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NavSource Online: Cruiser Photo Archive

USS WORDEN (DLG/CG 18)

Image courtesy of Al Grazevich


       

Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Quebec - Romeo - Alpha

Tactical Voice Radio Call: "IRONCLAD"



Patch image contributed by Mike Smolinski

CLASS - LEAHY
Displacement 7,400 Tons, Dimensions, 533' (oa) x 53' 6" x 25' 3" (Max)
Armament 2 Terrier 2x2, (80 Missiles) 4 x 3"/50, ASROC (8 Missiles) 6 x12.75" TT.
Machinery, 85,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 34 Knots, Crew 377.

Operational and Building Data
Keel laid on 19 SEP 1960 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, ME
Launched 02 JUN 1962
Commissioned 03 AUG 1963
Reclassified CG 18 30 JUN 1975
Decommissioned 01 OCT 1993
Stricken 01 OCT 1993
Fate: Sunk as target 17 JUN 2000
22° 57.1'N
160° 0.2'W
2560 fathoms.



Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (2) - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) - Navy Expeditionary Medal
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3) - Vietnam Service Medal (9)
Fourth Row - Southwest Asia Service Medal (2) - Humanatarian Service Medal (2) - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (8)
Fifth - Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (?) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Civil Action 1st Class Unit Citation
Sixth Row - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudia Arabia) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)


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Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright

Worden
04011800

Worden
04011800a

Worden
04011800b

114k

 

 

 

19k

 

 

 

21k

John Lorimer Worden was born on 12 March 1818 in Westchester County, NY. He was appointed midshipman in the Navy on 10 January 1834. He served his first three years in the sloop-of-war Erie on the Brazilian Station. Following that, he was briefly assigned to the sloop Cyane before reporting to the Naval School at Philadelphia for seven months of instruction. He returned to sea in July 1840 for two years with the Pacific Squadron. Between 1844 and 1846, Worden was stationed at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. During the Mexican War, he cruised the west coast, primarily in the store ship Southampton, but in other ships as well. In 1850, he returned to the Naval Observatory for another two-year tour of duty. The ensuing nine years were filled with sea duty which took Worden on several cruises in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. Brought to Washington early in 1861, he received orders in April to carry secret dispatches—regarding the reinforcement of Fort Pickens—south to the warships at Pensacola. During the return journey north, Worden was arrested near Montgomery, Ala., and was held prisoner until exchanged about seven months later. Though still ill as a result of his imprisonment, Comdr. Worden accepted orders to command the new ironclad Monitor on 16 January 1862. He reported to her building site at Greenpoint on Long Island and supervised her completion. He placed the new warship in commission at the New York Navy Yard on 25 February and two days later sailed for Hampton Roads. However, steering failure forced the ironclad back to New York for repairs. On 6 March, she headed south again, this time under tow by Seth Low. On the afternoon of 8 March, Worden's command approached Cane Henry, VA., while inside Hampton Roads, the Confederacy's own ironclad, CSS Virginia, wreaked havoc with the Union Navy's wooden blockading fleet. During that engagement, the Southern warship sank the sloop Cumberland and severely damaged Congress and Minnesota before retiring behind Sewell's Point. Arriving on the scene too late to participate in the engagement, Worden and his command set about assisting the grounded Minnesota. At daybreak on the 9th, Virginia emerged once more from behind Sewell's Point to complete her reduction of the Federal fleet at Hampton Roads. As the Confederate ironclad approached Minnesota, Worden maneuvered Monitor put from the grounded ship's shadow to engage Virginia in the battle that revolutionized naval warfare. For four hours, the two iron-plated ships slugged it out as they maneuvered in the narrow channel of Hampton Roads, pouring shot and shell at one another to almost no visible effect. Three hours into the slug fest, Worden received facial wounds when a Confederate shell exploded just outside the pilot house. He relinquished command to his first officer, Samuel D. Green. About an hour later, Monitor withdrew from the battle temporarily and, upon her return to the scene, found that Virginia, too, had withdrawn. The first battle between steam-driven, armored ships had ended in a draw. After the battle, Worden moved ashore to convalesce from his wounds. During that recuperative period, he received the accolade of a grateful nation and the official thanks of Congress. Late in 1862, he took command of the ironclad monitor Montauk and placed her in commission at New York on 14 December 1862. Later in the month, Worden took his new ship south to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off Port Royal, SC. On 27 January 1863, he led his ship in the bombardment of Fort McAlister. A month later, newly promoted Capt. Worden took his ship into the Ogeechee River, found the Confederate privateer Rattlesnake (formerly CSS Nashville), and destroyed her with five well-placed shots. His last action came of 7 April 1863, when Montauk participated in an attack on Charleston, SC. Not long after the Charleston attack, Capt. Worden received orders to shore duty in conjunction with the construction of ironclads at New York. That assignment lasted until the late 1860's. In 1869, he began a five-year tour as Superintendent of the Naval Academy during which he was promoted to rear admiral. During the late 1870's, he commanded the European Squadron, visiting ports in northern Europe and patrolling theeastern Mediterranean during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. He returned ashore and concluded his naval career as a member of the Examining Board and as President of the Retiring Board. When he retired on 23 December 1886, Congress voted him full sea pay in his grade for life. Rear Admiral Worden resided in Washington, D.C., until his death from pneumonia on 19 October 1897. After funeral services at Washington's St. John's Episcopal Church, he was buried at Pawling, NY.

