USS Fletcher (DD-992)

• Namesake Legacy: USS Fletcher (DD-992) was the second ship named after Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, a prominent World War II naval commander. • Spruance-class Destroyer: Fletcher was part of the Spruance-class, which was designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare but later expanded to multi-role missions. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on July 30, 1980, at the Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. • Homeport: Fletcher was homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, which allowed her to operate extensively in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. • Operation Desert Storm: The destroyer participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, providing escort and support to U.S. naval forces during the Gulf War. • First Tomahawk Launch: Fletcher was the first Spruance-class destroyer to successfully launch a Tomahawk cruise missile during operational testing. • Drug Interdiction: In the 1990s, Fletcher was involved in counter-narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific, participating in several successful drug seizures. • Humanitarian Missions: The ship took part in humanitarian missions and disaster relief, including assistance in the aftermath of Typhoon Omar in Guam (1992). • Decommissioning: USS Fletcher was decommissioned on October 1, 2004, after 24 years of service. • Artificial Reef: On July 16, 2008, Fletcher was sunk as a target during a live-fire exercise (RIMPAC 2008) near Hawaii, becoming an artificial reef and training target for U.S. and allied navies.