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 [1]  [2] | [1] 24k [2] 62k | William Richard "Rich" Higgins was born in Kentucky on January 15, 1945. He graduated from Southern High School in Louisville and earned his bacelor's degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. A scholarship student in the Navy ROTC, he received the Marine Corps Association Award and was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1967. He later obtained master's degrees from Pepperdine University and Auburn University. Rich graduated from the Army Infantry Officers Advanced Course, the Air Force Command and Staff College and the National War College. As a lieutenant, Rich participated in combat operations during 1968 in Vietnam as a rifle platoon commander and rifle company executive officer. A decisive and respected officer, Rich was distinguished as a leader who never asked his troops for more than he himself would give. After serving as the Officer-in-Charge of the Officer Selection Team in Louisville, Kentucky, Captain Higgins returned to Vietnam as an infantry battalion advisor to the Vietnamese Marine Corps, and later as a rifle company commander. After returning from Vietnam, Rich served at the Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy and Officers Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. Rich returned to Washington in 1980, where he served at Marine Headquarters as a Plans Officer until his selection to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. After graduation from the National War College in 1985, he again returned to the Pentagon, serving as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense until he was transferred to a United Nations assignment in July 1987. In Naqoura, South Lebanon, LtCol Higgins began serving what was to be a twelve-month tour as Chief Observer Group Lebanon with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, peacekeeping force consisting of military officers from 17 nations. As a combat veteran, Rich welcomed the opportunity to serve with troops again, believing that one person could truly make a significant difference in the peace process. It was an extremely dangerous assignment for an American officer. The militant terrorist group Hezbollah routinely patrolled the area and tensions were high. A fellow officer in the Canadian Army approached LtCol Higgins shortly after his arrival. He was concerned for Rich's safety and had made some adhesive patches of the Canadian flag. If Rich found himself in danger, he could quickly place one over the American flag on his uniform, perhaps giving him extra time to escape. He did not waiver, LtCol Higgins explained that he was a United States Marine and if captured or killed, it would be under the American flag. On February 17, 1988, LtCol Higgins was abducted by Hezbollah. He was Promoted to colonel on March 1, 1989, but never knew it. The exact date of his death is uncertain; however, he was declared dead on July 6, 1990. His remains were eventually recovered and interred at Quantico National Cemetery on December 30, 1991. The tireless commitment Col Higgins had to duty and country is best conveyed by the small plaque that he kept on his desk. It reads: War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. | [1] Steven A. Cardali [2] Robert M. Cieri | |
| 65k | USS Higgins Welcome Aboard phamphlet. | Jack Treutle | |
| 89k | As above. | Jack Treutle | |
| 112k | As above. | Jack Treutle | |
| 122k | As above. | Jack Treutle | |
| 70k | As above. | Jack Treutle | |
| 101k | As above. | Jack Treutle | |
| 55k | USS Higgins Construction prior to Launching, Winter 1997, Bath ,Maine | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 51k | USS Higgins Construction prior to Launching, Winter 1997, Bath ,Maine | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 18k | USS Higgins Launching and Christening 17 Oct 1997, Bath, Maine. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 27k | As above. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 21k | As above. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 100k | The Launching Program for USS Higgins DDG-76, held at Bath Iron Works Corporation, Bath, ME on 4 October 1997. | Robert M. Cieri | |
| 104k | On sea trials. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 93k | USS Higgins in New York Harbor, 2 Apr 1999 enroute Earle, New Jersey. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 106k | As above. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 133k | USS Higgins Commissioning, 24 Apr 1999, Port Everglades, Florida. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 80k | San Diego 1999 | Graeme D Fuller | |
| 81k | Sydney, Australia November 2000. | Marc Piché | |
| 36k | Sydney, Australia November 2000. | Marc Piché | |
| 36k | Sydney, Australia November 2000. | Marc Piché | |
| 55k | Longview, WA June 11 2001. | Marc Piché | |
| 93k | The Pacific Ocean, June 16, 2001. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) maneuvers at high speed during routine operations off the coast of San Diego, California. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Frederick McCahan. [010614-N-8894M-001] | Fabio Peña | |
| 90k | San Diego, CA July 27 2001. | Marc Piché | |
| 149k | 020828-N-4151K-002. At sea aboard USS Higgins (DDG 76), August 28 2002, Torpedoman Seaman Norall Jackson from Pontiac, Mich., performs maintenance on a Honeywell MK46 mod 5 torpedo launcher. The MK46 is an anti-submarine active/passive homing torpedo with a range of more than five miles and carries a hundred-pound warhead at speeds up to 40 knots. Higgins is a guided missile destroyer designed to hunt and destroy a variety of targets using different types of weapons. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Lance Kirk. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 108k | 020828-N-4151K-012. At sea aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76), August 28 2002, Mess Management Specialist 2nd Class Kevin M. Lebahn from Spokane, Wash., polishes the ship’s bell on the weather decks aboard the guided missile destroyer. Considered a symbol of pride and tradition aboard all ships of the fleet, bells have a centuries-long tradition of varied use in the navies and merchant fleets of the world. They have been used for signaling, keeping time, and providing alarm. Their functional and ceremonial uses have made them a symbol of considerable significance to the United States Navy, and remain the property of the U.S. Government and Navy following a ship’s decommissioning. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Lance Kirk. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 63k | At sea aboard USS Higgins DDG-76 October 18, 2002. a standard missile two (SM-2) Block IVA is fired from the guided missile destroyer during a live missile fire exercise. Higgins is part of the USS Constellation (CV-64) Battle Group. which is conducting operations in support of a Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) prior to her scheduled six-month deployment. Live fire exercises give the crew the experience of launching operational weapons and honeing their war-fighting skills. US Navy photo by Photographers mate Airman Apprentice Rebeeca J. Moat. | Steven A. Cardali | |
