USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7)

• Namesake: USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7) was named after Admiral Henry Braid Wilson, a distinguished U.S. Navy officer who served in World War I and was known for his command of U.S. naval forces in France. • Class & Type: She was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer, the first class of guided missile destroyers built for the U.S. Navy. • Commissioning: USS Henry B. Wilson was commissioned on 17 December 1960, with her homeport in San Diego, California. • Vietnam War Service: She served extensively during the Vietnam War, providing naval gunfire support, plane-guarding aircraft carriers, and participating in search and rescue operations. • Operation Frequent Wind: In April 1975, Henry B. Wilson was one of the ships involved in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, providing vital support and rescuing refugees. • Rescue of Downed Pilots: The ship is credited with rescuing numerous downed American pilots during combat operations off Vietnam’s coast. • Technological Firsts: As a Charles F. Adams-class destroyer, she was among the first U.S. warships equipped with the Tartar guided missile system. • Middle East Deployments: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the ship conducted Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf deployments, showing the flag and providing a U.S. naval presence during regional crises. • Decommissioning: Henry B. Wilson was decommissioned on 2 October 1989 after nearly 29 years of service, one of the last ships of her class to leave active duty. • Final Fate: The ship was sunk as a target during a training exercise in 2003, giving her a final role in training the next generation of naval forces.