USS DECATUR (DDG-31)

• Namesake: USS Decatur (DDG-31) was named in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, a famous early 19th-century U.S. naval officer celebrated for his heroism in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. • Class: She was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer, designed primarily for anti-aircraft warfare and equipped with the Tartar missile system. • Commissioning: USS Decatur was commissioned on 7 December 1956 as DD-936, later converted to a guided missile destroyer and redesignated DDG-31 on 15 December 1966. • Vietnam War Service: Decatur saw active service during the Vietnam War, providing naval gunfire support and performing search and rescue operations. • Collision Incident: In May 1964, Decatur collided with the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) during training exercises, resulting in significant damage and requiring repairs. • First Guided Missile Destroyer Conversion: She was the first ship of her class to be converted into a guided missile destroyer, reflecting the Navy's shift toward missile technology during the Cold War. • Notable Deployments: During her service life, Decatur completed multiple deployments to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean, participating in numerous multinational exercises. • Decommissioning: USS Decatur was decommissioned on 30 June 1983 after nearly three decades of service. • Target Ship: After decommissioning, Decatur was used as a target ship for weapons testing, finally being sunk in 2004 during a live-fire exercise off the coast of Hawaii. • Legacy: Decatur’s crest and battle honors are preserved, and her name lives on in the current USS Decatur (DDG-73), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.