USS Spruance (DD-963)

USS Spruance in Mayport on 21 June 1994
History
United States
NameSpruance
NamesakeRaymond A. Spruance
Ordered23 June 1970
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding
Laid down27 November 1972
Launched10 November 1973
Acquired12 August 1975
Commissioned20 September 1975
Decommissioned23 March 2005
Stricken18 March 2005
Identification
MottoWisdom, Fortitude, Reason
Nickname(s)
  • The Spru-Can
  • Spru
FateSunk as target, 8 December 2006
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeSpruance-class destroyer
Displacement8,040 long tons (8,170 t) full load
Length
Beam55 ft (17 m)
Draft29 ft (8.8 m)
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 80,000 shp (60 MW)
Speed32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement19 officers, 315 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck and enclosed hangar for up to two medium-lift helicopters

USS Spruance (DD-963) was the lead ship of the United States Navy's Spruance class of destroyers and was named after Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. Spruance was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi, and launched by Mrs. Raymond A. Spruance.[1] Spruance served in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 24 and operating out of Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Spruance was decommissioned on 23 March 2005 and then was sunk as a target on 8 December 2006.