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NavSource Online: Destroyer Photo Archive

DD-963 USS SPRUANCE

CLASS - SPRUANCE As Built.
Displacement 7800 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 563' (oa) x 55' x 20' 6" (Max)
Armament 2 x 5"/54 RF (2x1), 1 Sea Sparrow SAM (1x8) ASROC ASW (1x8),
6 x 12.75" Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3). 1 Helicopter.
Machinery, 80,000 SHP; 4 LM 2500 Gas Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 30 Knots, Range 6000 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 296.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Litton Ingalls, Pascagoula Miss. November 27 1972.
Launched November 10 1973.
Commissioned September 20 1975.
Decommissioned March 23 2005 at NavSta, Mayport, FL.
Fate: Sunk as a target off the Virginia Capes during Sinkex December 7-8 2006.

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Spruance 38kRaymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral in World War II, and commanded US naval forces at the turning point of the Pacific War, the Battle of Midway. After that battle, Spruance went on to command naval forces successfully throughout the course of the war, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines.Ron Reeves
Spruance 28kUndated, location unknown.-
Spruance 252kUndated, location unknown.-
Spruance 33kUndated, location unknown.Joe Radigan
Spruance 59kUndated postcard Copyright © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.Mike Smolinski
Spruance 117kUndated image from the NAVSEA Journal.Bob Bush
Spruance 72kUndated, location unknown. Photo © Atlantic Fleet Sales.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 74kUndated, location unknown.Robert Hurst
Spruance 48kUSS Spruance (DD-963) Automobile bumper sticker issued by the Litton Industries in anticipation of the ship's launching, which took place at their Pascagoula, Mississippi, shipyard on 10 November 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 170kCover from the Launching Ceremony pamphlet, Pascagoula, MS 10 November 1973.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 86kOn builders trials probably off San Diego, California February 1975.Robert Hurst
Spruance 196kOn trials February 1975.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 166kLitton East Bank Shipyard, Pascagoula, Mississippi. Six Spruance class destroyers fitting out, circa May 1975. Ships are, from left: Paul F. Foster (DD-964); Spruance (DD-963), then running trials; Arthur W. Radford (DD-968); Elliot (DD-967); Hewitt (DD-966) and Kinkaid (DD-965). Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 157kUSS Spruance (DD-963) underway in the Gulf of Mexico, during trials. Photograph was received in May 1975. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 85kCover from the Commissioning Ceremony pamphlet, Pascagoula, MS 20 September 1975.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 127kUnderway in the Gulf of Mexico, during her shakedown cruise in the Fall of 1975. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 91kUSS Spruance (DD-963) Lowering a 26-foot motor whaleboat for man overboard drill, during the ship's shakedown cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, Autumn 1975. Photograph was received in November 1975. It was taken by PH1 Lonnie M. McKay. The boat is 26MW7317. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 108kUSS Spruance (DD-963) underway in heavy seas from Hurricane Inez, during her shakedown cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, Autumn 1975. Photograph was received in November 1975. It was taken by PH1 Lonnie M. McKay. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Fred Weiss
Spruance 60kPhoto #: NH 103816. Admiral James L. Holloway, III, USN, Chief of Naval Operations (center, front) visiting USS Spruance (DD-963), one of the Atlantic Fleet Surface Force's newest ships, at Charleston, South Carolina, 18 March 1976. Vice Admiral Robert E. Adamson, Jr., Commander, Surface Force, Atlantic Fleet, is in the left center background. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 55kRotterdam, The Netherlands May 29 1977.Marc Piché
Spruance 27kAs above.Marc Piché
Spruance 95kAt Barcelona, Spain, on Jan. 23, 1979, as she appeared in her early years, prior to installation of VLS, Harpoon, Phalanx, etc. The Spruances were initially criticized for their "lack of punch" and as being the "largest and lightest armed DDs in the World"; later, once they received their complete electronics and weapons systems, and after operational experience had underscored their virtues, their reputation improved remarkably and they were considered among the most valuable active ships in the Navy.Fabio Peña
Spruance 104kSee the inscription "Spruance International Heliport". Hangar size varies from ship to ship. Note the SATCOM antenna mounted atop the hangar, along with the two-antenna Mk.95 radar of the Mk.91 fire-control system for the ship's NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System. Barcelona, Spain, Jan. 23, 1979.Fabio Peña
Spruance 92kUSS Spruance DD-963, taken in the Mediterranean Sea in February of 1980.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 105kDetail view of the forward superstructure and the base of the heavy foremast. The familiar ASROC "pepperbox" was still there but the rest of the area looks relatively uncluttered if compared with photos taken 20 years later! (The large, black, rectangular SPS-48 radar antenna belonged to USS Wainwright (CG 28), moored outboard of Spruance). Barcelona, Spain, April 20, 1980.Fabio Peña
Spruance 75kUSS Spruance (DD 963) shows her markedly straight lines in this photo taken at Barcelona, Spain, on April 20, 1980. The guided missile cruiser USS Wainwright (CG 28), alongside, had quite a different hull design. What both ships had in common was a stem-mounted anchor, revealing a large bow sonar dome.Fabio Peña
Spruance 163kCO's page from the Change of Command pamphlet of 19 June 1981.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 39kPortsmouth, England July 14 1983.Marc Piché
Spruance 27kAs above.Marc Piché
Spruance 43kAs above.Marc Piché
Spruance 32kAs above.Marc Piché
Spruance 115kDN-ST-85-11657. October 8 1983, a bow view of the destroyer USS Spruance (DD 963), left, and the guided-missile cruiser USS Ticonderoga (CG 47) moored at the destroyer and submarine piers, Naval Operating Base Norfolk. Although the superstructures are different, these ships use the same basic hull and propulsion plant. The destroyer tender USS Shenandoah (AD 44) appears in the background. U.S. Navy Photo by Don S. Montgomery.Robert M. Cieri
Spruance 139kJune 1987.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 91kDN-ST-93-00011. Crewmen on the deck of the grounded destroyer USS SPRUANCE (DD-963) watch as the salvage ship USS GRASP (ARS-51) applies 140 tons of force to a tow line attached to the destroyer's bow. The SPRUANCE ran aground off Andros Island, Bahamas, January 25, 1989. Photo taken on January 28 1989.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 84kIn the Atlantic early 1990's.Marc Piché
Spruance 126kDN-ST-91-08598. The crew of the destroyer USS SPRUANCE (DD-963) mans the rails as the ship arrives at the pier. The SPRUANCE and other ships of the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CV-60) battle group are returning to Mayport following their deployment to the Persian Gulf region for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Photo by PH3 Laurie Nippert, March 28 1991.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 87kToulon, France in 2003.Laurent Lamarche
Spruance 89k040915-N-9376H-001. Arabian Sea, September 15 2004, the guided missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 963) fires its 5"/54 gun during a three-day exercise in the Central Arabian Gulf. The joint exercise included USS Vicksburg (CG 69), USS Sirocco (PC 6), USCGC Baranof (WPB 1318) and air assets from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17. The Spruance is on a scheduled deployment in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). U.S. Navy photo.Bill Gonyo
Spruance 51kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski

USS SPRUANCE DD-963 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
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Crew Contact And Reunion Information

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Website: http://www.spear.navy.mil/ships/dd963/

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.


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Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
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