About this Unit
USS WILLIAM V. PRATT (DLG-13), a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer leader, was commissioned into the United States Navy on 4 November 1961. Named after Admiral William Veazie Pratt, the ship served prominently during the Cold War era, conducting operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean. PRATT participated in significant exercises with NATO allies and supported U.S. naval operations during the Vietnam War, providing gunfire support and plane guard duties. After decades of service, the ship was decommissioned on 30 September 1991 and subsequently struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
Historical Facts
•
Namesake: USS William V. Pratt (DLG-13, later DDG-44) was named after Admiral William Veazie Pratt, the fifth Chief of Naval Operations (1930–1933), who was instrumental in shaping the modern U.S. Navy.
•
Class and Type: She was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer, originally designated as a Guided Missile Frigate (DLG-13) before being reclassified as a Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG-44) in 1975.
•
Commissioning: The ship was launched on March 16, 1960, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and commissioned into service on November 4, 1961.
•
Vietnam War Service: Pratt participated in Vietnam War operations, including naval gunfire support, search and rescue, and screening aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin.
•
Cuban Missile Crisis: Shortly after commissioning, USS William V. Pratt was deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, helping enforce the naval quarantine of Cuba.
•
Missile Capabilities: She was equipped with the RIM-24 Tartar surface-to-air missile system, providing advanced air defense for carrier task groups during the Cold War.
•
Mediterranean Deployments: Pratt routinely served with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, participating in NATO exercises and responding to regional crises throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
•
Collision Incident: In 1977, the ship was involved in a significant collision with the USS Manley (DD-940) during exercises, resulting in repairs but no major casualties.
•
Final Years and Decommissioning: Pratt continued in active service into the 1980s, taking part in operations off Lebanon in 1983 before being decommissioned on January 30, 1989.
•
Legacy: After being stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, the ship was sold for scrap in 1995. USS William V. Pratt is remembered for her extensive Cold War service and as a testament to the evolution of missile-armed surface combatants in the U.S. Navy.
