January 17, 2004 PCU Halsey (DDG 97), was christened during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, Miss. Heidi Cook Halsey, Anne Halsey Smith and Alice "Missy" Spruance Talbot served as sponsors of the ship named for their grandfather. Cmdr. James L. Autrey, of Moore, Okla., is the first commanding officer. The ship honors U.S. Naval Academy graduate Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. (1882-1959).

June 1, 2005 PCU Halsey departed Pascagoula, Miss., for a training cycle. During the ship's sail around, she made her first port call in Port Everglades, Fla., on June 9. The Halsey successfully transited the Panama Canal and stopped in Mazatlan, Mexico, before continuing to San Diego.

July 30, USS Halsey was commissioned in a ceremony at Pier J, Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego.

December 16, DDG 97 completed a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), with the USS Peleliu ESG, off the coast of southern California. The ship is not part of ESG-3 but participated in the place of USS Gonzales (DDG 66), which did not participate in the training.

January 17, 2006 USS Halsey entered its Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) period completely certified and surge-deployable in the shortest time period in Navy history. The previous four DDGs took an average of 420 days between sail-away from the shipyard and delivery to the fleet commander as a surge-ready asset. Halsey did it in 145 days, or 65 percent faster than the previous DDGs.

May 18, Cmdr. John J. Pinckney Jr. relieved Cmdr. James L. Autrey as commanding officer of USS Halsey.

May 25, The guided-missile destroyer pulled to Seattle for a scheduled port visit.

August 4, USS Halsey departed San Diego on a maiden deployment to the western Pacific.

August 9, The Halsey pulled to Naval Station Pearl Harbor for a brief port visit.

November 30, DDG 97 recently departed Hong Kong after a scheduled port call.

December 24, USS Halsey returned to homeport after four-and-a-half month underway period, conducting sustained Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) in the Sulu and Celebes Seas in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The Halsey also provided sensor and reconnaissance support for Operation Ultimatum, conducted in the Sulu archipelago in August to pursue Abu Sayyaf leadership and Indonesian JI operatives. Upon leaving the Joint Operations Area, the ship joined the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Strike group as an essential element in the screen protection of Kitty Hawk. The guided-missile destroyer also visited ports of Singapore, Kagoshima, Japan and Apra Harbor, Guam.

February 2, 2007 Commander, Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Terrance T. Etnyre relieved Cmdr. John J. Pinckney Jr. after a Navy inquiry revealed how he encouraged other officers and sailors, even those on watch duty, to drink during and after the Nov. 2 reception aboard the Halsey for dignitaries in Kagoshima, Japan. The investigation also indicated that Pinckney changed a report to hide the seriousness of the fire that damaged one of the ship's two main reduction gears.

February 19, Cmdr. Paul J. Schlise took command of USS Halsey while in-port San Diego, Calif.

May 4, DDG 97 departed dry-dock at BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair facility after a six-week of emergent repairs.

August 12, The Halsey is currently off the coast of southern California participating in Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA), with the USS Abraham Lincoln CSG.

September 12, USS Halsey successfully fired a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) off the coast of southern California. The shot was an Operational Test Launch (OTL) to exercise the new capabilities and flexibility of the latest versions of the Tomahawk Missile and Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System. Halsey demonstrated the ability of a Block IV Tomahawk to be retargeted while in flight.

The New Year started with USS Halsey entering a routine five-week maintenance period, which allowed many repairs and material improvements to take place throughout all departments. While that was taking place, in January the Halsey earned her Search and Rescue re-certification and the planning for the upcoming deployment kicked into high-gear with a two-week USS Peleliu (LHA 5) ESG planning conference.

February 15, 2008 The guided-missile destroyer recenty departed Mazatlan, Mexico, after a scheduled port visit.

March 23, DDG 97 is currnetly off the West Coast participating in Expedition Strike Group 3 integration training with the Peleliu (LHA 5) ESG.

May 4, USS Halsey departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment, as part of USS Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group.

June 9, The Halsey recently departed Penang, Malaysia, after a goodwill port visit.

August 17, Cmdr. Robert E. Beauchamp relieved Cmdr. Paul J. Schlise as CO of the USS Halsey during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship while at anchor off the coast of Victoria. The guided-missile destroyer departed Seychelles today after a six-day port call.

October 10, DDG 97 pulled to Sydney, Australia, for a scheduled port visit.

November 3, USS Halsey returned home after a six-month underway period in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

March 28, 2009 The U.S. Navy is investigating the fatal shooting of a Sailor Gregory Egan, who was killed aboard the deck of the Halsey, March 22. The destroyer is currently undergoing maintenance at NASSCO shipyards.

March 5, 2010 Cmdr. Matthew J. Harrison relieved Cmdr. Robert E. Beauchamp as CO of the Halsey.

May 4, USS Halsey recently arrived at Naval Station Everett to participate in an emergency sortie exercise with the other COMDESRON 9 ships before joining USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), off the coast of southern California, for Carrier Strike Group training. The Halsey, along with USS Sterett (DDG 104), also recently visited Esquimalt, British Columbia.

July 20, Twelve community leaders hit the high seas July 13-15 for three, one-day embarks aboard the Halsey as part of the Leaders to Sea (LTS) program. The guided-missile destroyer is currenly participating in COMPTUEX in preparation for the upcoming deployment, as part of the Lincoln CSG.

August 31, DDG 97 departed San Diego for a Friends and Family Day Cruise.

September 11, USS Halsey departed homeport for a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th and 5th Fleet Areas of Responsibility.

October 12, The Halsey pulled into Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise.

October 19, USS Halsey and USS Crommelin (FFG 37) departed Subic Bay Oct. 17 to avoid a Category 5 Typhoon Megi, that made a landfall in the northern Luzon area of the Philippines on Sunday.

October 21, The guided-missile destroyer arrived in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, for a four-day port visit.

December 5, USS Halsey and French Navy frigate FS Tourville (D 610) participated in a joint gunnery exercise in the Arabian Sea, to enhance coalition maritime forces training and coordination.

January 19, 2011 The body of a Petty Officer Dominique Cruz reported missing from the Halsey yesterday was recovered today during search and rescue operations in the Gulf of Oman. On Jan. 18, she didn't report for her watch duty and, after a search of the ship, a man overboard was called away. The incident is under investigation.

February 2, DDG 97 recently arrived in Victoria, Seychelles, for a goodwill port call.

February 13, USS Halsey recently pulled into Port Klang, Malaysia, for a scheduled port visit to Kuala Lumpur.

February 17, The guided-missile destroyer arrived in Hong Kong for a two-day port visit.

February 24, The Halsey arrived in Guam for a brief port call to take on fuel and supplies.

March 5, DDG 97 pulled into Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a routine port call.

March 14, USS Halsey returned to Naval Base San Diego after a six-month deployment.

July 22, Cmdr. Michael L. Weeldreyer relieved Cmdr. Matthew J. Harrison as CO of the Halsey during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship in San Diego.

September 18, The guided-missile destroyer recently departed San Diego for routine training off the coast of southern California.

November 30, USS Halsey departed Naval Base San Diego for a scheduled deployment as part of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group (CSG).

December 27, DDG 97 pulled into Hong Kong for a three-day port visit.

January 19, 2012 The Halsey is currently conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations, in the 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR), as flagship of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151.