Overview
- The Arleigh Burke–class destroyer arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Nov. 12 after a 346-day deployment across the 3rd, 7th and 5th Fleet areas.
- The Navy credited Michael Murphy with dozens of Tomahawk strikes, 12 contested transits of the Strait of Hormuz, escorting four merchant tankers, and coordinating defense for 14 U.S. and coalition vessels.
- The ship and its crew were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and Combat Action Ribbons for their actions during Operation Epic Fury.
- Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham was relieved for a stated "loss of confidence" on Sept. 27, and the Navy did not publicly announce the change until media reports in November, with Cmdr. David Nicolas now in command.
- The deployment highlights a broader Navy shift to 10–11 month sails, reports of sailor strain in the strike group, and criticism from lawmakers about quiet removals of commanding officers and limited information sharing.