WAVY’s Navy Ship Salute is a feature on WAVY News 10 Today. Each month, in partnership with the U.S. Navy, WAVY-TV 10 will profile a different ship based at the world’s largest Navy base: Naval Station Norfolk. The series aims to better introduce our viewers to some of the largest floating taxpayer assets there are, as well as life aboard a U.S. Navy ship. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — For this WAVY Navy Ship Salute, 10 On Your Side went on board the U.S.S. Forrest Sherman, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. It is at Naval Station Norfolk in a maintenance availability. An energetic team greeted our team at the pier. Commanding Officer Dave Zerioth credits their enthusiasm with successful operations at sea, helping allies and partners in the security of our nation. While in between deployments, they are taking care of things on the ship at Naval Station Norfolk. "Obviously, the ships sustain operations at sea, takes its toll as we bring it in, you know, utilize our shipyard or local shipyards and contractors that conducts and repairs also get all the downtime for the team between those operations," Zerioth said. Forrest Sherman was an admiral who served in both world wars. During his time, he was the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations, maintaining this honor until 1970. In 2019, the ship intersected a sailboat carrying Iranian missile parts. While our team was on board, we were shown its five-inch gun. It is considered the mainstay of the destroyer, prominently mounted up front. "It is our main battery," GM3 William Walter explained. "It's primary uses for support, fire or self-defense. The ship outside of that, we can, you know, do ground support with it. Anything from shooting fireworks into the sky." They walked us through some of their fire drills, able to dress out in full gear and clear flames in a matter of minutes. We were walked through an exercise they carry out once a week, using their equipment to get smoke out of a hanger. Fake smoke was used for the simulation. The crew expects the U.S.S. Forest Sherman to be sent out on its next mission some time next year.