USS Peterson DD-969

• Namesake: USS Peterson (DD-969) was named in honor of Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Richard E. Peterson, a Navy corpsman who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism during World War II. • Spruance-Class Destroyer: USS Peterson was a Spruance-class destroyer, a class designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare but later upgraded for multi-mission capabilities. • Commissioned in 1977: USS Peterson was commissioned on 9 July 1977 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding. • Persian Gulf Involvement: The ship participated in Operation Earnest Will in the late 1980s, escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. • Libyan Operations: Peterson was part of operations in the Mediterranean and off the coast of Libya during periods of heightened tension, including the Gulf of Sidra confrontations. • Bosnian War Support: In the 1990s, Peterson took part in operations supporting NATO actions during the Bosnian War, including Operation Sharp Guard, enforcing UN sanctions in the Adriatic Sea. • Upgraded Armament: Peterson received significant upgrades throughout her career, including the addition of Tomahawk cruise missiles, enhancing her strike capabilities. • Hurricane Assistance: The destroyer provided humanitarian assistance to Haiti following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, delivering relief supplies and aid. • Decommissioned in 2002: After 25 years of service, USS Peterson was decommissioned on 4 October 2002 and later sunk as a target during a naval exercise in 2004. • Crew Traditions: The ship’s crew upheld a tradition of painting a large shark mouth on the bow during certain deployments, symbolizing aggressiveness and esprit de corps.