USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) 1996-97 MAIDEN DEPLOYMENT Unisex Sweatshirt

USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer commissioned on May 27, 1995, and named in honor of Paul Hamilton, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1809 to 1813 during the War of 1812. Homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Paul Hamilton deployed to the Western Pacific on her 1996-97 maiden deployment, operating with the Seventh Fleet and participating in exercises with allied navies across the Pacific region. As one of the newest and most capable surface combatants in the fleet at the time, Paul Hamilton brought the Aegis Combat System, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Standard Missiles to the Pacific, conducting simultaneous anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare operations with a crew that had trained hard to prove themselves on their first deployment. The maiden voyage established Paul Hamilton as a reliable warship and began a proud tradition of service with the Pacific Fleet. This sweatshirt honors all who made that historic 1996-97 maiden deployment.