Spruance class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Spruance-class destroyer was developed by the United States to replace a large number of World War II
-built Allen M. Sumner-
and Gearing-class
destroyers, and was the primary destroyer
built for the U.S. Navy
during the 1970s.
Serving for three decades, the Spruance class was designed to escort a carrier group with a primary ASW
mission. First commissioned in 1975, the class was designed with gas-turbine propulsion, all-digital weapons systems, automated 5-inch guns and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Rather than extend the life of the class, the Navy opted to accelerate its retirement. The last ship of the class was decommissioned in 2005, with most examples broken up or destroyed as targets.
warfare (ASW) with point defense anti-aircraft warfare
(AAW) missiles; upgrades provided anti-ship and land attack capabilities. The ships were initially controversial, especially among members of the United States Congress
who believed that their unimposing looks, with only two guns and an ASROC
or Armored Box Launcher
(ABL) missile launcher per ship implied that the vessels were weak compared to Soviet or older US designs which had more visible guns or launchers for the Standard
medium range missiles. Late updates would include launchers for the Tomahawk surface-to-surface missile. They were successful for their intended ASW roles, but lacked stealth and missile capabilities of later Aegis equipped destroyers.
Despite their "DD" designation indicating gun destroyers, their primary armament was the missiles they carried, and arguably they should have been designated DDG (or perhaps CG, given that they were comparable in size to cruisers) under the US Navy's hull classification symbol
system.
The "Spru-cans" were the first large U.S. Navy ships to use gas turbine
propulsion; they have four General Electric LM2500
gas turbines to generate about 80,000 horsepower (60 MW). This configuration (developed in the 1960s
by the Royal Navy
and known as COmbined Gas And Gas, or COGAG
) very successful and used on all subsequent U.S. warships. A slightly lengthened version of the hull was also used for the Ticonderoga-class cruisers
. As of 2010, all US Navy surface combatants (except LCS-1) use the LM2500 COGAG arrangement, usually with two such turbines per shaft.
The entire class of 30 ships was contracted on June 23, 1970 to the Litton-Ingalls
shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi
, under the Total Package Procurement concept originated by the Whiz Kids
of Robert McNamara
's Pentagon
. The idea was to reap the benefits of mass construction, but labor and technical problems caused cost overruns and delayed construction. One additional ship, USS Hayler
, was ordered on September 29, 1979. Hayler was originally planned as a DDH (Destroyer, Helicopter) design, which would carry more Anti-Submarine helicopters than the standard design of the Spruance class. Eventually this plan to build a DDH was scrapped and a slightly modified DD-963 class hull was put in commission. Four additional ships were built for the Iranian Navy with the Mark 26/Standard AAW missile system but were completed as Kidds for the U.S. Navy. The Kidds were nearly identical to the Spruances but they were more advanced general-purpose ships. It was once planned to build all of the Spruance class up to this standard, but it was too expensive.
An air capable mini V/STOL
aircraft carrier with fighters and ASW helicopters based on the Spruance hull was seriously considered but the Navy never took delivery.
missiles. The remaining seven ships not upgraded were decommissioned early. At least ten VLS ships, including Cushing, O'Bannon, and Thorn, had a 21 cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
launcher mounted on the starboard fantail.
Spruance class destroyers fired 112 land attack Tomahawks during Operation Desert Storm.
(DDG-1000) ships. In order to save $28 million a year the Navy accelerated retirement of the ships, though they could have served to 2019 if they had been maintained and updated. The last Spruance-class destroyer on active service, , was decommissioned on September 21, 2005. It was then offered to the Pakistan Navy
, but was sunk as a target 29 April 2009. Per the 2010 U.S. Defense budget, only three DDG-1000s are being built. The Arleigh Burke class is the Navy's only operational class of destroyers.
Some Spruance destroyers were broken up, but rather than being preserved in storage like some older classes, the majority of the class finished their lives as targets. Most were deliberately sunk in various fleet exercises. One notable exception was the four ships of the Kidd class that were transferred to the Republic of China Navy
(Taiwan).
