I was Pre-com Connolly DD-979 and then regular ships company, 78-81. Arghh.. South America anyone? Surely keeping some in mothballs would have been decent insurance but no one was worried about Russia or China back in 2003 or so. Great to hear from a fellow Harry W Hill plank owner. . We held a swim call instead. ), Pre-com plankowner DD963 USS Spruance shake down cruse and left the Spruance and the Navy Aug. 17 1976 She was the last and best ship of my 20 plus years. One ship with nukes is more than enough. The big secret to this whole thing is that it was cheaper to up grade then build a new ship. Oh, what nowthe Russians are reviving there sub fleet, too badno Spruance-class destroyers are left to hunt them down. On our maiden cruise We made it to the mouth of the Med in 5 days faster than I ever sailed across the pond before or since! STUMP conducted Black Sea operations, port visits and extensive USW operations. Good memories and sad feelings on the demise of our homes away from home! I never thought I'd miss the Stump untill I got to the Enterprise. Stump also received the integrated AN/SQQ-89 USW system, the most sophisticated underwater surveillance system employed by surface vessels. Even better crew. Identifying the Best Training, Tools, and Tactics for the Armed Civilian! It made a big impression on me. Heading south joining the US Naval Forces Southern Command, STUMP and its embarked detachment from Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 participated in counter-narcotics operations in the eastern Pacific and took part in the annual UNITAS exercise. As another Conolly plankowner, I fully agree with Tim and was dismayed to learn of the ships mothballing in 1998 after barely 20 years in commission, and eventual demise as a test target. Stefan Walch, Commodore, Destroyer Squadron Two (CDS-2), relieved USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) commanding officer, Cmdr. Lots of fond memories and funny stories. In mid-October 2003 Stump operated off the coast of Argentina with the frigate USSRobert G. Bradley as part of the annual UNITAS exercise which involved naval forces from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Spain and Uruguay. In 1942 he served as Air Officer for Commander Western Sea Frontier, was promoted to Captain, and took command of the new carrier USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) in late 1942. The gold shield is symbolic of knowledge and achievement. More on this ship below. In command of the LANGLEY in Manila Bay, at the outbreak of World War II, he was transferred in January 1942 to the Staff of the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet. Richard Zamberlan, the. USS STUMP took part in the Fleet Battle Experiment Hotel (FBE-H) which was conducted by units of the 2nd Fleet and personnel of the Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) from August 28 to September 12, 2000 off the Virginia Capes and in the Gulf of Mexico. I went from BM3 to BM2 on her. Loved my division those of you I called friends there! In July 1994, Stump again deployed to South America for UNITAS XXXV serving as the flagship for the commander of the U.S. South Atlantic Force. But retrofitting with Aegis I wouldnt think excessively cost prohibitive unless Lockheed and others wanted the good old arm and leg they like to charge. In 80 to 81, I was 11-12 yrs old and was in St Lucia while my dad was working thereWe took a tour of the USS Peterson when it came in for a port visit. Instead of being crammed full of TLAMs, these new DDGs have to allocate most of their space to carrying surface to air missiles. 1958 edition | laststandonzombieisland, Goula Sub Sighting (of Sorts) | laststandonzombieisland, VS22 Looking Flat | laststandonzombieisland, Sprucan Desert Shield Watercolors | laststandonzombieisland, Bring back the Garcias! DD Module Erection Area 24 June 1976. She was the last in the continuous line of hull numbers. As a result of her outstanding performance, Stump was awarded the "Hookem Award" for USW excellence by the commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet. Yet another Conolly DD 979 plankowner here. Requests should go out at Cost plus 7-10% and due on specific dates 100% certified and complete with a Bonus paid upon completion of contract when completed early and 100% . Online there are pictures of her being broken in Brownsville, TXVery very sad. Refitting with Aegis wouldnt happen. You waited for the price to come down and technology to mature some and got the HD LCD TV