USS Thorn (DD-988)

USS Thorn (DD-988) was a Spruance-class destroyer of the United States Navy, commissioned on February 16, 1980. Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Thorn served primarily in the Atlantic Fleet, participating in numerous exercises, deployments, and operations including NATO exercises and Middle East Force deployments. The ship was notable for its roles in maritime interdiction and escort missions, especially during heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. After over two decades of service, USS Thorn was decommissioned on August 25, 2004, and later sunk as a target during a training exercise in 2006.