1st Photo caption - Rear Admiral John L. Worden, USN, namesake of USS Worden, photographed in full dress uniform by F.M. Zuller, Richfield Springs, New York, and the U.S. Naval Academy, April 1873. Note his very fancy sword. - U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH101.

Photo 2 & 3 from Brady-Handy Photograph Collection (Library of Congress). These photos appear to have been taken during the same sitting as the first one. - Library of Congress #LC-DIG-cwpbh-04058

Robert M. Cieri

Tom Kerman

Worden 32k Nice view from the Port bow underway. USN
Worden 135k

Undated port side view

U.S. Navy photo

Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
Worden
04011815
258k

Starboard bow view while underway, date and location unknown.

U.S. Navy photo.

Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
Worden
04011811
111k Port bow view, early 1960's. Note the single SPG-55B Fire Control Radars forward and aft. This was not as designed. Sperry, the original manufacturer of the radar, had a strike during the building of the early Leahy Class Cruisers. Because the production of the radar was halted and only 16 radars existed, the Navy had to decide to either put one radar per end or two radar's on just one end. Since the Navy wasn't sure how long this strike would be or how long it would take to populate the rest of the Radar's they put one Radar per end. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011812
87k Portside view, early 1960's. Note the single SPG-55B Fire Control Radars forward and aft. This was not as designed. Sperry, the original manufacturer of the radar, had a strike during the building of the early Leahy Class Cruisers. Because the production of the radar was halted and only 16 radars existed, the Navy had to decide to either put one radar per end or two radar's on just one end. Since the Navy wasn't sure how long this strike would be or how long it would take to populate the rest of the Radar's they put one Radar per end. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011813
91k Artistic view while underway. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011809
100k Starboard bow view while on her shakedown cruise, 10 October 1963. Note the single SPG-55B Fire Control Radars forward and aft. This was not as designed. Sperry, the original manufacturer of the radar, had a strike during the building of the early Leahy Class Cruisers. Because the production of the radar was halted and only 16 radars existed, the Navy had to decide to either put one radar per end or two radar's on just one end. Since the Navy wasn't sure how long this strike would be or how long it would take to populate the rest of the Radar's they put one Radar per end. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011817
53k USS Worden (DLG 18) taken during the 1966 WestPac cruise in an unknown location. WORDEN is approaching USS Bausell (DD 845) for a highline transfer. The photographer was ETR2 Travis Moffat stationed aboard BAUSELL. Larry Backus
Worden
04011816
39k Starboard side view taken from USS Bausell (DD 845) during the trip back to San Diego from WestPac 66 in early July 1966. Larry Backus
Worden
04011826
344k The Commanding Officer, CAPT John D. Shea, Jr. (3rd from left), the Executive Officer (4th from left) and what appears to be the Department Heads of USS Worden while moored at San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard, May 1968. Chris Howell
Worden
04011825
1.2m Port bow view while in Wellington Harbor, Wellington, New Zealand. 25 April 1969. From the collection of Chris Howell, Southland Ship Stores, Ltd. Chris Howell
Worden 94k Port bow view off Bath, Maine, 08 December 1970. Ken Deshaies
Worden 80k Arriving at Guant?¡namo Bay, Cuba, 19 February 1971. © Richard Leonhardt
Worden
04011829
317k USS Worden (DLG 18) taken from the USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) during her 1971/1972 WestPac cruise on 15 April 1972.?  Dick Hanover
Worden
04011810
186k

Starboard bow view while underway in the South China Sea, 25 January 1979.

NHHC photo #NH 106506.

Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011823
258k "Ship in the Spotlight" for USS Worden (CG 18), which appeared in the Navy Times in 1981. The artist is Mario Demarco. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011808
99k Welcome Aboard booklet, circa 1982. Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011814
276k

Moored starboard side to Subic Bay Repair Facility, Cubi Point, Republic of the Philippines.

Photo is attributed to FLTAVCENPAC CUBI PT taken by D.R. Sanner probably during her 1983 WestPac deployment. Caption corrected by Carl Blankenburg.

