August 12, 2002 The Navy took delivery of DDG 88 from Northrop Grumann Ships Systems Ingalls Operations in Pascagoula, Miss. PCU Preble is the sixth ship named in honor of Cmdr. Edward Preble, (1761-1807), a pioneer in U.S. naval and merchant marine service. Cmdr. Timothy Batzler, a Baltimore native and a 1983 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is Preble’s prospective commanding officer.

November 2, Pre-commissioning Unit (PCU) Preble arrived at Boston's World Trade Center Saturday, to begin a week's worth of events culminating in the ship's commissioning. The ceremony will be held Saturday, Nov. 9 at the World Trade Center in Boston.

December 11, USS Preble arrived in its new homeport of San Diego, less than 30 months after its keel was laid in Pascagoula, Miss.

February 18, 2003 The guided-missile destroyer is currently off the coast of southern California conducting Combat System Ships Qualification Test (CSSQT).

June 17, 2004 USS Preble, commanded by Cmdr. Michael J. Slotsky, departed San Diego for a maiden deployment to western Pacific and the Central Command area of responsibility (AoR) in support of the Global War on Terrorism, to join up with the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) that departed May 27.

September 1, Three military servicemembers were injured when a UH-3H Sea King carrying 10 passengers had a mishap while landing aboard USS Preble in the North Arabian Sea during a routine passenger transfer/logistics run. One injured Sailor was evacuated to Camp Arifjan medical facility in Kuwait, while the others are being treated aboard Preble. All are in stable condition. The destroyer is currently conducting Maritime Security Operations in the northern Arabian Gulf as part of Command Task Force 58.

December 17, DDG 88 returned to homeport after a six-month underway period. The Preble was one of several U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and coalition ships responsible for patrolling and safeguarding the waters near the Khawr Al Amaya and Al Basrah oil terminals in the Persian Gulf.

August 19, 2005 USS Preble is currently off the West Coast conducting routine trainings.

June 8, 2006 USS Preble, commanded by Cmdr. Kevin Hill, pulled to Portland, Oregon, to participate in 99th Rose Festival's Fleet Week, an annual event in which ships from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian navy transit up the Columbia River to take part in the festival.

September 19, USS Preble is currently off the coast of southern California participating in a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), as part of the John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Group Three.

November 9, DDG 88 is currently participating in the Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) off the coast of southern California.

January 20, 2007 USS Preble departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment with the Stennis CSG.

February 19, The guided-missile destroyer entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AoO) to conduct MSO.

March 22, USS Preble and Pakistani Naval Ship Badr (D 184) conducted bilateral operations in Persian Gulf on March 8.

April 25, DDG 88 is currently participating in Exercise Arabian Gauntlet 2007 in the Persian Gulf. Arabian Gauntlet is the world's largest mine countermeasure exercise bringing together the efforts of 14 countries and 16 ships.

July 17, The Aegis-based guided-missile destroyer recently pulled to Diego Garcia for a brief port call.

August 10, USS Preble is currently participating in Exercise Valiant Shield 2007 off the coast of Guam.

August 29, USS Preble, commanded by Cmdr. Andy Feinberg, returned to San Diego after a seven-month underway period.

March 25, 2008 The guided-missile destroyer is currently off the coast of southern California, as part of oposition forces to USS Ronald Reagan CSG Composite Training Unit Exercise.

May 22, DDG 88 departed Seattle, Wash., after a two-day port call, participating in the Great White Fleet festivities.

June 5, USS Preble arrived in Portland, Oregon, for a Portland Rose Festival celebration.

October 28, The Preble is currently participating in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) as part of the John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Group.

January 17, 2009 USS Preble departed San Diego for a scheduled underway period.

March 3, The destroyer departed Hakata, Japan, after a four-day port visit.

June 1, DDG 88 departed Papeete, Tahiti, after a five-day port visit. The Preble also visited Korea, Guam, Thailand and Singapore before making a port call in French Polynesia.

June 16, USS Preble returned to Naval Base San Diego afer a five-month deployment.

July 7, 2010 The Preble departed homeport for a Friends and Family Day Cruise.

July 8, The guided-missile destroyer pulled into Naval Station Port Hueneme after participating in exercise with a New Zealand Navy frigate Te Kaha (F77).

July 26, Cmdr. Joseph F. Cahill relieved Cmdr. John F.G. Wade as CO of the Preble during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship off the coast of southern California. USS Preble departed San Diego July 23 for Multi-Sail operations in preparation for the upcoming deployment next year, as part of the Reagan CSG.

October 2, DDG 88 conducted three Tomahawk Operational Test Launches Sept. 28-30, off the West Coast. The OTLs conducted on Sept. 28 and 30 utilized a new minimum-range mission, meaning the target and launch platform were separated by a smaller distance than any previously conducted TLAM launch.

November 15, USS Preble recently pulled into Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif., for ammunition onload, after completing the four-week Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

January 14, 2011 The guided-missile destroyer returned to homeport after a short underway period for routine training and to onload ammunition.

February 2, USS Preble departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment.

February 19, DDG 88 recently departed Pearl Harbor after a brief port call.

March 7, USS Preble arrived at Naval Base Guam for a routine port visit. While en route from Hawaii the ship conducted fisheries patrol in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of various Pacific Island Nations, with support from the U.S. Coast Guard, from Feb. 28 to March 6.

March 13, The guided-missile destroyer arrived off the east coast of Japan to provide humanitarian assistance in support of earthquake and tsunami relief operations.

April 12, Capt. James Morgan relieved Capt. Peter M. Driscoll Jr. as Commander, Destroyer Squadron Seven, during a change-of-command ceremony on board the Preble in the Philippine Sea.

April 19, USS Preble arrived in Fleet Activities Sasebo for a routine port call.

May 1, DDG 88 anchored off the coast of Phuket for a four-day visit to Thailand.

June 29, The Preble recently departed Changi Naval Base after a scheduled port visit to Singapore.

July 5, USS Preble arrived in Muara, Brunei, to take part in the Brunei International Defense Exhibition (BRIDEX), July 4-9.

July 15, USS Preble, along with USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50), arrived in Da Nang for a scheduled port visit in conjunction with the 16th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

August 12, The guided-missile destroyer pulled into Hong Kong for a four-day port call.

September 9, USS Preble returned to Naval Base San Diego after a seven-month underway period in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet AoR.

January 19, 2012 Cmdr. Kurt M. Sellerberg relieved Cmdr. Joseph F. Cahill, III as CO of DDG 88 during a change-of-command ceremony under the hull of the ship in dry-dock at BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair. The Preble entered the dry dock in October for repairs and modernization as part of the DDG Modernization (DDG MOD) upgrade.

April 6, USS Preble is currently moored at Huntington Ingalls Industries Continental Maritime of San Diego shipyard.