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USS Higgins in the Pacific Ocean
Career
Ordered:	19 January 1993
Laid down:	14 November 1996
Launched:	4 October 1997
Commissioned:	24 April 1999
Decommissioned:
Status:	Active in service as of 2007
Struck:
General characteristics
Displacement:	8,400 tons
Length:	505 ft (153.9 m)
Beam:	66 ft (20.1 m)
Draught:	31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion:	4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speed:	30+ knots
Range:
Complement:	337 officers and enlisted
Armament:	1 x 29 cell, 1 x 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems, 90 x RIM-67 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-Asroc, missiles 1 x 5/54 in (127/54 mm), 2 x 25 mm, 4 x 12.7 mm guns, 2 x Phalanx CIWS 2 x Mk 46 triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft:	1 SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter can be embarked
Motto:	First to Fight

USS Higgins (DDG-76) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was commissioned in 1999 and named after William R. Higgins (1945-1990), a United States Marine Corps Colonel who was captured and held hostage in February 1988 by a pro-Iranian group allied with Hezbollah while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission (United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO) in Lebanon. He was killed in captivity by July 1990.

Ship's crest of USS Higgins (DDG 76)

The ship's crest and shield were designed to honor the memory of Colonel William "Rich" Higgins, USMC and to signify the power of the warship that bears his name.

• Dark blue and gold are traditional colors of the Navy, symbolizing the sea and excellence.
• The griffin, denoting valor and intelligence, holds an axe that indicates HIGGINS’ readiness and ability to engage in land-based hostilities.
• The griffin and the trident symbolize ’ modern weapon systems HIGGINS possesses, which gives her the versatility of air combat and undersea engagements.
• The shield’s “V” signifies victory and recalls the Combat “V” earned by Colonel Higgins.
• White denotes integrity; gold symbolizes excellence.
• The cloverleaf on the shield stands for good fortune.
• The crest’s anchor represents the Navy.
• Two wreaths symbolize the many military and civilian honors awarded Col. Higgins and signify unusual achievement.
• The Naval Officer’s sword and the Marine Corps Officer’s Mameluke emphasize the long-standing tradition of cooperation between the Navy and Marine Corps in both peacetime and war, and recall Col. Higgins’ outstanding service to his country as a Marine.

• DDG-76 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.