The replaced the in 2005 as the Self Defense Test Ship
. It is a refurbished ship, operated by remote control which avoids the safety constraints and other problems associated with manned ships being targeted by or towing targets by live weapons. The prearranged attack is in practice aimed at a decoy barge pulled 150 feet behind the SDTS in case of damage.
The four Kidd class destroyers are still active with the Taiwanese Navy.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-built Allen M. Sumner-
Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers...
and Gearing-class
Gearing class destroyer
The Gearing class was a group of 98 destroyers built for the US Navy during and shortly after World War II. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the immediately preceding Allen M. Sumner class...
destroyers, and was the primary destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
built for the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the 1970s.
Serving for three decades, the Spruance class was designed to escort a carrier group with a primary ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
mission. First commissioned in 1975, the class was designed with gas-turbine propulsion, all-digital weapons systems, automated 5-inch guns and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Rather than extend the life of the class, the Navy opted to accelerate its retirement. The last ship of the class was decommissioned in 2005, with most examples broken up or destroyed as targets.
Class
The class was designed for anti-submarineSubmarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
warfare (ASW) with point defense anti-aircraft warfare
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
(AAW) missiles; upgrades provided anti-ship and land attack capabilities. The ships were initially controversial, especially among members of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
who believed that their unimposing looks, with only two guns and an ASROC
ASROC
ASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
or Armored Box Launcher
Armored Box Launcher
The Armored Box Launcher is a four-round protected launch container for the BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise Missile.Fitted to the Iowa-class battleships following their 1980s recommissioning upgrade, each ABL contains four ready-to-fire Tomahawks...
(ABL) missile launcher per ship implied that the vessels were weak compared to Soviet or older US designs which had more visible guns or launchers for the Standard
RIM-66 Standard
The RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . The SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships...
medium range missiles. Late updates would include launchers for the Tomahawk surface-to-surface missile. They were successful for their intended ASW roles, but lacked stealth and missile capabilities of later Aegis equipped destroyers.
Despite their "DD" designation indicating gun destroyers, their primary armament was the missiles they carried, and arguably they should have been designated DDG (or perhaps CG, given that they were comparable in size to cruisers) under the US Navy's hull classification symbol
Hull classification symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use hull classification symbols to identify their ship types and each individual ship within each type...
system.
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
propulsion; they have four General Electric LM2500
General Electric LM2500
-External links:* .* *...
gas turbines to generate about 80,000 horsepower (60 MW). This configuration (developed in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and known as COmbined Gas And Gas, or COGAG
Combined gas and gas
Combined gas turbine and gas turbine is a type of propulsion system for ships using two gas turbines connected to a single propeller shaft. A gearbox and clutches allow either of the turbines to drive the shaft or both of them combined....
) very successful and used on all subsequent U.S. warships. A slightly lengthened version of the hull was also used for the Ticonderoga-class cruisers
Ticonderoga class cruiser
The Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...
. As of 2010, all US Navy surface combatants (except LCS-1) use the LM2500 COGAG arrangement, usually with two such turbines per shaft.
The entire class of 30 ships was contracted on June 23, 1970 to the Litton-Ingalls
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ingalls Shipbuilding is a shipyard located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, originally established in 1938, and is now part of Huntington Ingalls Industries...
shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
, under the Total Package Procurement concept originated by the Whiz Kids
Whiz Kids (Department of Defense)
Whiz Kids was a name given to a group of experts from RAND Corporation with which Robert McNamara surrounded himself in order to turn around the management of the United States Department of Defense in the 1960s...
of Robert McNamara
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...
's Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. The idea was to reap the benefits of mass construction, but labor and technical problems caused cost overruns and delayed construction. One additional ship, USS Hayler
USS Hayler (DD-997)
USS Hayler , the last Spruance-class destroyer, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Vice Admiral Robert W. Hayler .-History:...
