About this Unit
The USS John Young (DD-973) was a Spruance-class destroyer commissioned into the United States Navy on May 20, 1978. Named in honor of Captain John Young, a decorated naval officer from the War of 1812, the ship served primarily in the Pacific Fleet. Throughout her service, the USS John Young participated in numerous operations, including deployments to the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm and maritime interdiction missions. After more than two decades of active duty, the destroyer was decommissioned on September 30, 2002, and later sunk as a target during a training exercise in 2004.
Historical Facts
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Spruance-class Destroyer: USS John Young (DD-973) was a Spruance-class destroyer, one of the largest and most technologically advanced destroyer classes built by the United States Navy during the Cold War era.
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Namesake: The ship was named after Captain John Young, a decorated officer who served in the U.S. Navy during the American Revolutionary War and was one of the first officers of the Continental Navy.
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Commissioning: USS John Young was commissioned on 20 May 1978, at the Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
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Vietnamese Boat Lift: In 1979, USS John Young was involved in the rescue of Vietnamese boat people fleeing their country after the Vietnam War, providing humanitarian assistance in the South China Sea.
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Operation Earnest Will: The ship participated in Operation Earnest Will in the late 1980s, escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War to protect them from Iranian attacks.
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Counter-Narcotics Operations: In the 1990s, USS John Young was deployed to the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific for counter-narcotics operations, interdicting illegal drug shipments.
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Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercises: The destroyer regularly participated in RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, strengthening alliances with Pacific Rim nations.
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Upgrade with Tomahawk Missiles: The ship was upgraded to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles, significantly enhancing its strike capability and keeping it relevant in modern naval warfare.
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Final Deployment and Decommissioning: USS John Young’s final operational deployment was to the Persian Gulf in 2001-2002, after which she was decommissioned on 30 September 2002.
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Sunk as a Target: On 13 April 2004, the ship was sunk as a target during a training exercise off the coast of Hawaii, serving one final time to help train U.S. and allied forces.
