The U.S.S. Spruance set sail on September 1st from Maine, on its maiden voyage to its new home in Florida. The ship cost $1 billion to build and is the 33rd (and final) Arleigh Burke class destroyer built at Bath Iron Works.

Earlier this month, Cmdr. Tate Westbrook, the commanding officer of the USS Spruance, thanked the people of Maine for their hospitality while the ship was being built, writing in an op-ed in the Times Record: "[M]y crew and I are filled with warm remembrance and thanks for all that Mid-coast Maine, especially Bath and Brunswick have given to us....These sailors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds, but each of them have, during this period, been blessed by the hospitality and generosity of Mid-coast Maine’s communities." It's worth reading the whole article on the Times Record's website, as Cmdr. Westbrook provides a few amusing anecdotes about living in Maine.

The Kennebec River had to be dredged to accommodate the ship, causing concern that this would damage marine life. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection claims there have been no complaints about the dredging's effect on the environment.

The Spruance is named after Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance, who led US naval forces during the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea in World War II.

Image from the Bath Iron Works website.