, was ordered on September 29, 1979. Hayler was originally planned as a DDH (Destroyer, Helicopter) design, which would carry more Anti-Submarine helicopters than the standard design of the Spruance class. Eventually this plan to build a DDH was scrapped and a slightly modified DD-963 class hull was put in commission. Four additional ships were built for the Iranian Navy with the Mark 26/Standard AAW missile system but were completed as Kidds for the U.S. Navy. The Kidds were nearly identical to the Spruances but they were more advanced general-purpose ships. It was once planned to build all of the Spruance class up to this standard, but it was too expensive.
An air capable mini V/STOL
V/STOL
Vertical and/or short take-off and landing is a term used to describe aircraft that are able to take-off or land vertically or on short runways. Vertical takeoff and landing describes craft which do not require runways at all...
aircraft carrier with fighters and ASW helicopters based on the Spruance hull was seriously considered but the Navy never took delivery.
Upgrades
The Spruance design is modular in nature, allowing for easy installation of entire subsystems within the ship. Although originally designed for anti-submarine warfare, 24 ships of this class were upgraded with the installation of a 61 cell Vertical Launch Missile System (VLS) capable of launching TomahawkBGM-109 Tomahawk
The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...
missiles. The remaining seven ships not upgraded were decommissioned early. At least ten VLS ships, including Cushing, O'Bannon, and Thorn, had a 21 cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the American, German, South Korean, Greek, Turkish, Saudi and Egyptian navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense weapon against anti-ship cruise missiles...
launcher mounted on the starboard fantail.
- David R. Ray tested the RAM system in the 1980s, but had the system removed after the tests.
- Oldendorf was the test platform for the AN/SPQ-9B Anti-ship Missile Defense (ASMD) Firecontrol Radar to be outfitted on the San Antonio class amphibious transport dockSan Antonio class amphibious transport dockThe San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock in the beginning of the 21st century...
. The AN/SPQ-9B is used to detect all known and projected sea skimming missiles. - Arthur W. Radford tested the Advanced Enclosed Mast/SensorAdvanced Enclosed Mast/SensorThe US Navy's Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor system fully integrates advanced materials, structures, and manufacturing technologies with sensor technology, electromagnetics, and signature reduction....
system which helped in the mast design of San Antonio class amphibious transport dockSan Antonio class amphibious transport dockThe San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock in the beginning of the 21st century...
ships. - Merrill served as the Navy's test platform for the Tomahawk Cruise Missile Program receiving armored box launchers and test launching a Tomahawk March 19, 1980. Merrill carried two ABLs and an ASROC launcher into the 1990s until the ASROC launcher was removed.
Spruance class destroyers fired 112 land attack Tomahawks during Operation Desert Storm.
Fate
The US Navy planned to replace its current destroyers and cruisers with the new Zumwalt class destroyerZumwalt class destroyer
The Zumwalt class destroyer is a planned class of United States Navy destroyers, designed as multi-mission ships with a focus on land attack. The class is a scaled-back project that emerged after funding cuts to the larger DD-21 vessel program. The program was previously known as the "DD"...
(DDG-1000) ships. In order to save $28 million a year the Navy accelerated retirement of the ships, though they could have served to 2019 if they had been maintained and updated. The last Spruance-class destroyer on active service, , was decommissioned on September 21, 2005. It was then offered to the Pakistan Navy
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
, but was sunk as a target 29 April 2009. Per the 2010 U.S. Defense budget, only three DDG-1000s are being built. The Arleigh Burke class is the Navy's only operational class of destroyers.
Some Spruance destroyers were broken up, but rather than being preserved in storage like some older classes, the majority of the class finished their lives as targets. Most were deliberately sunk in various fleet exercises. One notable exception was the four ships of the Kidd class that were transferred to the Republic of China Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
(Taiwan).
The replaced the in 2005 as the Self Defense Test Ship
Self Defense Test Ship
The Self Defense Test Ship is one of the assets of the US Navy. It is a refurbished ship, operated by remote control, which is designed to support self-defense engineering, testing, and evaluation. Being unmanned, it avoids the safety constraints and other problems associated with manned ships...
