STATUS:
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Laid
down: June 17, 1957
Launched: August 19, 1958
Commissioned: as DD 949: October 29, 1959
Decommissioned:
as DD 949:
January 19, 1966
Commissioned:
as DDG 33: November 3,
1967
Decommissioned:
as DDG 33:
November 19, 1982
Fate:
Stricken May
15, 1984
finally sunk as a
target on April 25, 1989
- off the west
coast by a Harpoon fired by USS Fletcher (DD 992)
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William Sterling Parsons, born at Chicago
Illinois, 26 November 1901, was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1918
and commissioned Ensign upon graduating in June 1922. His first assignment
was in Idaho (BB-42) which was followed by post graduate study in ordnance
engineering at the Navy Postgraduate School, Washington, D.C. He then served
on board Texas (BB-35) before returning to Washington as Liaison Officer
between the Bureau of Ordnance and the Naval Research Laboratory, where he
aided in the early development of “RADAR.” In 1939 he was assigned as
Experimental Officer at the Navy Proving Grounds, Dahlgren, Va. and helped to
develop the radio proximity fuse for anti-aircraft shells for the fleet.
On 15 June 1943 he reported to the Los Alamos Laboratory (Manhatten District)
at Los Alamos, New Mexico as Ordnance Division Associate Director. After
witnessing the atom bomb test in New Mexico he was appointed
Officer-in-charge of the Overseas (Tinian, Marianas) Technical Group, and as
Bomb Commander he assembled, in flight, the triggering device of the first
atomic bomb used in combat over Hiroshima 6 August 1945. He was next assigned
as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Special Weapons and as Deputy
Commander for Technical Direction and Commander Task Group 1.1, conducting
the tests on the effectiveness of atomic weapons on naval vessels at Bikini
Island. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, and
the Legion of Merit.
Having served as Commodore from 10 August 1945, and as temporary Rear Admiral
from 8 January 1946 to 7 August 1947, he was promoted to Rear Admiral 1 July
1948.
After serving in various ordnance billets and as a member of the Atomic
Energy Commission, he was ordered to duty as Deputy and Assistant Chief of the
Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department. While serving in this capacity, he died
suddenly 5 December 1953.
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DDG-33 began her career as Forrest
Sherman-class destroyer. Her keel was laid down 17 June 1957 by Ingalls
Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 17 August 1958,
sponsored by Mrs. William S. Parsons, and commissioned 29 October 1959 at
Charleston, South Carolina with Commander W. R. Loomis in command.
After shakedown, Parsons reported to her home port, San Diego, California,
and commenced operations with the First Fleet in February 1960. In October
she deployed to the Western Pacific with Seventh Fleet units. She returned to
resume West Coast operations in July 1961 and entered the Long Beach Naval
Shipyard on 6 October for major improvements in her communications and ASW
equipment. She then rejoined the First Fleet in extensive coastal training
from January to November 1962, deployed for her second WestPac tour in
November, and returned in July 1963 to the California coast.
During the summer and fall of 1963 she carried out AAW and ASW operations in
the San Diego, California, area. During November she escorted Midway (CVA-41)
and Hancock (CVA-19) to the Western Pacific and returned to San Diego.
Parsons continued her training and service operations alternately with First
Fleet and Seventh Fleet until she was decommissioned at the Long Beach Naval
Shipyard on 19 January 1966.
Parsons was one of four Forrest Sherman-class destroyers selected for
conversion from all-gun destroyers to the new Decatur class of guided missile
destroyer. (The others were Decatur (DD-936/DDG-31), John Paul Jones
(DD-932/DDG-32), and Somers (DD-947/DDG-34)). Parsons was assigned hull
classification symbol DDG-33 on 15 March 1967, recommissioned 3 November
1967, and assigned to the Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet. Following
shakedown she carried out a rigorous testing program for her missile systems,
and in September 1968 she assumed duties as flagship for DesRon 31 and
immediately deployed to the Western Pacific for operations with the Seventh
Fleet off Vietnam. Interspersed with her aircraft carrier escort duties on
Yankee Station, she conducted on-station training operations, assuming duties
as ASW training coordinator ship with Commander Destroyer Squadron 31
embarked. Parsons also visited Kaohsiung, Yokosuka, Hong Kong, Singapore and
Sasebo. She returned to San Diego, California, on 12 May 1969 to resume
operations from there and train for her next deployment.
The conversion removed both of the after 5 in (127 mm) 54-caliber gun mounts
and installed one AN/SPG-51C Missile Fire Control System (MFCS), one Mk.13
Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS), one Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC)
system, and modified the Gun Fire Control System to accommodate an
illuminator to provide a second missile capable Gun/Missile Fire Control
System (G/MFCS). The ship could then engage two air targets simultaneously
(one with each FCS) using from two to four Tartar medium-range, less than 20
nautical mile (37 km) missiles, depending upon the engagement policy in force
(Shoot-Look-Shoot or Shoot-Shoot-Look).
The forward five-inch/54-caliber gun mount was retained as were the torpedo
tubes. The 5 in (127 mm) 54-caliber gun was, nominally, a rapid-fire mount
capable of firing over 30 rounds per minute at targets up to ranges of 12
nautical miles (22 km). The torpedo launchers each held three Mk46 torpedoes,
for use only against submarines.
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