EVERETT, WA – Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin released the following statements after the Navy announced it will temporarily homeport the crew of the USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, at Naval Station Everett:

“I look forward to welcoming the USS John Paul Jones, her sailors and their families to Everett,” said Larsen, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Everett is ready, willing and able to support more missions. I will continue working with local leaders to make that case to the Navy and the Coast Guard and ensure Everett remains ‘the Sailor’s Choice.’”

“The Navy is an important part of our community’s diverse fabric,” said Franklin. “Everett is honored to be the new homeport of the USS John Paul Jones and we warmly welcome her crew and families. Since taking office, I’ve advocated for additional assets at our base and I will continue to support Naval Station Everett with local, state and national partners.”

Larsen has long pushed to homeport more Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships at Everett. In December, Larsen released a report outlining why Everett is the ideal location for future U.S. Navy and Coast Guard homeporting. In the report, Larsen highlights Everett’s location, natural deep-water port, modern infrastructure and new shipyards as unique and vital fits for future Navy and U.S. Coast Guard missions.

The USS John Paul Jones will undergo a major modernization and maintenance overhaul. Effective June 15, 2021, the John Paul Jones and her crew will change homeport from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to Everett.

Twenty-nine officers and 284 enlisted women and men crew the John Paul Jones, which the Navy commissioned in 1993. The cruiser is named after Captain John Paul Jones, a hero of the American Revolution and the Father of the American Navy. Everett is currently home to five Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers – USS Momsen, USS Kidd, USS Gridley, USS Sampson and USS Ralph Johnson – and two Coast Guard ships – USCGC Henry Blake and USCGC Blue Shark. Last month, the Navy announced it will temporarily homeport the crew of the USS Cape St. George, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, at Everett in September 2020.

For more information on the USS John Paul Jones, click here.

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