. It is a refurbished ship, operated by remote control which avoids the safety constraints and other problems associated with manned ships being targeted by or towing targets by live weapons. The prearranged attack is in practice aimed at a decoy barge pulled 150 feet behind the SDTS in case of damage.
The four Kidd class destroyers are still active with the Taiwanese Navy.
Ships in class
| Ship Name | Hull No. | Commission– Decommission |
Disposition | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spruance USS Spruance (DD-963) USS Spruance was the lead ship of the Spruance-class of destroyers in the United States Navy. She was named for Admiral Raymond A. Spruance.... |
DD-963 | 1975–2005 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD963.htm |
| Paul F. Foster USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964) USS Paul F. Foster , named for Vice Admiral Paul F. Foster USN , was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi... |
DD-964 | 1976–2003 | Active, in service as EDD-964 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD964.htm http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/EDD964.htm |
| Kinkaid USS Kinkaid (DD-965) USS Kinkaid , named for Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid USN , was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-History:... |
DD-965 | 1976–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD965.htm |
| Hewitt USS Hewitt (DD-966) USS Hewitt , named for Admiral H. Kent Hewitt USN , was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi and launched on 14 September 1974 by Mrs. Leroy Hewitt Taylor and Mrs. Gerald Hewitt Norton, daughters of Admiral Hewitt.-History:Hewitt was the... |
DD-966 | 1976–2001 | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD966.htm |
| Elliot USS Elliot (DD-967) USS Elliot was a in the United States Navy. Built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi, the ship was named for Lieutenant Commander Arthur J... |
DD-967 | 1977–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD967.htm |
| Arthur W. Radford USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968) USS Arthur W. Radford was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Admiral Arthur W. Radford USN , the first naval officer to hold the title of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Arthur W... |
DD-968 | 1977–2003 | Stricken, to be disposed of as artificial reef | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD968.htm |
| Peterson USS Peterson (DD-969) USS Peterson , named for Lieutenant Commander Carl Jerrold Peterson , was a laid down by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. She commissioned on July 9, 1977 and decommissioned on October 4, 2002.- Ship's history :1979 - Persian Gulf deployment... |
DD-969 | 1977–2002 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD969.htm |
| Caron USS Caron (DD-970) USS Caron was a , named for Hospital Corpsman Third Class Wayne M. Caron , who was killed in action during the Vietnam War, and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.... |
DD-970 | 1977–2001 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD970.htm |
| David R. Ray USS David R. Ray (DD-971) USS David R. Ray , named for Hospital Corpsman Second Class David Robert Ray, a sailor killed in 1969 and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, was a Spruance-class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-Ship's history:USS David R.... |
DD-971 | 1977–2002 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD971.htm |
| Oldendorf USS Oldendorf (DD-972) USS Oldendorf , named for Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf USN, was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-Construction:... |
DD-972 | 1978–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD972.htm |
| John Young USS John Young (DD-973) USS John Young , named for Captain John Young USN, was a Spruance-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-History:... |
DD-973 | 1978–2002 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD973.htm |
| Comte de Grasse USS Comte de Grasse (DD-974) USS Comte de Grasse , named for Admiral Francois-Joseph Paul, Comte de Grasse , was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.... |
DD-974 | 1978–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD974.htm |
| O'Brien USS O'Brien (DD-975) USS O'Brien was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. It was named for Captain Jeremiah O'Brien USN and his five brothers: Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph. The O'Briens were crew members on board the sloop Unity, which captured HMS... |
DD-975 | 1977–2004 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD975.htm |
| Merrill USS Merrill (DD-976) USS Merrill , named for Rear Admiral Aaron Stanton Merrill USN , was a laid down 16 June 1975 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.She was launched 1 September 1976 and commissioned 11 March 1978.-History:USS Merrill had the distinction of being the... |
DD-976 | 1978–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD976.htm |
