UK MOD Visit

December 7th, 2009 - UK Ministry of Defense for Science and Technology.  Admist our busy schedule of Training, Preservation and Maintenence we hosted Dr. Brian Wells, U.K. Minister if Defense for Science and Technology, for a shipboard tour and lunch.  We enjoy showing off STOUT and her capabilities and were happy to answer questions and explain basic system operations for Dr Wells and his team.  You can see the crew in action answering questions and demonstrating some of our capabilities. 

 

To commomorate Dr. Wells visit to STOUT, I presented him with a command coin.  In the picture above you can see me explaining the significance of our mascot, Yosemite Sam. 

For those of you who haven't heard the story we have to start clear back in WWII onboard USS CLAXTON, then CDR Harold Stout's ship.  Onboard CLAXTON CDR Stout had the bits decorated with a popular cartoon character, Little Beaver.  CLAXTON was part of DESRON 23, and of course DESRON 23 was led by none other that Arleigh Burke.  One day when Commodore Burke was touring CLAXTON he noticed Little Beaver painted on the bits and decided to adopt the mascot for the entire DESRON.  To this day DESRON 23 are known as the "Little Beavers" after the popular cartoon character of the 1940's.

Fast forward to the 1990's and the commissioning of USS ARLEIGH BURKE (DDG 51).  During the commissioning process Warner Brothers passed the rights of Little Beaver to USS ARLEIGH BURKE for use as their mascot.  When it came time for USS STOUT (DDG 55) to be commissioned a few years later the "Little Beaver" was already claimed.  Admiral Stout was also a big fan of Yosimite Sam, so Warner Brothers allowed STOUT to use this character as our mascot.  If you get the chance to visit STOUT you will see many likenesses of Yosemite Sam around the ship and on our command ballcaps.  And now you will know the story behind the symbol.