| 56k | 021102-N-5067K-003 San Diego, Calif., Nov. 2, 2002 with her crew "manning the rails", the guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) pulls away from her berth at Naval Station San Diego to join the USS Constellation (CV 64) Battle Group for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael D. Kennedy. | Fred Weiss | |
| 62k | 021102-N-5067K-001. San Diego, California November 2 2002, a Sailor from Naval Station San Diego prepares to release the forward mooring lines on the guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) as the ship prepares to get underway for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment with the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV 64) Battle Group, to conduct missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael D. Kennedy. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 75k | Singapore Nov. 30, 2002, the guided missile destroyers USS Milius (DDG 69) (left) and USS Higgins (DDG 76) sit moored along the pier inport Singapore. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Casullo. | Fred Weiss | |
| 51k | At sea aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) Dec. 12, 2002, Operation’s Specialist Seaman Michael Martin stands the low visibility watch as USS Higgins (DDG 76) pulls along side the aircraft carrier for a refueling at sea (RAS). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Charles E. Alvarado. | Fred Weiss | |
| 128k | 030302-N-6077T-001. At sea aboard USS Higgins (DDG 76), March 2 2003, bridge team members man the helm while conducting general quarters (GQ) drills aboard the guided missile destroyer. Higgins is on a regularly scheduled six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Kevin H. Tierney. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 96k | USS Higgins Missile shoot, Operation Iraqi Freedom, 21 Mar 2003, Photo by YNC (SW) Roebuck. | Clint Ellis, GSM1 (SW) USN | |
| 99k | The Honorable Mari Alkatiri, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, receives ceremonial honors as he boards the destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76), which arrived off the coast of Dili, Timor-Leste, for a March 2004 port visit. The visit is part of the United States’ ongoing commitment to this newly established democratic country. The USS Higgins had recently completed operations in the Arabian Gulf as part of a multinational force supporting Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Photo by CTO Mark Jackson, USN. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 66k | 030424-N-0021M-002. Singapore, April 24 2003, (Right to left), Cmdr. Mike Gilday, Commanding Officer (CO) of the guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76), is relieved by Cmdr. Randy Hill Commanding Officer of the guided missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) marking the first ever crew swap of an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. This is the second phase of the Navy's Sea Swap initiative, which involves rotating three crews through a single ship to allow for more time on station in theater, while returning crews home at six-month intervals. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Todd Macdonald. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 105k | 050506-N-2636M-044. San Diego CA, May 6 2005, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76), departs its homeport of San Diego to begin a scheduled six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. Higgins is deploying with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Kleynia R. McKnight. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 60k | 060930-N-7676W-046, San Diego, September 30 2006, the guided missile destroyer's USS Higgins (DDG 76) and USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) make their way around Coronado Island as part of the San Diego Fleet Week Sea and Air Parade. Fleet Week's mission is to pay tribute and thank San Diego’s military service men and women for "Serving America Twice" in the defense of our nation and as volunteers in improving the quality of our communities. U.S. Navy photo by Mr. John F. Williams. | Tony Cowart | |
| 123k | 070430-N-5484G-148. South China Sea, April 30 2007, Commander Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 Rear Adm. Terry Blake, talks to Sailors during an Admiral's Call aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76). Higgins is deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is deployed in support of operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joseph Pol Sebastian Gocong. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 109k | 070530-N-5169H-060. U.S. Navy Sailors with the visit, board, search and seizure team from the Navy destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76) prepare to secure the USNS Catawba's bridge and engineering spaces as part of a boarding exercise while under way in the Arabian Sea May 30, 2007. The Higgins is deployed overseas for a 6-month deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marcos T. Hernandez. | Bill Gonyo | |
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| 121k | Pacific Ocean, March 12 2008, the guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) sails alongside the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a replenishment-at-sea. Higgins is deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew J. Lanese, ID# 080312-N-6642L-022. | Robert M. Cieri | |
| 13k | Ships patch. | Steven A. Cardali | |
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