oldest weapon in continuous use by the Armed Forces of the United States. On his return home, OBannon was presented with a second sword, this time a ceremonial one, by his native state of Virginia. The crossed sword and cutlass on the shield have been adopted from the Enlisted and Officers Surface Warfare Badges and also represent the two swords awarded to OBannon as well as the misson, capabilities and personell of this new Spruance Class Destroyer. The three shamrocks refer not only to OBannons Irish heritage, but also the three ships to bear his name-DD-177, DD-450, DD-987. The globe and anchor, adapted from the U.S.M.C. seal, are a direct reference to Presley Neville OBannons outstanding service in the U.S. Marine Corps. The color blue and gold and the anchor are traditional naval symbols with the globe alluding to the world-wide scope and range of the Spruance Class destroyer.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:24:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015