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Guided Missile Destroyer
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DDG 3 -
USS John King
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USS John King (DDG 3)
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US Navy photo
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Type,
Class:
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Guided Missile Destroyer; Charles F. Adams - class;
planned as DD 953; built as
DDG 3; |
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Builder:
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Bath Iron Works, Bath,
Maine, USA |
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STATUS:
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Awarded: March 28, 1957 Laid down: August 25, 1958 Launched: January 30, 1960 Commissioned:
February 4, 1961 Decommissioned:
March 30, 1990 Fate: sold for scrap – February 10, 1999 |
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Homeport:
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-
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Namesake:
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named after and in honor of John
King (1865 – 1938); > see history, below; |
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Ship’s
Motto:
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> POWER FOR PEACE < |
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Technical Data:
(Measures, Propulsion, Armament,
Aviation, etc.)
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see: INFO
>> Guided
Missile Destroyer / Charles F. Adams – Class |
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Pictures,
photos & more ...
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John
King |
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Chief John King |
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Photo credits: US Navy, |
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Namesake
& History: |
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John King
(February 7, 1865 – May 20, 1938): |
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John King was a sailor in the United States Navy who was
twice awarded the Medal of Honor. Born in Ireland, King enlisted in the Navy as a coal passer in Vermont 20
July 1893. He served on board Massachusetts in the Caribbean during the
Spanish-American War, and in 1900 was transferred to Vicksburg for service
during the Philippine Insurrection. King received the Medal of Honor while in Vicksburg "for
extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the
accident to the boilers... 29 May 1901." Eight years later, while a
water tender in Salem, King received a second Medal of Honor during another
boiler explosion 13 September 1909. Advanced to Chief Water Tender 1 October
1909, he continued to serve at sea until discharged in 1916. The beginning of World War I, however, brought Chief King back on active
duty; he served at New York until 20 August 1919. He lived in retirement until his death 20 May 1938. Medal of Honor awards: First Award - Peace Time Heroism Rank and organization: Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 7 February
1865, Ireland. Accredited
to: New York. G.O.
No.: 72, 6 December 1901. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Vicksburg, for
heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the accident to the
boilers, 29 May 1901. Second Award - Peace
Time Heroism Rank and organization: Watertender, U.S. Navy. Born: 7 February
1865, Ireland. Accredited
to: New York. G.O.
No.: 40, 19 October 1909. Citation: Watertender, serving on board the
U.S.S. Salem, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the
occasion of the accident to one of the boilers of that vessel, 13 September
1909. |
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USS John King (DDG
3): |
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John King (DDG-3) was laid
down by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine, 25 August 1958, Iaunched 30
January 1960; sponsored by Mrs. Paul J. Kilday, wife of Representative Kilday
of Texas, and commissioned 4 February 1961 at Boston, Comdr. A. M. Sackett in
command. Originally projected as DD-953, she was redesignated DDG prior to
construction. Following shakedown training
out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, John King carried out weapons tests on the East
Coast before arriving Norfolk 7 September 1961 for regular duty. One of a new
class of guided missile destroyers, she featured latest hull design with
all-aluminum superstructure and mounted the very latest in modern armament
and electronic equipment. Departing 27 November 1961, the ship cruised to
England and Northern Europe until 1 January 1962, when she sailed from Dublin
for the Mediterranean. There, John King joined the 6th Fleet in its constant
role of peacekeeping in this troubled region. After her return to Norfolk in
April, the ship conducted missile firing exercises and training in the
Caribbean. She arrived Washington 10 July 1962 for a 4 day stay, entertaining
a group of Senators and Congressmen as well as Secretary of the Navy Korth. Following additional
exercises, John King entered Norfolk Navy Yard 11 October. Soon afterward,
the introduction of offensive missiles into Cuba precipitated a crisis; and,
as Navy ships placed a quarantine around the island, the ship quickly
finished her repairs and joined the blockade 6 November. After the crisis
eased, the ship remained in the Caribbean operating with the Navy's newest
and biggest carrier, the nuclear powered Enterprise. She returned to Norfolk
S December. John King departed for her
second Mediterranean cruise 6 February 1963. After visiting various ports on
6th Fleet maneuvers, she steamed to Kiel, Germany, 23 June, then returned to
Norfolk 17 July. The next twelve months were spent on training and readiness
exercises off the Virginia Capes and in the Caribbean, including a week at
the Antisubmarine Warfare School, Key West, in April. The destroyer sailed for the
Mediterranean once more 3 August and joined the 6th Fleet 16 August near the
strife torn island of Cyprus. She remained in the Mediterranean until the end
of 1964. John King returned to Norfolk
29 January and operated along the East Coast until sailing for the
"Med" 14 October. Following 4 months of operations with the 6th
Fleet, she returned to Norfolk 7 March1966. In the summer she visited the
Mediterranean and recrossed the Atlantic on NATO Exercise "Straight
Laced.'' Back at homeport in the fall she operated out of Norfolk until
sailing for another 6th Fleet deployment 10 January 1967. Her movements were
concentrated in the Western Mediterranean until she sailed for home 11 May.
Arriving Norfolk on the 19th, John King entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard 27
June for an overhaul to prepare for future service. Decommissioned 30 Mar 1990 and
stricken 12 Jan 1993, she was sold, 25 July 1995, but repossessed when
contract defaulted. She was resold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing
Service (DRMS), 10 Feb 1999 for scrap. |
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and patches |
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