USS Elliot (DD-967)

• Namesake: USS Elliot (DD-967) was named after Commander Richard McCall Elliot, Jr., a naval aviator killed in action during the Battle of Midway in 1942. • Spruance-class Destroyer: Elliot was part of the Spruance class, a class of destroyers designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but later fitted with upgrades for broader combat roles. • Launched in 1976: USS Elliot was launched on September 22, 1976, at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and commissioned on January 22, 1977. • Vietnam War Legacy: Although commissioned after the Vietnam War, Elliot’s namesake and crew included veterans of the conflict, and the ship often participated in post-war patrols and regional exercises in Southeast Asia. • Operation Earnest Will: In 1987, Elliot was deployed to the Persian Gulf to escort reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War, as part of Operation Earnest Will. • Rescue Mission: In 1988, Elliot participated in the rescue of Vietnamese boat people in the South China Sea, providing humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing Vietnam. • Tomahawk Missiles: The ship was among the first Spruance-class destroyers to be retrofitted with the Tomahawk missile system, significantly enhancing its strike capabilities. • Homeport: For most of her service, Elliot was homeported in San Diego, California, and was a familiar sight in Pacific Fleet operations. • Decommissioning: USS Elliot was decommissioned on December 2, 2003, after 26 years of service, and later sunk as a target during a training exercise in 2005. • Ship's Motto: The ship’s motto was "Courage, Honor, Sacrifice," reflecting both the spirit of her namesake and the legacy of her crews.