Key Points and Summary – Named for the legendary hero of the Battle of Midway, the Spruance-class destroyers were the workhorses of the U.S. Navy during the late Cold War.
-This class of 31 ships proved its worth in conflicts from Operation Desert Storm to the Global War on Terror, firing Tomahawk cruise missiles and providing a powerful presence.
-Despite their successful service, the entire class has been decommissioned, replaced by the more modern Arleigh Burke-class.
-Sadly, unlike many other historic warships, none of the Spruance-class destroyers were preserved as museum ships, with all but one having been scrapped or sunk.
Spruance-Class Destroyers: History
Of all the admirals in the long annals of the United States Navy, the top three best known and most revered names are arguably those of John Paul Jones, William F. “Bull” Halsey Jr., and Chester W. Nimitz.
Comparatively, Raymond Spruance isn’t quite as famous, even though he and his fellow flag officer, the somewhat enigmatic Frank Jack Fletcher, were the co-victors of the Battle of Midway in June 1942, which proved to be the turning point in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. (Halsey was sidelined with psoriasis during that epic maritime clash.)
But then again, Admiral Spruance’s name hasn’t totally languished in obscurity, as an entire class of Cold War-era destroyers was named in his honor. National Security Journal now briefly examines the storied history of the Spruance-class destroyers.
Mini-Bio of the Ship’s Namesake
According to his official Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) bio, Raymond Ames Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 July 1886, to Alexander P. and Annie Ames (Hiss) Spruance.
He matriculated at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from Indiana in 1903, graduated with the USNA Class of 1907, and was commissioned as an Ensign (pay grade O-1, equivalent of a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force).
Fast-forward to Spruance’s finest hour during the Battle of Midway, and by this time, he held the rank of Rear Admiral (RADM). He ended up retiring from the USN with the rank of four-star Admiral (ADM), and four years after his retirement, he was appointed US Ambassador to the Philippines by then-President Harry S. Truman, serving in that post until 1955.
ADM Raymond A. Spruance passed away on 13 December 1969 at his home in Pebble Beach, California, at the age of 63. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, Calif.
Spruance-Class Destroyers’ Initial History
A total of 31 Spruance-class destroyers were built. The first ship of the class, appropriately named USS Spruance (DD-963), was laid down on 27 September 1972, launched on 10 November 1973, and commissioned on 20 September 1975.
The final ship of the class was USS Hayler (DD-997), laid down on 20 October 1980, launched on 2 March 1982, and commissioned on 5 March 1983.
Fittingly, the penultimate Spruance-class destroyer, USS Fletcher (DD-992), was named for the flesh & blood ADM Spruance’s aforementioned mastermind of the Midway victory.
(NOTE: DD-992 is not to be confused with the WWII-era Fletcher-class destroyers, which were actually named for ADM Frank Jack Fletcher’s uncle, RADM Frank Friday Fletcher.)
Spruance-Class Destroyers’ Technical Specifications and Vital Stats
These figures primarily come courtesy of Seaforces.org:
-Displacement: 4,500 tons fully laden
-Hull Length: 437 feet (133.20 meters)
-Beam Width: 47 feet (14.30 meters)
-Draught: 20 feet (6.10 meters)
-Propulsion: 4 x 1200 psi boilers; 2 x General Electric (GE) LM 2500 geared gas turbines; 2 x shafts; 2 propellers; 70,000 shaft horsepower
-Max Speed: 31+ knots (35.6+ mph; 57+ km/h)
-Range: 6,000 nautical miles (6,900 statute miles; 11,000 kilometers)
-Crew Complement: 19 comissioned officers and 315 enlisted seamen
Armament:
1 x Mk-11 twin-arm missile launcher with 42 missiles (DDG 2-14) OR
1 x Mk-13 single-arm missile launcher with 40 missiles (DDG 15-24) for
RIM-24 Tartar surface-to-air missiles (SAM) (earlier) OR
RIM-66 Standard MR SAM (later)
RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
1 x Mk-16 octuple launcher for RUR-5 ASROC anti-submarine rockets
2 x Mk-45 5-inch/54 caliber guns (127mm)
2 x Mk-32 triple-torpedo-tubes for Mk-46 torpedoes
Combat History In Brief
The Spruance-class warships proved their worth in combat during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, AKA Operation Desert Storm. As noted by the Federation of American Scientists’ (FAS) Military Analysis Network, “Ships of this class fired 112 TOMAHAWK land attack cruise missiles into Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. They have subsequently been used for preemptive strikes at the direction of National Command Authorities in both Iraq and Bosnia.”
In addition, several of the destroyers, including the USS Cushing (DD-985), USS O’Brien V (DD-975), USS Peterson (DD-969), and USS Elliott (DD-967), along with the aforementioned USS Spruance and USS Hayler, contributed to the Global War on Terror (GWOT) via Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
Where Are They Now?
All of the Spruances have been decommissioned, with Cushing being the last to bow out, doing so on 21 September 2005. They were replaced by the Kidd-class and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and only one still remains afloat in any sort of official capacity: USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964), which serves as a Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS) for experimental US Navy weapons and sensors.
Sadly, none of the other Spruance warships were preserved for posterity as floating museums; instead, they were either sunk as target ships or scrapped—such a pity.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU).
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