| Briscoe USS Briscoe (DD-977) USS Briscoe , named for Rear Admiral Robert Pearce Briscoe USN, was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was laid down 21 July 1975, launched 28 December 1976 and commissioned 3 June 1978. The ship operated out of Norfolk, Virginia... |
DD-977 | 1978–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD977.htm |
| Stump USS Stump (DD-978) USS Stump , named after Admiral Felix Budwell Stump USN, was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The USS Stump was decommissioned and stricken on 22 October 2004.-History:... |
DD-978 | 1978–2004 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD978.htm |
| Conolly USS Conolly (DD-979) USS Conolly , named for Admiral Richard Lansing Conolly USN, was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-History:... |
DD-979 | 1978–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD979.htm |
| Moosbrugger USS Moosbrugger (DD-980) USS Moosbrugger was a Spruance-class destroyer built for the United States Navy by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi... |
DD-980 | 1978–2000 | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD980.htm |
| John Hancock USS John Hancock (DD-981) USS John Hancock , a , was the second ship of that name, and the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for John Hancock , the President of the Continental Congress and first signer of the Declaration of Independence.... |
DD-981 | 1978–2000 | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD981.htm |
| Nicholson USS Nicholson (DD-982) USS Nicholson , a Spruance-class destroyer, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for a family which was prominent in early American naval history, including James Nicholson, the senior Continental Navy Captain, and Samuel Nicholson, the first captain of USS Constitution.-... |
DD-982 | 1979–2002 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD982.htm |
| John Rodgers USS John Rodgers (DD-983) USS John Rodgers , a Spruance-class destroyer, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the three generations of the Rodgers family who served in the Navy.... |
DD-983 | 1979–1998 | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD983.htm |
| Leftwich USS Leftwich (DD-984) USS Leftwich was a Spruance-class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was named for Lieutenant Colonel William G... |
DD-984 | 1979–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD984.htm |
| Cushing USS Cushing (DD-985) USS Cushing , named for Commander William Barker Cushing USN and was the fifth ship of the United States Navy to carry the name. Cushing was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi... |
DD-985 | 1979–2005 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD985.htm |
| Harry W. Hill USS Harry W. Hill (DD-986) USS Harry W. Hill , named for Admiral Harry W. Hill USN, was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.-History:In late November 1982 Harry W... |
DD-986 | 1979–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD986.htm |
| O'Bannon USS O'Bannon (DD-987) USS O'Bannon , a Spruance-class destroyer, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon , an early hero of the US Marine Corps.... |
DD-987 | 1979–2005 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD987.htm |
| Thorn USS Thorn (DD-988) USS Thorn , a Spruance-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Jonathan Thorn , who took part in Decatur's expedition to destroy the captured frigate Philadelphia in 1804.... |
DD-988 | 1980–2004 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD988.htm |
| Deyo USS Deyo (DD-989) USS Deyo , a Spruance-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral Morton L. Deyo , a veteran destroyerman and distinguished naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II.... |
DD-989 | 1980–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD989.htm |
| Ingersoll USS Ingersoll (DD-990) USS Ingersoll , a Spruance-class destroyer, was the second U.S. Navy ship to be named USS Ingersoll; in this case, in honor of Admiral Royal E... |
DD-990 | 1980–1998 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD990.htm |
| Fife USS Fife (DD-991) USS Fife , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Admiral James Fife, Jr. , a distinguished Submarine Force commander during World War II.... |
DD-991 | 1980–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD991.htm |
| Fletcher USS Fletcher (DD-992) USS Fletcher , the thirtieth Spruance-class destroyer, was part of the first major class of United States Navy surface ships to be powered by gas turbines. She was commissioned in July 1980 and was deployed mainly in the western and southern Pacific, but also voyaged to the Indian Ocean and... |
DD-992 | 1980–2004 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD992.htm |
| Hayler USS Hayler (DD-997) USS Hayler , the last Spruance-class destroyer, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for Vice Admiral Robert W. Hayler .-History:... |
DD-997 | 1983–2003 | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/DD997.htm |