Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
No Photo Available		John Young ( 1740-1781) was a captain in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War, commander of the Saratoga which was lost at sea. He began his seafaring career at an early age in the colonial merchant marine and, at the start of the American Revolution, was commissioned 23rd on the list of captains in the Continental Navy. On 20 September 1776, the Continental Congress directed Young to take the sloop-of-war Independence to Martinique to protect American mercantile shipping in the West Indies. Collaterally, Independence was to raid British shipping whenever the opportunity arose. On 5 July 1777, Young was ordered to Nantes, France, and subsequently arrived at Lorient with two prizes. On 17 February 1778, while in French waters, he sailed through the French Fleet, saluting that nation's government with a 13-gun salute. In return he received a nine-gun salute, one of the earliest salutes rendered by the French government to the fledgling American government. At the time, John Paul Jones was on board Independence. Young returned to America in the spring of 1778 and successively commanded two Pennsylvania privateers, Buckskin and Impertinent, before he was given command of the sloop-of-war Saratoga - then fitting out at Philadelphia--in May 1780. Young took her to sea on 13 August 1780 and, in the course of the ship's first cruise, captured one prize before she returned to port for repairs and alterations. Subsequent cruises were more successful, as Young commanded Saratoga on three more sweeps at sea in which he took a total of eight more prizes. Young proved himself a daring and resourceful commander. On one occasion, he took Saratoga between two British ships and captured both. Largely as a result of his dedication and emphasis on training, Saratoga compiled a distinguished, but altogether brief, record before her untimely and unexplained loss. Saratoga set sail from Cap Francais, in what is now the Dominican Republic, on 15 March 1781. After taking a prize three days later, the sloop-of-war became separated from her later that day when a strong gale swept through the area, the high winds nearly swamping the prize commanded by Midshipman Penfield. After the storm passed by, Saratoga was nowhere to be seen, having vanished without a trace. The United States Navy named two ships, USS Young (DD-312), and USS John Young (DD-973) in his honor.		Bill Gonyo
	62k	Artist's conception of the ship by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource.		Navy Yard Associates
	114k	John Young's Commissioning Plaque.		Tom Armstrong
	41k	Undated, location unknown.		-
	78k	Undated, location unknown.		Jerry Hays
	66k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	38k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	71k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	59k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	71k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	69k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	70k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	63k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	130k	Circa 1978, location unknown. Photo © Litton Ingalls.		Robert M. Cieri
	101k	USS John D. Young (DD-973) she passes by downtown San Diego heading for docking, circa mid to late 1978.		Richard Stiles
	142k	USS John D. Young moored at Broadway Street Pier in San Diego circa mid to late 1978.		Richard Stiles
	56k	Singapore April 1981.		Marc Piché
	71k	USS John Young (DD-973) in the Pacific on Ocean, 1 May 1981 immediately after firing its two 5-inch/54-caliber guns during a gunnery exercise.		Fred Weiss
	83k	Pacific Ocean, May 1 1981: The Spruance class destroyer USS John Young (DD-973) immediately after firing its two 5-inch/54-caliber guns during a gunnery exercise.		Fred Weiss
	121k	Pacific Ocean, May 1981.		Bill Gonyo
	63k	Seattle July 1981.		Marc Piché
	69k	Seattle July 1981.		Marc Piché
	93k	DN-SC-86-00522. A radar technician aboard the Spruance class destroyer USS JOHN YOUNG (DD 973) tests logistics and support equipment for the ship's Mk-23 target acquisition system radar, January 1 1983.		Bill Gonyo
	70k	USS John Young (DD-973) screens a Soviet Kara class guided missile cruiser from Carl Vinson (CVN-70), on 6 December 1984. PHAN David L. Miller, Department of Defense (Navy) Photo No. DN-SC-85-12177.		Robert Hurst
	75k	Sydney, Australia March 1985.		Marc Piché
	200k	The Young as viewed from the USS David R. Ray (DD-971) in San Diego, July 1985.		Ed Zajkowski
	209k	As above.		Ed Zajkowski
	149k	As above.		Ed Zajkowski
	68k	Vancouver, BC August 7 1986.		Marc Piché
	73k	Sydney, Australia March 1988.		Marc Piché
	81k	Sydney, Australia March 1994.		Marc Piché
	76k	Sydney, Australia April 1994.		Marc Piché
	32k	Sydney, Australia April 1994.		Marc Piché
	83k	980209-N-4142G-004. US Navy Chief Gunners Mate M (Missiles) (GMMC) Jackie Staton inspects Tomahawk missile launch tubes aboard the destroyer USS JOHN YOUNG (DD 973). The JOHN YOUNG is deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, 9 February 1998. Photo by PH2 Felix Garza.		Bill Gonyo
	122k	DN-SD-00-03356, 980209-N-4142G-001. Gunners Mate 3rd Class Walter Vanderhorst loads projectiles into the 5-inch gun aboard the Spruance-class destroyer USS JOHN YOUNG (DD 973). The John Young is deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. Photo by PH2 Felix Garza, February 1 1998.		Bill Gonyo
	223k	DN-SD-01-05097. 28 March 28 1998, the Spruance-class destroyer, USS John Young (DD 973), underway in the Persian Gulf in support of the Southwest Asia build-up. U.S. Navy photo by: PH2 (AW) Gloria J. Barry.		Robert M. Cieri
	67k	Fremantle, Australia April 14 1998.		Marc Piché
	72k	Longview, WA June 14 1999.		Marc Piché
	98k	Longview, WA June 14 1999.		Marc Piché
	59k	Portland, Oregon, June 11 2001.		Marc Piché
	75k	Naval Station, San Diego Calif., October 16 2001, The Secretary speaks with the crew of USS John Young (DD 973), giving them encouragement and praise for their commitment to helping in the fight against terrorism. The ship is scheduled for deployment in the near future. U.S. Navy photograph by Photographer's Mate 1st Class (SCW) Chuck Cavanaugh. [011016-N-1144C-017].		Marc Piché
	69k	USS Salvor (ARS-52) working photo while in transit from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor towing ex-USS John Young (DD-973), 3 September, 2003. Contributed by Salvor's Divers via MM3(D/SW) Paul Trakimas.		Robert Hurst
	66k	As above.		Robert Hurst
	61k	USS Salvor in transit from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor towing ex-USS John Young (DD-973), 3 September, 2003. Contributed by Salvor's Divers via MM3(D/SW) Paul Trakimas.		Robert Hurst
	13k	This photo and the next 5 show the sinking of the John Young by a Mk-48 torpedo fired from the USS Pasadena (SSN 752) during SINKEX. The exercise took place in Hawaiian waters April 13 2004.		Tony Cowart
	10k	As above.		Tony Cowart
	9k	As above.		Tony Cowart
	6k	As above.		Tony Cowart
	12k	As above.		Tony Cowart
	7k	As above.		Tony Cowart
	78k	A series of 5 photos of the USS John Young (DD-973) being sunk during SINKEX as viewed through the periscope of the USS Pasadena (SSN-752).		Tom Bateman
	91k	As above.		Tom Bateman
	64k	As above.		Tom Bateman
	74k	As above.		Tom Bateman
	72k	As above.		Tom Bateman
	77k	Ship's patch		Mike Smolinski

