USS JOHN HANCOCK (DD-981)

• Spruance-Class Destroyer: USS John Hancock (DD-981) was a Spruance-class destroyer, part of a class designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare but also capable of surface and air warfare. • Namesake: The ship was named after John Hancock, the prominent patriot of the American Revolution and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. • Commissioning Date: USS John Hancock was commissioned on 10 March 1979 at Pascagoula, Mississippi. • Gulf War Service: The destroyer played an active role during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, providing escort and protection for coalition naval forces. • Rescue at Sea: In 1983, John Hancock rescued 97 Vietnamese refugees stranded at sea in the South China Sea, highlighting the humanitarian role of US Navy ships. • Harpoon Missile Upgrade: The ship was among the first in its class to receive the Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, greatly enhancing its surface warfare capabilities. • Collision Incident: In 1996, the ship collided with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) during a refueling operation in the Mediterranean, though both ships continued their missions with only minor damage. • Operation Earnest Will: John Hancock escorted reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf to protect them from Iranian attacks during the Iran-Iraq War in the late 1980s. • Decommissioning: The ship was decommissioned on 16 October 2000 after over 21 years of service and was later sunk as a target during a training exercise in 2004. • Unit Motto: The destroyer bore the motto "First to Sign, First to Fight," honoring both its namesake’s role in history and the ship’s readiness for action.