Best in the Fleet: USS The Sullivans wins 2022 Battenberg Cup After Two Surge Deployments
27 July 2023
YORKTOWN, Va. - The crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) was named the best all-around ship in the Atlantic Fleet based on accumulation of achievements that included two successful surge deployments, July 27.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, presented the 2022 Battenberg Cup award to the crew of The Sullivans during a ceremony held aboard the ship at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.
“The motto: ‘We stick together’ is embodied every day onboard this highly lethal, ready, and effective warship,” said Caudle. “The Sullivans’ exceptional achievements as a front-line combat ship in the Atlantic Fleet are a direct tribute to the steadfast leadership, dedication, and consistently high performance of the wardroom, the chief petty officers, and the entire crew.”
Since 1977, the Battenberg Cup award is presented annually to a ship or submarine selected by the fleet commander as the best all-around in the Atlantic Fleet, based on accumulation of crew achievements.
The Sullivans met the demanding requirements of a carrier strike group deployment to the U.S. Fifth and Sixth Fleet areas of operations. Supporting multiple combatant commanders, The Sullivans supported multi-national exercises, operating seamlessly with Allied and Coalition Navies and Joint U.S. services.
While in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, The Sullivans deployed as part of the Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group 21 in response to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict and navigated over 20,000 nautical miles, operating in the Irish, North, and Baltic Seas. In the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations, The Sullivans was instrumental in the seizure of 170 tons of explosive material and contraband en route from Iran to Yemen, provided robust support to a merchant tanker hit by an attack drone, and provided air and missile defense for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“The pride and professionalism of this crew is what makes this warship so special,” said Cmdr. A. C. Wood, commanding officer, USS The Sullivans (DDG 68). “This crew continues to perform above and beyond, demonstrating that we are ready to fight and win war at sea.”
In addition to two impactful deployments, The Sullivans was recognized for her operational performance with the 2022 Battle Effectiveness award, four Command Excellence awards, the Force Health and Wellness (Green H) award, the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, and multiple Command and individual unit level awards.
Two other commands were nominated for the 2022 Battenberg Cup; USS Newport News (SSN 750) and USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77).
In 1905, British Rear Adm. Prince Louis of Battenberg gifted the silver-plated trophy to North Atlantic Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Robley D. Evans to serve as a challenge cup in athletic competitions among the men of the North Atlantic Fleet. The USS West Virginia (BB 48) won the last challenge cup in a cutter race before both the ship and trophy sank during the Pearl Harbor bombings on Dec. 7, 1941. After the ship's restoration, the trophy was held by the USS West Virginia until its decommissioning in 1947.
Later, in 1978, a new competition was established to honor the operational efficiency and fighting spirit of U.S. Navy ships and submarines in the Atlantic Fleet.
The Sullivans (DDG 68) is the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of the five Sullivan brothers who perished in 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal when their ship, USS Juneau (CL-52), was sunk by a Japanese Submarine.