Editing USS Winston S. Churchill (section)

== Service history ==
The contract to build ''Winston S. Churchill'' was awarded to the [[Bath Iron Works]] Corporation on 6 January 1995, and the [[keel]] was laid down on 7 May 1998. ''Winston S. Churchill'' was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 17 April 1999, delivered 13 October 2000, and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] 10 March 2001. The launch and christening of the ship was co-sponsored by [[Mary Soames, Baroness Soames|Lady Soames]], the daughter of [[Winston Churchill]], and Mrs. Janet Cohen, wife of the [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]]. Her first commanding officer was [[Commander (United States)|Commander]] (and future [[Rear admiral (United States)|Vice Admiral]]) [[Michael T. Franken]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=474 |title=Vice Admiral Michael T. Franken, Deputy Commander for Military Operations U.S. Africa Command |publisher=United States Navy |access-date=2 October 2015 |archive-date=3 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003125908/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=474 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During May–June 2001, ''Winston S. Churchill'' underwent shock trials 100 nautical miles off the coast of [[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida. These trials subjected the ship to various close-range underwater detonations, and were performed to collect data concerning ship survivability and damage resistance in a modern threat environment. ''Winston S. Churchill'' sustained minor damage during these three tests.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=David T. |date=March 2003 |title=Ship Shock Trial Simulation of USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81): Surrounding Fluid Effect |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA414919 |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=Defense Technical Information Center (.mil)}}</ref> The tests costed 20 million dollars.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ship Shock Trial Modeling and Simulation of USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA419366.pdf |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=Defense Technical Information Center (.mil)}}</ref> 
[[File:LutjensHonors.jpg|thumb|Crew of [[German destroyer Lütjens|German destroyer ''Lütjens'']] pay homage as they bid farewell to the crew ''Winston S. Churchill'']]
On 14 September 2001, (three days after the [[11 September 2001 attacks]]), the [[German Navy]] destroyer {{ship|German destroyer|Lütjens|D185|2}} passed close abeam ''Winston S. Churchill'' and rendered honors by [[manning the rails]], flying the [[Flag of the United States|Stars and Stripes]] at half-mast, and the display of a banner reading "We Stand By You".  An e-mail sent by an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] on board ''Winston S. Churchill'' described the occasion.<ref>{{cite web | publisher=United States Navy| year=2001| title= This is an e-mail from an Ensign stationed aboard the ship during the UK deployment|  url=http://www.churchill.navy.mil/lutjens.htm | access-date=15 March 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051229195801/http://www.churchill.navy.mil/lutjens.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 29 December 2005}}</ref>

In January 2003, ''Winston S. Churchill'' deployed with the {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|6}} battle group in support of the Iraq War's [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], firing several [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk missiles]]. ''Winston S. Churchill'' returned to [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] at the end of May 2003.
 
On 22 August 2005, ''Winston S. Churchill'' was involved in a minor collision with the destroyer {{USS|McFaul|DDG-74|6}} off the coast of [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], Florida. Both ships suffered minor damage, and no injuries were reported. Both ships returned to their homeport at [[Naval Station Norfolk]] under their own power.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.damagecontrolmuseums.org/Ship_Cas_history/MCFAUL/MCFAUL_n.html |title= USS McFaul (DDG 74) and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) Collision |website= Damage Control Museum |access-date= 5 March 2016 |archive-date= 13 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160313101919/http://www.damagecontrolmuseums.org/Ship_Cas_history/MCFAUL/MCFAUL_n.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>
 
On 22 January 2006 ''Winston S. Churchill'' captured a suspected pirate vessel in the Indian Ocean as part of an ongoing effort to help maintain law and order in the region.<ref name="SUSPECTED-PIRATES-CAPTURED-OFF-SOMALI-COAST">{{cite press release|title = Suspected Pirates Captured Off Somali Coast|publisher = Headquarters, United States Central Command|date = 22 January 2006|url = http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom1/Lists/Press%20Releases/DispForm.aspx?ID=2597|access-date = 15 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010004/http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom1/Lists/Press%20Releases/DispForm.aspx?ID=2597|archive-date = 27 September 2007}}</ref>

On 26 September 2010, ''Winston S. Churchill'' came across a disabled [[skiff]] in the [[Gulf of Aden]]. After attempts to repair the skiff's engines failed ''Winston S. Churchill'' took the vessel under tow towards [[Somalia]]. On 27 September the skiff sank when the 85 passengers rushed to one side of the skiff during a food delivery causing the vessel to [[capsize]].<ref>[http://nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=120161&z=5 Mười ba thuyền nhân Phi Châu chết đuối]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{in lang|vi}}</ref> ''Winston S. Churchill'' was able to rescue 61 of the passengers and continued towards Somalia on 28 September.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11425451 |publisher=BBC News | title=Tragic end to US rescue bid off Somali coast | date=28 September 2010}}</ref>

Her homeport was formerly [[Naval Station Norfolk]] became [[Naval Station Mayport]], [[Florida]] on 19 July 2021. She is currently a part of [[Carrier Strike Group 12]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carrier Strike Group 12 Welcomes Spanish Frigate to Naval Station Norfolk |url=https://www.navy.mil/DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId=1&ModuleId=685&Article=2238772 |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=www.navy.mil}}</ref>

On 11–12 February 2021, ''Winston S. Churchill'' seized thousands of weapons from two stateless dhows off the coast of [[Somalia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winston S. Churchill Seizes Illicit Weapons from Two Dhows off Somalia |url=https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-ARTICLES/News-Article-View/Article/2504027/winston-s-churchill-seizes-illicit-weapons-from-two-dhows-off-somalia/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.centcom.mil%2FMEDIA%2FNEWS-ARTICLES%2FNews-Article-View%2FArticle%2F2504027%2Fwinston-s-churchill-seizes-illicit-weapons-from-two-dhows-off-somalia%2F |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=U.S. Central Command |language=en-US}}</ref>