Bob Gregory
Worden
04011819
100k

San Francisco, CA, 1 July 1986 - A port quarter view of the guided-missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) as she gets underway for a midshipmen's summer training cruise.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-ST-87-03023 by: PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011820
142k

San Francisco Bay, 1 July 1986 - A tugboat follows the guided-missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) as it gets underway for a midshipmen's summer training cruise. Alcatraz Island is in the background.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-ST-87-03024 by: PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011818
853k

Pacific Ocean, 1 July 1986 - The guided-missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) and the fleet oiler USS Willamette (AO 180) participate in an underway replenishment (UNREP), during a midshipmen's summer training cruise.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-ST-87-03014 by: PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert M. Cieri / Robert Hurst
Worden
04011828
1.6m

Mark 10 Mod 7 missile launcher and missile house for Terrier or RIM-67 Standard missiles aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18). The ship is participating in a midshipmen's summer training cruise, 1 July 1986.

US Navy Photo #DN-ST-87-03066 taken by PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert Hurst
Worden
04011821
113k

San Francisco Bay, 12 July 1986 - A port bow view of the guided-missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) returning to port. The ship had conducted a midshipmen's summer training cruise, in the Pacific.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-ST-87-03021 by: PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011822
850k

Puget Sound, 1 August 1986 - Sailors man the rail of the guided-missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) as she arrives in Seattle after completing a midshipmen's summer training cruise, in July. The Seattle Space Needle is in the background.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-ST-87-03080 by: PH2 Michael D.P. Flynn.

Robert M. Cieri
Worden
04011804
1.3m

11 December 1990 - A starboard view of the guided missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) underway during Operation Desert Shield.

U.S.Navy Photo.

Fred Weiss / Robert Hurst
Worden 115k

11 December 1990 - A starboard view of the guided missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) underway during Operation Desert Shield.

U.S.Navy Photo.

Fred Weiss
Worden 69k

1 June 1991 - The guided missile cruiser USS Worden (CG 18) approaches the entrance to the Pearl Harbor channel as an airliner departing Honolulu International Airport passes overhead.

U.S.Navy Photo.

Fred Weiss
Worden
04011824
1.3m

Starboard beam view underway in the channel as it arrives at the Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 1 June 1991.

U.S. Navy Photo taken by OS2 John Bouvia.

Robert Hurst
Worden
04011827
1.7m

Two decommissioned Leahy class guided missile cruisers are moored in the Naval Ships Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Middle Loch, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, 4 June 2000. The inboard ship is the ex- Worden (CG 18). The Worden will be sunk on the 17th of June in a live fire missile shoot by units involved in Operation RIMPAC 2000.

Photo taken by Don S. Montgomery, USN (RET). Photo ID: DNSC0205646.

Robert Hurst
Several Worden construction photos can be found on the Harry E. Yarnell Photo Page,
Worden was along side Harry E. as both were fitting out.

Commanding Officers
Name/Rank Class Final Rank Dates
Lothrop, Scott, CAPT     08/03/1963 - 07/24/1964
Munroe Jr., William Robert, CAPT     07/24/1964 - 07/15/1965
Stubel, Alvin Taylor, CAPT 1944   07/15/1965 - 12/23/1966
Shea Jr., John Dennis, CAPT     12/23/1966 - 05/03/1968
Youman Jr., Harold Raymond (Red), CAPT     05/03/1968 - 11/10/1969
Clifford Jr., William F., CAPT 1948-A RADM 01/16/1971 - 09/30/1971
Shick Jr., George Barton, CAPT   RADM 09/30/1971 - 08/17/1973
Hays, Estel Wilbur (Will), CAPT 1953   08/17/1973 - 07/31/1975
Frost III, John Frederick, CAPT     07/31/1975 - 09/10/1977
Baumgardner, John Frederick, CAPT     09/10/1977 - 02/02/1979
Nelson, Carl Alfred, CAPT 1956   02/02/1979 - 09/1981
Johnson, Ronald Lloyd, CAPT 1958   09/1981 - 09/24/1983
Liebmann, John Erich, CAPT     09/24/1983 - 07/1985
Hodge III, Henderson Alison (Jim), CAPT     07/1985 - 07/17/1987
Hancock, William John, CAPT 1965   07/17/1987 - 07/21/1989
Hunt, William Baile, CAPT 1965   07/21/1989 - 09/09/1991
Brotherton, James D., CAPT     09/09/1991 - 05/1993
Rogers III, Edward Joseph, CDR     05/1993 - 10/01/1993

(Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves - Photos courtesy of Bill Gonyo)


USS WORDEN (DLG/CG 18) History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry on the U.S. Navy Historical Center website.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information


Contact Name: Dave Neimeyer
Address: 9026 Haaf Road, Fogelsville PA 18051
Phone: None
E-mail: neimeyer@us.net
Alternate Contact: Dewey Franklin - deweyjfranklin@yahoo.com

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Cruiser Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Cruiser Photo Index Page

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