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The following was released by the Office of the Assistant to the
Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs):
                                           No. 139-94
                                           (703)697-5342(media)
                                           (703)697-3189(copies)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE      March 17, 1994      (703)697-5737(public/
                                                       industry)

   NAVY TO COMMISSION GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER CURTIS WILBUR
                            (DDG 54)

     The U.S. Navy will commission its newest guided missile
destroyer, Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), in a ceremony to be held at
the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, California on
Saturday, March 19, 1994 commencing at 11 a.m.

     Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton will be the ceremony's
principal speaker.  Margon Edney, wife of Admiral Leon Edney,
U.S. Navy (Ret.) is the ship's sponsor.

     This ship is named in honor of Curtis Dwight Wilbur (1867-
1954) who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1924 to 1929 under
President Calvin Coolidge.  Wilbur was a major force in the
renewal of naval construction after World War I, and vigorously
supported the development of naval aviation.

      Curtis Wilbur is the fourth of 29 Arleigh Burke class ships
currently authorized to be built.  Three more ships of this class
are requested in the President's budget which is currently under
consideration by Congress.  These multi-mission ships are
equipped with the Navy's modern Aegis combat weapons system,
which combines space-age communication, radar and weapons
technologies in a single platform for unlimited flexibility.  As
"force multipliers," these new destroyers will replace older,
less capable ships that are being taken out of service as the
Navy reduces spending but maintains quality.  These versatile
ships are designed to operate independently or in support of
aircraft carrier and amphibious operations.

     The ship is equipped to carry Standard surface-to-air
missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from forward and
aft vertical launching systems; two fully automated, radar
controlled Phalanx close-in weapon systems; Harpoon anti-ship
missiles; one five-inch gun and electronic warfare systems.

     Curtis Wilbur is 505 feet in length, has a waterline beam of
59 feet and displaces approximately 8,676 tons fully loaded.  The
ship will have a crew of 26 officers, 24 chief petty officers,
and 291 enlisted.  Commander Robert S. Riche, a native of
Thousand Oaks, California, is the ship's prospective commanding
officer.
                               -USN-