NORFOLK, Va. — Destroyers are the U.S. Navy’s primary warships.
"Anything from torpedoes to missiles that can take down other missiles or tomahawk missiles that can go hundreds of miles," said Judd Linscott, a sailor on board the USS Porter.
The destroyers can stay with the fleet or go out on their own missions.
"We do whatever the Navy needs us to do," said Linscott.
The 150 sailors on board are trained to shoot at enemy ships.
Bartow High School graduate Eddie-Jalen Tileer works on those guns.
"I joined the Navy because I want to serve my country, and do something different," said Tiller.
And he’s doing something different as a gunner’s mate.
"I do maintenance on the weapons. If they get broke, you fix them, and I shoot them too. So that’s pretty cool," said Tileer.
Tileer works on the big guns on Navy destroyers like the USS Porter. One of the destroyers' main jobs is to protect the aircraft carrier that can have up to 5,000 sailors on board.
"What we do is very important; it’s the first line of defense," said Tileer.