and then you still held onto the tube set for a while and put it in the guest room until a better deal came along and you got an even better primary set. In drydock in New York during summer 1983. While in the Caribbean, STUMP again shot Naval Gunfire Support Qualifications and scored 495 out of 500 winning the Atlantic Fleet "Top Gun" award for an unprecedented second year in a row. In Commission 1978 to 2004 DD-978 Deployments - Major Events. Naval War College Hosts Inaugural War Gaming Research Forum, Issues in National Security: "China: The Uyghur Issue", Chinese Sea Mines Are Threatening the U.S. Navy. Good article about a great class of DDs. Mission Ready, Qualified & Competent, On Time Execution! 1996 1997 Select the period (starting by the reporting year): precomm - 1978 | 1979 - 1980 | 1981 - 1982 | 1983 - 1984 | 1985 - 1986 | 1987 - 1988 | 1989 - 1991 | 1992 - 1993 | 1994 - 1995 | 1996 - 1997 | 1998 - 1999 | 2000 - 2001 | 2002 | 2003 - now https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsYour USS Charles S. Sperry (DD 697) was an Allen M. Sumner class ship, not a Spruance. Let go early for disability but thats a story.Sure had some good times aboard her.Cried sorta,got angry sorta ect when she was sunk but think we all did.Life is good shipmate glade you made it. From 1797 to today, over 70 individuals have commanded USS Constitution. Qualified Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) as a First Class Petty Officer. As a 9 year old. Thanks for your service! And they were darned good looking shipsthe last with real destroyer lines, if you ask me. Stump, as part of Destroyer Squadron Two, joined five other nations and other U.S. Navy warships in the central Mediterranean for the execution of SHAREM 125, from 9 to 15 July 1998. February 20 1985, an aerial starboard bow view of the Spruance-class destroyer USS Stump (DD 978) underway as a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter approaches the helicopter deck during an in-flight refueling operation. Josh Echt, on the elliot DD967 forward engineroom. Lots of blurry nights I don't remember. Stump Intercepts Large Cocaine Shipment Navy Newsstand. Try the Ship's Store. In August 1990, Stump transited to Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, Louisiana, for overhaul and major combat systems upgrade. More about us Leaders. I considered the SpruCans as cadillacs since I came off the Knox Class frigates. While in the Gulf, STUMP completed over 40 boardings in support of Maritime Interdiction Operations and participated in 11 Arabian Gulf Tomahawk exercises, including one as Launch Area Coordinator. The Flight III Arleigh Burke is more than a match for anything any other Navy can deploysave the US Navy itself of course. When I had heard of the sinking of the only SpruCan I had served on I was genuinely surprised. Funny a West German ship I seen at Gitmo is now a museum in Germany, the Moulders, named after an air Ace from ww2. 9th Spruance, 7th Fleet, 1 speaks for itself (971). At the bottom of every email sent by HullNumber is an UNSUBSCRIBE link. Add yours! Over the 1980s and 90s, they were increasingly armed with other weapons systems. In another event, STUMP capturing a drug boat, known as "go-fast," and detainined its crew. Japanese ships are faintly visible on the horizon beyond the smoke screen (80-G-288144). She served us well and glad to see our old girl still afloat. We sailed with many Fletcher class cans that were only 2100 tons. All the Spru-cans built prior to the Hayler were equipped with a AN/SPS-40B air search radar that was upgraded in the late 80s to a AN/SPS-40F ( totally solid-state) air search radar. Dad and I slept in Commander Mullens cabin, and he took the XOs. Pingback: East Bank buzzing again | laststandonzombieisland. Under U.S. Joint Forces Command's overarching experiment, "Millennium Challenge 00", FBE-H ran concurrently with the U.S. Army's Joint Contingency Force Advanced Warfighting Experiment, the U.S. Air Force Joint Contingency Force Experiment 2000 and the U.S. Marine Corps' Millennium Dragon. For this action he was awarded a second Navy Cross. The Ticos and the Burkes have steel superstructures. The Mark 29 NATO Sea Sparrow launcher on the stern of the destroyer USS STUMP (DD 978). I dont know anything about the Haylers SPS-49, but the Kidd class (4 ships originally ordered by the Shahs Iran) were equipped with the more capable SPS-48 series used by our older CGs and CGNs. I was a plank owner of USS Arthur W. Radford DD-968.She was a great