USS Peterson DD-969

USS Peterson (DD-969) was a Spruance-class destroyer commissioned into the United States Navy on 9 July 1977. Named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Carl Jerrold Peterson, the ship served extensively in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, participating in operations such as Desert Storm and maritime interdiction in the Persian Gulf. Throughout her career, Peterson conducted multiple deployments, including anti-submarine warfare, escort missions, and multinational exercises with NATO allies. After over 25 years of distinguished service, USS Peterson was decommissioned on 4 October 2002 and subsequently sunk as a target during a naval exercise in 2004.