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USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)
Encyclopedia
USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8) was a Charles F. Adams-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
.
Lynde McCormick (DDG-8) was laid down 4 April 1958 by Defoe Shipbuilding Company
, Bay City, Michigan
; launched 28 July 1959; sponsored by Mrs. Lillian McCormick, wife of Admiral McCormick; and commissioned at Boston 3 June 1961, with Commander
Ernest S. Cornwall, Jr., in command.
She arrived at Yokosuka on 6 December and within a week was on station with a 7th Fleet task group, taking up her part in the schedule of readiness training and exercises. Returning to San Diego 15 June 1963, she proceeded to Sacramento to help initiate its new deepwater port. All‑encompassing refresher training followed overhaul and modification at Hunters Point early in 1964, increasing her antiair warfare capabilities. A high state of readiness had been achieved when the Gulf of Tonkin
incidents of 2 August and 4 August escalated the Vietnam War
.
In company with CruDesFlot 11, Lynde McCormick departed 5 August for a 6 month deployment along the Vietnamese coast, primarily in the screen for Bon Homme Richard and other aircraft carriers. She returned to San Diego 6 February 1965. Lynde McCormick spent the remainder of the year conducting coastal exercises, a successful competitive firing of her, missiles, and a summer cruise to Hawaii training midshipmen.
After anti-submarine exercises with the Canadian Navy in January 1966, Lynde McCormick prepared for a third tour of duty in WestPac. She left San Diego on 1 March and 1 month later was shelling Vietcong bunkers and gun emplacements in the Mekong Delta
. In May, she sailed up the eastern coast to support Yankee Station carrier operations against North Vietnam
until August, when she sailed for her home port, arriving at San Diego the 26 October. On 27 October, she entered drydock at Long Beach
for a thorough overhaul. This was completed 23 March 1967.
Refresher training began on 15 May, and was interrupted on 27 May when she rushed to the aid of a stricken crewmember of the ship 88 Pacific Comet. Lynde McCormick continued operating out of San Diego until 17 August, at which time she departed for another WestPac deployment.
Lynde McCormick saw extensive action on the gunline and in patrolling the Vietnam coastline. In one instance, enemy artillery shot back at the ship, but no damage was sustained. Many rounds of 5‑inch ammunition were expended at enemy emplacements and supply lines, in aid of United States and other Allied troops ashore. The ship returned to the west coast 6 April 1968 and operated in the eastern Pacific for the remainder of the year, into 1969.
, El Salvador
and Honduras
as part of major military exercises planned for that summer.
Besides the Ranger, the battle group is composed of the carrier Ranger, the cruiser Horne, the guided missile destroyer Lynde McCormick, the destroyers Fletcher
and Fife
, the frigate Marvin Shields
, the oiler Wichita
and the support ship Camden
.
The ship was decommissioned 1 October 1991 and was sunk as a target ship on 14 February 2001.
Charles F. Adams class destroyer
The Charles F. Adams class is a ship class of 29 guided missile destroyers built between 1958 and 1967. Twenty three ships were built for the United States Navy, 3 for the Royal Australian Navy, and 3 for the West German Bundesmarine. The ships were based on the existing Forrest Sherman class, but...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Lynde McCormick (DDG-8) was laid down 4 April 1958 by Defoe Shipbuilding Company
Defoe Shipbuilding Company
The Defoe Shipbuilding Company was a small ship builder established in 1905 in Bay City, Michigan, USA. It ceased to operate in 1976 after failing to renew its contracts with the United States Navy. The site of the former company is now a scrapyard on the bank of the Saginaw River.-Founding:Harry J...
, Bay City, Michigan
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
; launched 28 July 1959; sponsored by Mrs. Lillian McCormick, wife of Admiral McCormick; and commissioned at Boston 3 June 1961, with Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Ernest S. Cornwall, Jr., in command.