CDR Douglas Karl Menikheim    May 20 1978 - May 16 1980
CDR Henry Allen Levien    May 16 1980 - Jun 7 1982
CDR Kenneth Michael Viafore    Jun 7 1982 - Jan 14 1984
CDR Gerald James Lyall    Jan 14 1984 - Apr 12 1986
CDR Sherman E. Wright Jr.    Apr 12 1986 - Apr 10 1988
CDR Robert Leland Hattan    Apr 10 1988 - Jun 2 1988
CDR Stephen F. Resser    Jun 2 1988 - JUn 8 1990
CDR Paul Stewart Schultz    Jun 8 1990 - Apr 17 1992 (Later RADM)
CDR Robert Thomas Conway Jr.    Apr 17 1992 - Jan 10 1994 (Later RADM)
CDR Carl Glynn Carlson    Jan 10 1994 - Aug 20 1995
CDR Thomas Joe Gregory    Aug 20 1995 - Dec 8 1995
CDR James Francis McIsaac    Dec 8 1995 - Jan 17 1997
CDR Douglas William Harris    Jan 17 1997 - Sep 30 1998
CDR Derek Brian Kemp    Sep 30 1998 - May 5 2000
CDR Geoffrey Thomas Pack    May 5 2000 - Jul 24 2001
IC3 Gary Faustin    Jul 24 2001 - Jul 24 2001
CDR Geoffrey Thomas Pack    Jul 24 2001 - Dec 13 2001
CDR Timothy Thompson Smith    Dec 13 2001 - Sep 19 2002

Back To The Main Photo Index

To The Destroyer Index Page

Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster