Each day, Ingalls shipbuilders put on their hard hats and walk through the gates of the shipyard ready to build ships that are strong and safe. We build those ships with safety and quality at the forefront, knowing the work we do will protect our military as they defend our freedom. We carefully shape and craft the steel, knowing the work we do today could very well save the life of a servicemember tomorrow. THEIR mission is OUR purpose.
In 1996, Ingalls delivered the USS Cole (DDG-67), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, to the U.S. Navy. We built the ship with precision and respect. We watched it sail away like many before, knowing our best work was entering the fleet.
On October 12, 2000, after four years of service, the USS Cole was the target of a terrorist attack. That devastating attack killed 17 sailors and injured 39 others.
The ship sustained significant damage, but still had some fight left in her so the Navy made the strategic decision to send her home to Ingalls for repairs. In December 2000, a battle-worn USS Cole arrived in Pascagoula, where hundreds of shipbuilders stood humbly watching, ready to work.
Nearly a thousand shipbuilders personally accepted the responsibility to get the ship back to the fleet as soon as possible.
“When the USS Cole was attacked, it was an attack on all of us,” said master shipbuilder Reginald Bridges, maintenance electrician. “We built it strong and, because of that, lives were saved. To be a part of the ship’s history in repairing it and building it back stronger than before gives me great pride. Of all the ships I’ve worked on, that one has meant the most to me.”
At the time, LHA ship program manager Stephen Janowski was a propulsion engineer for the USS Cole’s recovery and spoke of the ship’s arrival as a somber moment.
“Even after the damaged section was removed and we were rebuilding it, the feeling about what we were involved with didn’t go away,” recalled Janowski. “Every time I see a post on the ship’s Facebook page or see her in the news, I remember the dedication our shipbuilders and Navy partners put into recovering the USS Cole.”
Every shipbuilder that played a role in the repairs knew and understood the significance of the restoration process and what returning this ship would symbolize, not just to Americans, but to the world.
“I took the attack personally, like an attack on one of my children,” said Gerry Rucker, pipe superintendent. “Our painters added a star on the galley for each of those who perished in the bombing. Seeing those stars would take your breath away remembering those in uniform who protect our country.”
In April 2002, the USS Cole sailed away once again, leaving an everlasting impression on Ingalls shipbuilders. As the ship departed, shipbuilders stood and watched with pride, knowing the work they did saved lives once and could do so again in the future.
“Repairing this ship was truly a team effort across the government and Ingalls,” said Suzy Young, project manager, Program Management. “We knew this was a special task, and people from all over the country were working together to get this ship back in the fight. Everyone honestly had tears in their eyes when this ship sailed away.”
Today, the USS Cole remains in service, having recently presented at Unitas Global, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise in the world.
On October 12, we remember the 17 sailors who lost their lives. We remember the legacy and the strength of the USS Cole. We remember what an honor and privilege it is as shipbuilders to play such an important role in protecting our freedom, and how the work we do is pivotal in securing our nation and the lives of our servicemembers.