USS Nathan James

USS Nathan James is a fictional guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy, used as the setting for the 1988 post-apocalyptic novel The Last Ship and the television series of the same name.

Book
Nathan James
First appearanceThe Last Ship
CaptainThomas
General characteristics
ClassArleigh Burke-class destroyer
Armaments

USS Nathan James (DDG-80) is the lead ship of her class. The ship has a beam of 59 feet (18 m), a draft of 27 feet (8.2 m), and a length of 466 feet (142 m), with a rated speed of 38 knots (43.73 mph; 70.38 km/h). The number at the end of the hull code stands for the ship's position in the series, while the letters "DD" stand for "Destroyer" and the "G" for "Guided Missile". The ship was named after a U.S. Navy ensign who was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in World War II. She is conventionally powered.

Weaponry

Nathan James is armed with two 61-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launching Systems and carries a payload of 28 nuclear-tipped Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles (each rated at 200 kilotons) for each Vertical Launching System, for a total of 56 nuclear-tipped Tomahawk cruise missiles.[1][2]

Television series
Nathan James
The Last Ship vehicle
Captain
  • Tom Chandler
  • Mike Slattery
  • Kara Green
General characteristics
TypeArleigh Burke-class destroyer
Armaments
  • 1 × 32 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems
  • 1 × 64 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems
  • 96 × RIM-66 SM-2
  • BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-ASROC
  • 1 × 5/62 in (127/62 mm)
  • 2 × 25 mm guns
  • 4 × 12.7 mm guns
  • 2 × Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes
  • 1 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS

In the television series, USS Nathan James is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer homeported at Virginia's Naval Station Norfolk, rather than in Norway, as in the book. Its hull code is DDG-151, where in the book it is DDG-80, likely because USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) was christened after the release of the novel. In the canon of the show, it is named after a U.S. naval captain from World War II and was authorized in September 2001, laid down in June 2002, and launched in January 2004.[3] The ship's motto is "The Spear of the Navy".[4]

In the pilot, "Phase Six", it is mentioned that Nathan James has a crew complement of 217.[5] By the season 2 finale, "A More Perfect Union", CDR Chandler mentions that there are 204 crewmen on Nathan James.[6]

In the season 2 finale, "A More Perfect Union", Nathan James arrives in St. Louis, Missouri after defeating the Immunes and is scheduled to spend the next few months in drydock.

In "The Scott Effect", CAPT Slattery, CDR Garnett, CMDCM Jeter, LTJG Mason, Dr. Rios, GM2 Miller, and SA Diaz are taken prisoner from a Vietnamese nightclub by Asian pirates.[7] In "Shanzhai", CAPT Chandler, as ranking officer, retakes command of Nathan James and names LT Granderson acting executive officer over LT Cameron Burk, a senior lieutenant who held the conn while CAPT Slattery was off-ship.[8] Upon the rescue of the prisoners of war in "Dog Day", CAPT Chandler returns command of the ship to CAPT Slattery.

In "Casus Belli", Nathan James is under the command of CDR Kara Green and her executive officer is CDR Carlton Burk.[9]

In the series finale, "Commitment", Nathan James is severely damaged and eventually sinks after ramming an enemy vessel, which also sinks.

USS Halsey, a real Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, stood in for Nathan James during filming.[10]

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See also

Trivia
  • Naval hats depicting USS Nathan James appear in Family Guy, season 16, Episode 14.

Notes

    References
    1. Brinkley, William (February 1989). The Last Ship (Paperback ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 3. ISBN 0345359828.
    2. Brinkley, William (February 1989). The Last Ship (Paperback ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 21. ISBN 0345359828. USS Nathan James, DDG 80, guided missile destroyer, first of her class,
    3. https://web.archive.org/web/20170414195409/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.ZBRLYeDGBPDXsVYKiKdcQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9MTI4MDtoPTk2MDtpbD1wbGFuZQ--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/tv/2014-06-20/f9ccb560-f80e-11e3-b769-df546e9160a0_the-last-ship-bts-02-26-61-22.jpg
    4. http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EbcAAOSw5VFWM728/s-l300.jpg
    5. "Phase Six". The Last Ship. Season 1. Episode 1. June 22, 2014.
    6. "A More Perfect Union". The Last Ship. Season 2. Episode 13. September 6, 2015.
    7. "The Scott Effect". The Last Ship. Season 3. Episode 1. June 19, 2016.
    8. "Shanzhai". The Last Ship. Season 3. Episode 3. June 26, 2016.
    9. "Casus Belli". The Last Ship. Season 5. Episode 1. September 9, 2018.
    10. "Naval Base San Diego; USS Halsey featured in "The Last Ship"". Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Justin L. Webb, Naval Base San Diego Public Affairs. United States Navy. November 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
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