DESRON 2 Changes Command aboard USS Winston S. Churchill

Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2 held a change of command ceremony aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) June 27.

Capt. Fred I. Pyle relieved Capt. Stephen J. Coughlin as commodore of DESRON 2 in a time-honored ceremony on the flight deck of Churchill.

“It is an incredible honor to be associated with the long and storied history of Destroyer Squadron 2,” said Coughlin. “As the longest standing destroyer squadron in the U.S. Navy, this squadron has served and fought around the globe over our entire history as a modern Navy, in almost every major naval battle and campaign.”

Coughlin, who served as deputy commodore prior to assuming command as DESRON 2 commodore in December 2012, will next report to OPNAV N96.

DESRON 2 is currently composed of six guided-missile destroyers. In addition to Winston S. Churchill, the warships include USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Mahan (DDG 72), USS Porter (DDG 78), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98).

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Press Release, June 30, 2014; Image: Wikimedia