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| USS Forrest Sherman (DD-931) | |
|---|---|
| Ship name | USS Forrest Sherman (DD-931) |
| Caption | USS Forrest Sherman underway, 1950s |
| Ship class | Forrest Sherman-class destroyer |
| Ship displacement | 2,800 long tons (standard) |
| Ship length | 418 ft 6 in |
| Ship beam | 45 ft 6 in |
| Ship draft | 15 ft 6 in |
| Ship propulsion | Steam turbines; four boilers; two shafts |
| Ship speed | 32.5 kn |
| Ship range | 4,500 nmi at 20 kn |
| Ship complement | ~285 officers and enlisted |
| Ship builder | Bath Iron Works |
| Ship laid down | 2 September 1953 |
| Ship launched | 15 October 1954 |
| Ship commissioned | 10 December 1955 |
| Ship decommissioned | 30 June 1982 |
| Ship struck | 13 August 1990 |
| Ship fate | Sunk as target (2006) |
USS Forrest Sherman (DD-931) was the lead ship of the Forrest Sherman-class destroyer series built for the United States Navy in the 1950s. Named for Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, she represented a post‑World War II evolution in destroyer design emphasizing guns, anti‑aircraft capability, and steam turbine performance. Forrest Sherman served through the Cold War, participating in Atlantic and Mediterranean operations, experimental programs, and multinational exercises before decommissioning in the early 1980s.
Forrest Sherman was designed following lessons from World War II naval combat and the onset of the Cold War, incorporating features seen in contemporary designs by Bath Iron Works and influenced by analyses from Bureau of Ships and the Naval War College. The class displaced about 2,800 long tons (standard) and measured 418 feet overall, driven by geared steam turbine machinery fed from four boilers to two shafts, producing speeds over 30 knots—comparable to contemporaries such as Gearing-class destroyer and influenced by concepts tested by Destroyer Development Division programs. Armament originally included three 5-inch/54 caliber dual-purpose guns, anti‑submarine weapons, and advanced fire‑control suites integrating radar systems developed by Naval Research Laboratory and electronics from Raytheon and General Electric. Forrest Sherman was laid down at Bath Iron Works on 2 September 1953, launched 15 October 1954, and commissioned on 10 December 1955 with a crew drawn from personnel experienced on ships like USS Fletcher (DD-445) and USS Mitscher (DD-927).
After commissioning, Forrest Sherman completed shakedown training at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base and participated in post‑commissioning trials with the Atlantic Fleet. She operated regularly with Destroyer Squadron 6 and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea under the operational control of the Sixth Fleet. During the 1950s and 1960s, Forrest Sherman engaged in NATO exercises alongside units from the Royal Navy, French Navy, and Italian Navy, including maneuvers off Gibraltar and port visits to Naples, Barcelona, and Lisbon. The destroyer provided escort, screening, and plane‑guard services for aircraft carriers such as USS Forrestal (CV‑59) and USS Saratoga (CV-60) and took part in contingency operations related to crises like the Suez Crisis aftermath and tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Throughout her career, Forrest Sherman underwent several refits reflecting evolving threats and technologies championed by organizations including the Office of Naval Research and Naval Sea Systems Command. Early updates improved electronic warfare and radar suites with equipment from AN/SPS-10 and AN/SPS-40 families and the installation of new fire‑control systems tied to Mk 37 Gun Fire Control System upgrades. In the 1960s and 1970s she received anti‑submarine warfare enhancements influenced by advances from Polaris missile era strategy, incorporating improved sonar sets influenced by research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and facilities at Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Proposals to reconfigure the ship with guided‑missile capabilities mirrored conversions performed on other destroyers and frigates during the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) programs, though Forrest Sherman retained her gun‑centered configuration with selective modernization of propulsion and combat systems.
Forrest Sherman conducted multiple Mediterranean deployments, often embarked in carrier task groups that reflected U.S. commitment to NATO deterrence, interacting with commands such as Commander, Sixth Fleet and participating in operations alongside units from Carrier Strike Group 6. She took part in multinational exercises like Operation Mainbrace and Springboard, and executed surveillance and presence missions during crises in Lebanon, Cyprus, and the eastern Mediterranean. Forrest Sherman also sailed in the western Atlantic, conducting ASW patrols influenced by Soviet submarine developments from Soviet Navy classes such as Juliett-class submarine and Kilo-class submarine. Training cruises included midshipman summer cruises with cadets from the United States Naval Academy and diplomatic port visits to Reykjavík, Alicante, and Haifa.
Forrest Sherman earned awards and commendations reflecting operational readiness and crew proficiency, including campaign ribbons associated with Cold War deployments and unit commendations from Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic. Notable incidents included damage control actions after minor collisions during underway replenishment evolutions—common hazards highlighted in reports from Naval Safety Center—and notable rescue and escort operations involving merchant shipping tracked by U.S. Coast Guard coordination in the Atlantic approaches. Her service overlapped with prominent naval figures and events involving admirals who led Sixth Fleet operations and Cold War maritime strategy debates at institutions such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Forrest Sherman was decommissioned on 30 June 1982 and placed in reserve before being stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 13 August 1990. After years in the James River Reserve Fleet and consideration for preservation by maritime museums associated with groups like the Naval Historical Foundation, she was ultimately designated for disposal. The ship was used as a target and sunk during a live‑fire exercise conducted under oversight from Naval Sea Systems Command and Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic in 2006, joining other decommissioned vessels whose final disposition served training and weapons‑effectiveness evaluation purposes.
Category:Forrest Sherman-class destroyers Category:Ships built in Bath, Maine Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States Navy