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USS JOHN KING (DD-953 / DDG-3)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NDFQ

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - WAR ROCKET

CLASS - CHARLES F. ADAMS As Built.
Displacement 4526 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 437' (oa) x 47' x 15' (Max)
Armament 2 x 5"/54 RF (2x1), Tartar SAM (1x2 Mk 11) ASROC ASW (1x8), 6 x 12.75" Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3).
Machinery, 70,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 33 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 333-350.
Operational and Building Data
Originally classified as DD- 953, classification changed to DDG- 3 April 23 1957.
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME on August 25 1958.
Launched January 30 1960 and commissioned February 4 1961.
Decommissioned March 30 1990.
Stricken January 12 1993.
Fate Sold February 10 1999 to International Shipbreakers, Brownsville for $132,951.03 and scrapped.

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King 32kChief Water Tender John King born in Ireland in 1865 and enlisted in the Navy in 1893. He was awarded the Medal of Honor "on board USS Vicksburg, for heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the accident to the boilers, 29 May 1901," and awarded a second Medal of Honor "serving on board USS 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." He retired from the Navy in 1923 after 26 years broken service and died in New Orleans in 1938.Stanley Svec
King 29kUndated, location unknown.Edward H. Cleary
King 63kUndated postcard Copyright © Atlantic Fleet Sales, Norfolk, VA.Mike Smolinski
King 139kUndated, location unknown.Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr
King 111kUndated, location unknown.Robert Hurst
King 130kUndated, location unknown.ssharpbt2
King 161kUndated, location unknown.ssharpbt2
King 152kUndated, location unknown.ssharpbt2
King 174kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
King 105kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
King 80kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
King 170kThe USS Charles F. Adams (DDG-2) and USS John King (DDG-3) under construction.Ron Reeves
King 116kUSS John King (DDG-3) underway circa 1961, location unknown. Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1961-62 edition.Robert Hurst
King 95kBoston Naval Shipyard, August 1961© Richard Leonhardt
King 66kNOB Norfolk, August 1964© Richard Leonhardt
King 228kKing as seen from the USS Lind (DD-703) in Toulon, France, February 1967 during a Med Cruise.J. McCoy
King 147kGenoa, Italy on February 1 1967.Carlo Martinelli
King 138kGenoa, Italy on February 1 1967.Carlo Martinelli
King 257kGenoa, Italy on June 1 1967.Carlo Martinelli
King 223kView of USS John King (DDG-3) taken from USS Wasp (CVS-18) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1968.Ben Brooks
King 168kThe experimental guided missile frigate USS Glover (AGFF-1) tied up outboard of the guided missile destroyer USS John King (DDG-3) which is tied up pierside, at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, circa 1978. Tied up opposite John King is the guided missile cruiser USS Biddle (CG-34) Photo by Karsten Petersen.Robert Hurst /
LCDR Bill Lee USN
King 64kI took this photo of USS John King, DDG3, while she was anchored at Kirthira Anchorage (between Greece and Crete) in late 1978. Taken from USS Brumby FF-1044Walter Bengtson Jr.
King 98k1979 visit to Toulon, France.Gilbert Gyssels
King 39kAntwerp, Belgium July 4 1983.Marc Piché
King 46kAntwerp, Belgium July 4 1983.Marc Piché
King 29kAntwerp, Belgium July 4 1983.Marc Piché
King 109kVisit to Antwerp on July 8 1983.Gilbert Gyssels
King 96kVisit to Antwerp on July 8 1983.Gilbert Gyssels
King   King   King   King
King   King   King   King
Willkommen an Bord pamphlet - circa 1983
Wolfgang Hechler
King 70kOctober 6 1983, Portsmouth, VA, a port bow view of the guided missile destroyer USS John King (DDG-3) undergoing an overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. A 350-ton hammerhead crane is visible in the background. Photo taken by Don S. Montgomery, USN (Ret.)Fred Weiss
King 145kThe large harbor tug Anoka (YTB-810) escorts the guided missile destroyer USS John King (DDG-3) into port upon the vessel's return home following deployment, 10 November 1989. U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-90-04059.Robert Hurst
King 40kUSS Charles F. Adams (DDG-2), USS John King (DDG-3) and USS Lawrence (DDG-4) in Philadelphia July 16 1991.Marc Piché
King 86kAt the scrappers in Brownsville, TX.Ron Reeves
King 36kShip's patchMike Smolinski
King 45kShip's patchMike Smolinski

USS JOHN KING DD-953 / DDG-3 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR Albert Monroe Sackett    Feb 4 1961 - Aug 8 1962 (Later RADM)

CDR Charles Newton Crandall Jr.    Aug 8 1962 - Feb 14 1964

CDR Thomas Joseph Hughes Jr.    Feb 14 1964 - Sep 10 1965 (Later VADM)

CDR Deming Waite Smith    Sep 10 1965 - May 26 1967

CDR Walter Theodore Kosmela    May 26 1967 - Feb 4 1969

CDR Oscar Clarke Shisum    Feb 4 1969 - Aug 25 1970

CDR James Graham Storms III    Aug 25 1970 - Mar 31 1972

CDR Eugene Arthur Spadoni    Mar 31 1972 - Aug 24 1973

CDR Robert Charles Wiley    Aug 24 1973 - Jul 2 1975

CDR Thomas Walter Kelly III    Jul 2 1975 - Apr 25 1977

CDR Jerry Donald Beveridge    Apr 25 1977 - Apr 27 1979

CDR William Gerard Collins Jr.    Apr 27 1979 - May 31 1981

CDR Stanley John Pryzby    May 31 1981 - May 14 1983

CDR Ronald Floyd Bishop    May 14 1983 - Jun 27 1985

CDR Thomas Hiram Smith Jr.    Jun 27 1985 - Dec 9 1987

CDR Richard Harrison Funke III    Dec 9 1987 - Feb 3 1990

LCDR Danny Williams    Feb 3 1990 - Mar 30 1990


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Edwin E. Montgomery
Address:
Phone:
E-mail: PNCMONTY@aol.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 and Web Sites of Interest
Adams Class Veterans Association Website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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