USS Higgins (DDG 76) Participates in 85th Black Ship Festival

SHIMODA, Japan (May 17, 2024) Cmdr. Ron Jenkins, (middle) the commanding officer of the Arleigh Burk-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76), Lt. Miles Graham, (left) and Lt. Michael Sparrow (right) answer questions from local children at Gyokusenji Temple in Shimoda, Japan, May 17. The 85th Black Ship Festival commemorates the 171st anniversary of the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry in Japan in 1853, a historical event that marked the beginning of diplomacy and trade agreements between the U.S. and Japan. Higgins is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Hannah Fry)