1960s
Lynde McCormick departed Boston 23 August 1961 for her home port, San Diego, arriving 16 September. Early in 1962, she tested her missiles and antisubmarine weaponry in the Pacific missile range. Exercises and experiments continued in preparation for deployment to the western Pacific, for which she sailed 19 November 1962.She arrived at Yokosuka on 6 December and within a week was on station with a 7th Fleet task group, taking up her part in the schedule of readiness training and exercises. Returning to San Diego 15 June 1963, she proceeded to Sacramento to help initiate its new deepwater port. All‑encompassing refresher training followed overhaul and modification at Hunters Point early in 1964, increasing her antiair warfare capabilities. A high state of readiness had been achieved when the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
incidents of 2 August and 4 August escalated the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
In company with CruDesFlot 11, Lynde McCormick departed 5 August for a 6 month deployment along the Vietnamese coast, primarily in the screen for Bon Homme Richard and other aircraft carriers. She returned to San Diego 6 February 1965. Lynde McCormick spent the remainder of the year conducting coastal exercises, a successful competitive firing of her, missiles, and a summer cruise to Hawaii training midshipmen.
After anti-submarine exercises with the Canadian Navy in January 1966, Lynde McCormick prepared for a third tour of duty in WestPac. She left San Diego on 1 March and 1 month later was shelling Vietcong bunkers and gun emplacements in the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
. In May, she sailed up the eastern coast to support Yankee Station carrier operations against North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
until August, when she sailed for her home port, arriving at San Diego the 26 October. On 27 October, she entered drydock at Long Beach
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
thumb|right|300px|Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1993The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which closed in 1997, was located at Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport.The Long Beach...
for a thorough overhaul. This was completed 23 March 1967.
Refresher training began on 15 May, and was interrupted on 27 May when she rushed to the aid of a stricken crewmember of the ship 88 Pacific Comet. Lynde McCormick continued operating out of San Diego until 17 August, at which time she departed for another WestPac deployment.
Lynde McCormick saw extensive action on the gunline and in patrolling the Vietnam coastline. In one instance, enemy artillery shot back at the ship, but no damage was sustained. Many rounds of 5‑inch ammunition were expended at enemy emplacements and supply lines, in aid of United States and other Allied troops ashore. The ship returned to the west coast 6 April 1968 and operated in the eastern Pacific for the remainder of the year, into 1969.
- Please add service records from 1970-1992
1983 Deployment
On July 20, 1983 the New York Times reported that the Lynde McCormick along with seven other vessels in the Carrier Ranger Battle Group left San Diego on Friday July 15, 1983 and were headed for the western Pacific when they were rerouted and ordered to steam for Central America to conduct training and flight operations in areas off the coasts of NicaraguaNicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
and Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
as part of major military exercises planned for that summer.
Besides the Ranger, the battle group is composed of the carrier Ranger, the cruiser Horne, the guided missile destroyer Lynde McCormick, the destroyers Fletcher
USS Fletcher (DD-992)
USS Fletcher , the thirtieth Spruance-class destroyer, was part of the first major class of United States Navy surface ships to be powered by gas turbines. She was commissioned in July 1980 and was deployed mainly in the western and southern Pacific, but also voyaged to the Indian Ocean and...
and Fife
USS Fife (DD-991)
USS Fife , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Admiral James Fife, Jr. , a distinguished Submarine Force commander during World War II....
, the frigate Marvin Shields
USS Marvin Shields (FF-1066)
USS Marvin Shields was a of the US Navy. The ship was named after the only Seabee to receive the Medal of Honor. CM3 Marvin Glenn Shields was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. Constructed by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington, laid down April 12, 1968, launched October...
, the oiler Wichita
USS Wichita (AOR-1)
USS Wichita was the lead ship of the s. She was the second ship to be named for the city of Wichita, Kansas.The second Wichita was laid down on 16 June 1966 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division; launched on 16 March 1968; sponsored by Mrs. Howard B....
and the support ship Camden
USS Camden (AOE-2)
The USS Camden is the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of Camden, New Jersey that lies on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
Operation Praying Mantis
In April 1988, the Lynde McCormick was one of many ships of the U.S. fifth fleet engaged in operations against the Iranian Navy. This included anti - mine operations, stopping small - boat attacks against Persian Gulf shipping & countering tactical operations by Iranian warships near the Strait of Hormuz. These operations were successfully concluded.The ship was decommissioned 1 October 1991 and was sunk as a target ship on 14 February 2001.