Military Wiki
Destroyer Squadron 15
Destroyer Squadron 15 (United States Navy) insignia, 2020.png
Active 1920–Present
Country United States
Branch United States Navy
Type Destroyer Squadron
Part of U.S. Seventh Fleet
Garrison/HQ United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
Motto(s) ”Champion of Freedom”
Capt Paul Lyons

Destroyer Squadron 15 is a squadron of United States Navy Arleigh Burke class destroyers based at Yokosuka, Japan.


Destroyer Squadron Fifteen was originally founded in 1920 as a reserve fleet unit. The Squadron was disestablished in 1922 and another Destroyer Squadron was re-designated as Destroyer Squadron Fifteen in 1928. That Destroyer Squadron was then re-designated as Destroyer Squadron 5 in 1931. Following the U.S. Entry into World War II, Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN was re-established and fought in Mediterranean battles during the war. In 1945, the Squadron was converted to Destroyer Minesweepers and was again re-designated this time as Mine Squadron 21. In 1946 the Destroyer Squadron was re-activated in the Pacific Fleet but was decommissioned briefly in 1950. Later the same year it was reestablished due to the Korean War. In 1971 the Destroyer Squadron departed San Diego and became a permanently forward deployed Squadron stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. The Squadron has taken part in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam conflict, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. [1]


The squadron consists of the following ships:[2]

The squadron is permanently assigned to Task Force 70 (Battle Force, Seventh Fleet), which has operational control of all carrier strike groups and independently deployed cruisers, destroyers and frigates that deploy or transit through the 7th Fleet area of operations. The Task Force 70 Commander also serves as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Five which includes the USS George Washington (CVN-73).[3][4]

