NORFOLK, Va. - Guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) will depart Naval Station Norfolk on Friday, January 4, 2013.
The ship departs on a regularly scheduled deployment to conduct maritime operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations and is relieving USS Oscar Austin DDG 79).
The ship is led by Cmdr. Chris H. Inskeep and has a crew of approximately 276.
Commissioned on Oct. 12, 1996 Gonzalez is the 16th ship of the Arleigh Burke Class of aegis destroyers. The ship was named after Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez, a Marine killed in 1968, during the initial phase of Operation Hue City in Vietnam.
Be sure to watch NewsChannel 3 for coverage of the deployment.