shipfirst ship to fire a Harpoon missile in the Mediterranian SeaHad a great mentor on boardFTG1 Joe Puls (eventually MCPO)left the Radford as Fox division LPO.Loved that ship and all my shipmatesSaw her stripped down before sinkingwhat a host of memories!!!!. That's an even 100-ships, or a reduction by about 58% from the late 1980s. March 1984 was highlighted by STUMP's adoption as state Flagship of West Virginia. The combination of these two systems makes STUMP the most formidable destroyer of its kind in the world today. Much later, I watched video of them sinking her for a NJ reef. We could actually see daylight from within combat information center. Smuggling Vessel in the Caribbean. for Together We Served and/or Did that Spy thing and looking for Gun Runners on the USS Coontz DDG-40 in 81/82. Thanks Murphy. She was the best riding ship I ever served on and is dearly missed. That shipyard was the worst the US had to offerI called their workers rednecks with welding rods. Spru cans had 5/54s. I had the privilege of being part of something special and have some truly amazing memories. Highlights of the deployment included rendering assistance to the sailboat OKIVA which STUMP provided assistance in the form of fuel and 75 pounds of fresh food to get the boat to port. Zu seinen Aufgaben im Seeverkehr gehren die USS Roark (FF-1053) als Schtzen- / U-Boot-Abwehroffizier und Navigator; USS Stump (DD-978) als Chefingenieur; und als Executive Officer an Bord der USS Hercules (PHM-2) und der USS Yorktown (CG-48) . U,]3wTEChgs~iE.]QeJ4R'X-J.|)8. Sad to hear their fate and why. Iowa bracketed by Spruance Class destroyers Deyo and Comte de Grasse. I have many pictures of her from over the years, some were taken by me and many others that were taken during the years after I moved on and later retired from the Navy. Commanding Officer USS STUMP (DD 978) Jun 2003 - Oct 20041 year 5 months Norfolk, Virginia Area Led over 300 officers and sailors in the operation and maintenance of a complex Navy. Throughout the deployment, the battle group also participated in numerous international exercises, including Arabian Gauntlet, an 11-nation exercise that involved more than 20 ships. We need to arm our vessels to the teeth to out gun any enemy like the Russian Battle Cruisers, and heavy DDs did! I was a Nicholson Plankowner, 1979-1984. The USS Orleck, shown here in 1964, a WWII veteran still going strong, by the 1970s needed to be replaced. From top to bottom: USS Peterson (DD-969), USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968), USS Elliot (DD-967), USS Hewitt (DD-966), Kinkaid (DD-965), USS Caron (DD-970) PCUs are visible, At least five Spruance-class destroyers being built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi, with the two closest being USS Conolly (DD-979) and USS Moosbrugger (DD-980), 25 May 1977. The Navy said Nordeen is being reassigned to Commander, Naval Force Atlantic, while Capt. Picked her up in Panama City just as she was deploying for her NSA ops in Gulf of Fonseca for the NSA. Rota Spain, Ibiza Spain, Marseilles France, Cavaliere France, Genoa Italy, ASU Bahrain, with a brief stop for Suez Canal traffic in Port Said Egypt and a brief stop for fuel in Djibouti. Numbers and weapon systems are what we need. Ex USS Paul F Foster DD-964, SDTS Self Defense Test Ship EDD-964, the last Spruance class Destroyer, decommissioned in 2003, still working, departing San Diego after refueling, December 3rd 2021 as captured on San Diego Webcam. Michael D. Nordeen, commanding officer of the amphibious transport dock Mesa Verde, and Cmdr. Was great ship and a great crew. I am a plankowner on the USS VICKSBURG. In cooperation with a Colombian Coast Guard cutter, Stump located and recovered a survivor of a wrecked Colombian vessel. Command Master Chief, USS Monterey (CG 61) Captain AARON M. ANDERSON Commanding Officer, USS Carney (DDG 64) Cmdr. She is armed here with just her guns, torpedoes, ASROC, and a Sea Sparrow launcher. USS Stump (DD-978) was a Spruance -class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi. 2000 2001 FOURTEEN to USS STUMP, all ships fired on the Afloat Training Group roboski for the SUW-5 Exercise. Admiral Stump's great grandson, John Stump III served on the decommissioning crew in 2004. Had a similar mechanical upgrade been given to the 24-VLS equipped Spurances, they would all still be in service. Stump deployed in August 1996 for a Middle Eastern Force cruise to conduct maritime interception operations and act as ready strike destroyer in the Persian Gulf. Today, as a commander in the U.S. Navy, Ralston finds himself once again navigating familiar waterways as commanding officer of USS Porter (DDG 78), currently forward-deployed to Rota, Spain.. Commanding Officer NAVY OPERATIONAL SUPPORT CENTER MINNEAPOLIS Sep 2020 - Present2 years 5 months Minneapolis, MN, United States Reserve Manpower Policy Branch Head Office of the Chief of Nacy. The through deck destroyer variant would place a ski jump on a Spruance hull and be able to carry as many as 10 VTOL aircraft. You probably know this, but Capt.Harbrect, Capt Lash, and Master Chief Huggins are still around Pascagoula, actually I think Capt Harbrect is in Fairhope, Alabama, https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsThen commander Lash was the best officer I ever had the honor to serve with. Hello Jake! Raines, as well. Props to the king of south america, Bob "as in I wanna bang you from the back" Didier. USS America conducts a tour for the crew of the JS Ise (DDH 182) Capt. Elliott is originally from San Diego, California. 3 years USS John Rodgers DD983..I have always thought she was decommissioned way too young and it hurt my heart to see the pictures of her in Brownsville. They are presently serving honorably and proudly in the Taiwan Navy. endstream endobj 97 0 obj <> endobj 98 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 99 0 obj <>stream I was on Board the Fletcher 1993-1996 when I got out from active duty. Specifically, FBE-H further developed NWDC's draft Access Concept entitled "Poseidon's Presence". David-Tavis M. Pollard relieved Capt. First, STUMP was chosen to become the test platform for the Navy's newest Hull Mounted Sonar, the AN/SQS-53C. The career politicians let us down again, surprise surprise. The end of service life for them was being discussed in NAVSEA back in the early 90s shortly before I retired. Ships are, from left Paul F. Foster (DD-964); Spruance (DD-963), then running trials; Arthur W. Radford (DD-968); Elliot (DD-967); Hewitt (DD-966) and Kinkaid (DD-965). Naval War College's 2023 Newport Arctic Scholars Study Integrated Naval Deterrence in the Arctic Region, U.S. Jennifer Brokaw, USS Stump Public Affairs Lawrence Heyworth, Jr. Jan. 1965 - July 1966. I think they were sunk so that the Navy wouldnt have to slow down Burke production or Zumwalt development. His sentiments exactly. USS KINKAID DD-9655 Years of My 20.BM2/1, I spent 4 years on the greatest navy ship in my 24 years the uss elliot 967 i loved that ship i was the chief cook it had the best crew and skippers very proud of her, Chief Dunn I served on board the Elliot with you from 81 to 85 sk3 Schwartz.,you and sky weaver were great guys to serve with. The boat was deemed a hazard to navigation and sunk by small arms fire from STUMP's Small Craft Action Team. I served aboard USS Cushing (DD-985) from 1990 to 1993, and she was one of the best in the fleet. The US Coast Guard retrieved the drugs that the small boat had jettisoned. 1996 Decommissioning of the Johnny Rod. Then dad failed the sonar gears performsnce and we went back to LB instead of San Diego. I believe the spru-cans could have been refurbished to another decade or more. I find Shipmates and Friends rather easily when I have as much details as possible when I start. CG69 Loved every minute of it sad to hear they are being scrapped. June 21-24, 2018 About the Ship's Coat of Arms: Great memories!!! Polmar has good reference material on this, but THE ultimate reference book is Michael Potters Electronic Greyhounds. by Ellen Mitchell - 06/14/22 7:24 PM ET. The many decorations received by Admiral Stump for his exemplary service in the Pacific Theater during World War II are represented in the shield. During the deployment, Stump showed the flag in port visits to eight South American nations and six West African nations. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT STUMP WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I LEARNED ALOT FROM YOU GUYS IN DECK. One of the finest ships I served on. Not entirely sure on the railings issue. Weapons systems limited, did they have NTDS, how about Engineers, were their power plants like? The Carney has been based at Naval Station Mayport since 2020, its first station since serving for five years in Rota, Spain, as one of the Navys Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe assets. The focus of FBE-H was the application of network-centric operations in gaining and sustaining access in support of follow-on joint operations. Most 21-year old ships are still in service, with another 10-15 years left on their hulls. Stump took part in the Fleet Battle Experiment Hotel (FBE-H) which was conducted by units of the U.S. 2nd Fleet and personnel of the Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) from 28 August to 12 September 2000 off the Virginia Capes and in the Gulf of Mexico. Cmdr. Had I not been forced to rotate, I would gladly have spent another year or two on 979! Started as an IBM, and struck for OS, 1976-1979. I have the last picture taken in 2006, over 5 years after she was decommissioned, in the starting process of being scrapped in Texas. Plankowner on USS HAYLER DD997. GSCS(SW) Ret DD963 79 83. What have you been doing for the last 30 years? Our Navy has become has shrunk to become second rate. Great summary ..thank you for bringing this to light. Stump conducted Black Sea operations, port visits and extensive undersea warfare (USW) operations. Then I discovered the whole 963 Class had been mothballed and were scheduled Davy Jones fleet. What a great tour of duty. Commanded Cruiser Scouting Wing in 1928-1929 and served on the Staff of Commander Cruisers, Scouting Fleet in 1930-1931. One of the first non-plank owners to board the ship, talking about feeling like an outsider. I wish all my SH'S the best in their future! Although I wasnt in the Navy I was very Proud to do my part. Bow of the destroyer USS OBannon (DD-987), a Spruance-class destroyer, showing the ships Mark 16 8-cell ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher, foreground, and a Mark 45 5-inch/54-caliber gun. She was considered Head and antlers above the rest. The reason the Navy dumped the Spruance Class was because of the hull | Went through GITMO reftra, Oct, 1985 and then on to the med cruise 1986. STUMP then deployed for UNITAS XXVI/WATC '85. Just one of their number, the former USS Paul Foster, remains. Diffenately my favorite cmd. Have you checked out the websites Stump was able to assist in rescuing the crew and provide safe passage back to Norfolk, VA. (Images on the right) Pingback: A Closer Look at the FFG-62 Class | laststandonzombieisland, Pingback: The Rat Attack! Picked her up in Panama and deployed for the NSA ops in the Gulf of Fonseca area doing our thing during the Salvadoran civil war. Most of the battles in which he engaged ended in defeats. Today, Constitution 's commanders change every two years. I then became a quasi-expert on the Middle East and oil issuessince I landed a job at Mobil Oil Corp in 1980 for 12 years. Nice article mate! I was on-board USS Elliot(DD 967) AS A CTM1 From 1990 until 1993 always a tin-can sailor SPRU-CAN all the way got rid of them way too soon. I always liked your XO approachfair and honest. At a CPO reunion learned she is on the bottom off the coast of Australia as a reef.. Glad she wasnt a target or sold to some wierdo country. Cheers, I was an OS/ship rescue swimmer 80-83 on DD-973 USS John Young. The 15KV power supplies were made by Espey Manufacturing in Saratoga Springs, NY. Back to the USS Stump (DD 978) page|Crew List main page| Ive always told myself that I would have remained in the Navy if the Hill and her officers were my first tour! Ill be going to her last XOs funeral this Thursday in Arlington. Dissimilar metals which caused electrolysis and resulted in rapid deterioration.Additionally she had no expansion joints and was prone to super structure cracking. Capt. Where to start? We could not fight the Russians, or Chinese now and win. US Corporations' September 30th fiscal payment deadline Sep 30, 2023 USA Each year around that time, as the payment deadline approaches, we see all sorts of maneuvers. Stump commanded Carrier Division 24 of Task Unit 77.4.2 (Taffy II) at Leyte Gulf and Samar embarked in NATOMA BAY (CVE-62) in October 1944. It broke my heart to learn of Nicholsons decommissioning and subsequent sinkex but it also happened to two of the other ships I served in as well. BM3(sw)I got dam anchors on my hand, he's be so proud.learned alot, and remember everyone from 1st divgood and bad times..i even ran into didy in bahrain, Had a great time on Stump. Help| I hope all is well. In October 1989, Stump again deployed to the Mediterranean as part of the USSForrestal carrier battle group (MED 190). DD-974 Plankowner. He graduated and was commissioned an Ensign in March 1917. Served in this Destroyer? In cooperation with a Colombian Coast Guard Cutter, Stump located and recovered a survivor of a wrecked Colombian vessel. In early 1945 he supported the operations at Lingayan, Philippines. Best command I have ever served on. Thanks to the internet and facebook have been able to reconnect with several of my old shipmates. After his retirement, he was appointed to the position of Vice Chairman of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. After the war he served in the pre-dreadnaught battleship ALABAMA (BB-8). Hey guys miss the old ship much better than the carrier i was on . Watched the video of her being used for target practice and just thought, what a waste The Spruance was the best of the best. After high school, I joined the Navy in 88 and served on the Nicholson 90-94, https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsI am a plankowner on USS HAYLER DD997 in 83. USS Tattnall (DDG-19) and USS Stump (DD-978) at Genoa, Italy on April 5 1988. I dont know if this went through the first time, but if it did I apologize This changed over time and by the late 1980s, they were pretty capable ships. Commanding Officer, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) 27 April 2022. Not even her 127mm guns, standard issue on US Navy destroyers, were salvaged. What a waste!!! Ex-XO Harry W Hill, Hey there XO!!! s5lOVW` p: later i served as DCA on uss fife (dd-991). I honor this class on my facebook page. [3] Stump was also credited with the identification of a low flying plane whose inspection upon landing in the US accounted for the recovery of several hundred kilos of Cocaine. Stump was the first Spruance class ship to traverse the inland waterway of Chile. We were down there in 80 doing radar picket with new Outboard listening system. Instead of being refurbed to serve another decade or two, they were stricken from the Navy List. Design threshold on the Gearings were 350 and both classes saw increases post-FRAM. Good ship great crew. I reminded he that we had offloaded all ammunition at Seal Beach, CA before departing. CPO Quarters 360.315.2393 Ship's Office 360.315.2393 . USS STUMP, along with the rest of the CVBG and ARG ships returned home on May 24 2001. I remember when I first got there she was going through an availability. @ Tom Honda I guess I could be considered an Honorary plankowner of OBrien!!! DD 864 Harold J. Ellison 5 years as BT in fire rooms that were hell on earth. He was my cousin and I was an ENC M-Division on the USS David R. Ray DD-971, Plankowner. Displacement: 8040 tons. I had an alright time on the ship, every once in a while i miss it. I boarded her for the first time 3 days before we bombed Libya. All welcome, but if you want a seat, you need to email cmc@stump.navy.mil BEFORE 10/12/04. I think, for the most bang for the buck, they were GREATand specialized sub hunters like you mentioned. USS FIFE/DD 991 I was an EW on DD-971 (David R. Ray) for a couple of years early to mid 80s. Ernest E. Evans, commanding officer of the USS Johnston (DD-557) . https://orleck.org/, https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsWhen we commissioned the USS David R. Ray (DD-971) we had grey bottom rails, and White TOP rails, so crew members could see them at night; at least from 1977 to 1981. I was part of the commissioning crew USS Ingersoll DD-990. My last ship I also put in commission was an Aegis Cruiser the USS Vincennes (CG-49) another great ship with a great crew. but the Spruances were in such bad shape that they ended up replacing them instead and the OHPs stuck around as glorified gun boats a lot longer than desired. I too served on the moose from August 1980-July 1984, we must have crossed paths for a couple months, I was released in Newport, RI in 84. endstream endobj startxref USS Comte De Grasse? The gold shield is symbolic of knowledge and achievement. The only thing better than riding a Spruance Can was driving a Spruance CAN! My favorite one was when we were on our UNITAS and we were playing the wardroom in a softball game in Panama and the XO was piss drunk and I rounded third base and kicked over his beer! I was on the Briscoe, Did you go to Drubroknic, then Yugoslavia? USS OBannon DD987 85-88, her sinkex is on youtube and the only thing I can say when I watched it was, those doing the sinking would be crapping themselves if I was still on board her shooting back, sad to see the young lady go down without a fight, and yes she could fight hard. The Navy has relieved 13 commanding officers so far this year, including one Marine who was at a Navy command, said . Patch: Unit Details: Strength Destroyer Type Surface Vessels Existing/Disbanded Decommissioned Year 1975 - 2003 Description.