USN

USS Eversole (DD-789) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in May 1946, named in honor of Lieutenant (junior grade) John T. Eversole, who was killed in the Battle of Midway. After initial service in post-World War II operations, Eversole saw extensive action during the Korean War, providing gunfire support and screening aircraft carriers. She later participated in the Vietnam War, conducting patrols, shore bombardment, and search and rescue missions. Decommissioned from U.S. service in 1973, the ship was transferred to the Turkish Navy, where she served as TCG Gayret (D-352) until 1995 and is now preserved as a museum ship in Izmit, Turkey.

USS EXCEL (MSO-439) was an Aggressive-class minesweeper commissioned by the United States Navy in 1955. Designed for clearing naval mines to ensure safe passage for fleets, she served primarily in the Pacific Fleet during the Cold War, participating in numerous exercises and patrols, including deployments to the Western Pacific and the Vietnam War to support Operation Market Time. Her wooden hull and non-magnetic construction were critical for reducing vulnerability to magnetic mines. After decades of service, USS EXCEL was decommissioned in 1992 and eventually struck from the Naval Vessel Register, marking the end of her distinguished career in mine countermeasure operations.

USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1945, named in honor of Marine Second Lieutenant Floyd B. Parks, a Medal of Honor recipient. The ship saw extensive service in the Pacific, participating in operations during the final stages of World War II and later in the Korean War, where she provided naval gunfire support and served on patrol duties. During the Vietnam War, Floyd B. Parks conducted multiple deployments, offering gunfire support, plane guard services for carriers, and participating in search and rescue operations. After decades of service, the destroyer was decommissioned in 1973 and eventually sold for scrap, leaving a legacy of steadfast service across three major conflicts.

USS FRED T. BERRY (DD-858) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in May 1945, named in honor of Commander Fred Thomas Berry, a distinguished naval officer. Although commissioned too late for combat in World War II, the ship served extensively during the Cold War, participating in Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments, NATO exercises, and patrols. Notably, FRED T. BERRY played a role in anti-submarine warfare operations and supported the Cuban Missile Crisis blockade in 1962. The destroyer was decommissioned in 1970 and later sunk as part of an artificial reef project off the coast of Florida.

USS FURSE (DD-882) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1945, named in honor of Lieutenant John H. Furse. After World War II, she served extensively during the Cold War, conducting patrols and participating in NATO exercises in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. During the Korean War, FURSE provided gunfire support and performed escort duties. She continued her service through the Vietnam War before being decommissioned in 1972 and eventually transferred to the Spanish Navy.

USS Glenard P. Lipscomb (SSN-685) was a unique submarine in the United States Navy, commissioned in 1974 and named after Congressman Glenard P. Lipscomb. As the second vessel of the Los Angeles-class to be built, she was notable for her experimental turbo-electric drive propulsion system, designed to reduce noise but ultimately proving less reliable and more maintenance-intensive than conventional systems. Throughout her service during the Cold War, Glenard P. Lipscomb conducted a variety of intelligence-gathering and deterrence patrols, primarily in the Atlantic. The submarine was decommissioned in 1990 after just 16 years in service, making her operational life shorter than most of her contemporaries due to the limitations of her propulsion technology.

USS Graham County (LST-1176) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1958. Homeported at Little Creek, Virginia, she served primarily with the Atlantic Fleet, providing amphibious assault and logistics support for Marine and Army units. Throughout her career, USS Graham County participated in numerous training exercises, humanitarian missions, and NATO operations, demonstrating the flexibility and capability of the LST class. After nearly three decades of service, she was decommissioned in 1977, leaving a legacy of reliable support in the Navy’s amphibious operations.

USS Gray (DE-1054) was a Knox-class destroyer escort commissioned by the United States Navy in 1970. Named after Marine Sergeant Ross Franklin Gray, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, the USS Gray primarily served in the Pacific Fleet during the Cold War. The ship conducted anti-submarine warfare operations, participated in training exercises, and took part in patrols and escort missions throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. After nearly two decades of service, USS Gray was decommissioned in 1991 and later transferred to the Turkish Navy, where she served as TCG Muavenet (F-250).

USS Hammerhead (SSN-663) was a Sturgeon-class attack submarine commissioned by the United States Navy on 28 June 1968. Throughout the Cold War, Hammerhead played a crucial role in anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, and fleet support operations, patrolling the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The submarine earned multiple awards for operational excellence and participated in several key NATO exercises, showcasing U.S. undersea capabilities. After nearly three decades of service, USS Hammerhead was decommissioned on 5 April 1995 and later scrapped through the Navy's Ship and Submarine Recycling Program.