USS Spruance (DD-963)

• Name Origin: USS Spruance (DD-963) was named after Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, a prominent U.S. Navy commander during World War II, known especially for his leadership at the Battle of Midway. • Lead Ship: She was the lead ship of the Spruance-class destroyers, a class designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare and introduced new technologies to the fleet. • Commissioning: USS Spruance was commissioned on 20 September 1975, at Pascagoula, Mississippi, with Mrs. Raymond A. Spruance, the Admiral’s widow, serving as sponsor. • Innovative Propulsion: Spruance-class ships were the first large U.S. Navy surface combatants powered by gas turbine engines (four General Electric LM2500s), providing rapid acceleration and easier maintenance over steam turbines. • Cold War Operations: Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, USS Spruance conducted numerous North Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments, often shadowing Soviet naval vessels and participating in NATO exercises. • Lebanon Crisis: In 1983, USS Spruance supported U.S. Marines in Lebanon as part of the Multinational Force, providing naval gunfire support and serving as a deterrent during a period of instability. • Modernization: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Spruance was upgraded to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles, significantly enhancing her strike capabilities. • Desert Storm: The ship participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, launching Tomahawk missiles against Iraqi targets and helping enforce maritime blockades. • Decommissioning: USS Spruance was decommissioned on 23 March 2005, after nearly 30 years of service, and was later sunk as a target during a training exercise in December 2006. • Legacy: The Spruance-class set the stage for future U.S. Navy destroyers, influencing the design and construction of the Arleigh Burke-class, and her name lives on with the current USS Spruance (DDG-111), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer commissioned in 2011.