Navy
Future missile frigate will be named after historic female Navy officer
Stars and Stripes
December 17, 2024
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Capt. Joy Bright Hancock in her Navy uniform. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced on Dec. 16, 2024, a future constellation-class guided missile frigate (FFG 69) will be named after Hancock for her trailblazing military service in the U.S. Navy. (Mark Faram/U.S. Navy)
A future constellation-class guided missile frigate (FFG 69) will be named USS Joy Bright Hancock, a tribute to one of the first female officers to serve in the U.S. Navy, according to a Navy news release.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro made the announcement Monday at the 11th Women, Peace and Security Symposium, hosted by the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I.
“We — men and women alike — must contribute to the meaningful participation of women in the armed forces to increase combat readiness and operational effectiveness,” Del Toro said. “Captain Joy Bright Hancock was a trailblazer who paved the way for generations of women to proudly serve this great nation. That is why, I am incredibly pleased to announce that a Constellation-class frigate, FFG 69, will be named the USS Joy Bright Hancock.”
This will be the first Navy vessel to be named after Hancock, and the 10th of the new constellation-class frigates.
The future USS Joy Bright Hancock honors her namesake’s service beginning as a yeoman in World War I, and her integral role in passage of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act in 1948.
Hancock was one of eight women to be sworn into the regular Navy and was subsequently appointed Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Women. She received commendations for her service to the Bureau of Naval Aeronautics and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air) during World War II, as well as for her assistance in expanding opportunities for women in the Navy.
The Navy now annually awards the Joy Bright Hancock Award to honor the visionary leadership of officers whose ideals foster an inclusive culture while furthering the integration of women in the Navy.
The constellation-class guided-missile frigate represents the Navy’s next-generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multimission warship, capable of operations in both deep water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea.