USS TOWERS (DDG-9)

• Namesake: USS TOWERS (DDG-9) was named after Admiral John Henry Towers, a pioneering naval aviator and one of the key architects of U.S. Naval aviation. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on June 6, 1961, at Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company in Seattle, Washington. • Vietnam War Service: USS TOWERS saw extensive service during the Vietnam War, providing naval gunfire support, search and rescue cover, and plane guard duties for aircraft carriers on Yankee Station. • Operation Frequent Wind: In April 1975, the destroyer participated in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, providing cover and support for the evacuation efforts. • Technological Firsts: As a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer, TOWERS was among the first ships to be equipped with the Tartar guided missile system, greatly enhancing her air defense capabilities. • Collision Incident: On July 31, 1974, USS TOWERS collided with the oiler USS Schenectady (LST-1185) during underway replenishment, causing significant damage but no loss of life. • Humanitarian Missions: The ship was involved in rescuing Vietnamese refugees, known as "boat people," in the South China Sea during the late 1970s and early 1980s. • Reactor Accident Response: In 1986, TOWERS was one of the first U.S. warships to visit the Soviet Union after the Chernobyl accident, symbolizing improved U.S.-Soviet naval relations. • Home Port: The ship was home-ported in Yokosuka, Japan, for much of her career, making her a forward-deployed unit in the U.S. Seventh Fleet. • Decommissioning and Fate: USS TOWERS was decommissioned on October 1, 1990, struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1993, and sunk as a target during RIMPAC exercises in July 2002.