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Hull Number: DD-969

Launch Date: 06/21/1975

Commissioned Date: 07/09/1977

Decommissioned Date: 10/04/2001

Call Sign: NGHY


Class: SPRUANCE

SPRUANCE Class


Length Overall: 563’ 3"

Beam: 55’

Draft: 29'

Full Load Displacement: 8,040 tons

Armament:

Two 5″/54 caliber guns
Two 20mm Close-In Weapons Systems
One ASROC Launcher
Two 12.75″ triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes

Complement:

19 Officers
315 Enlisted

Propulsion:

4 General Electric LM2500 Gas Turbines: 80,000 horsepower

Highest speed on trials: 32.5 knots

Namesake: CARL JERROLD PETERSON

CARL JERROLD PETERSON

Wikipedia (as of 2024)

Carl Jerrold Peterson (31 October 1936 – 2 April 1969) was a United States Navy Lieutenant Commander and the commanding officer of Patrol River Boat Squadron 57. He was killed in action in Vietnam and buried in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1975, the United States Navy named the USS Peterson in his memory.

Carl Jerrold Peterson was born 31 October 1936 to Captain Carl A. Peterson, USN, Ret. (1908 – 1996) of Tuxedo Park, New York and Miriam C. Redden-Peterson (1909 – 2010), daughter of Connecticut State senator William A. Redden. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in June 1958.[1] According to his Academy Yearbook and the Bridgeport Post, he was from Bridgeport, Connecticut and lived at 388 Midland for much of his youth.[2][3] He was said to “play a mean attack on the lacrosse field” and he was a valuable member of the crew of the USNA’s yacht, Freedom.[4]

Lieutenant Commander Peterson then served successive tours at sea in USS McCaffery and USS Arneb. In 1962, he was assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in 1964 to the staff of Commander Middle East Force. From 1966 to 1968 Lieutenant Commander Peterson served as Operations Officer aboard USS Ogden and participated in eight major amphibious assaults against enemy forces in Vietnam. Lieutenant Commander Peterson was credited with developing the command and control techniques for debarking troops simultaneously by air and sea amphibious transports successfully employed in these assaults.[1]

In December 1968, Lieutenant Commander Peterson volunteered for duties in Vietnam and subsequently commanded Patrol River Boat Squadron 57 operating in the waterways of the Mekong Delta. According to the US Navy, Carl Peterson was singularly responsible for the success of many joint quick reaction operations designed to draw out and destroy enemy forces. On 2 April 1969, while embarked in an assault support patrol boat transiting the Vàm Cỏ Đông River to his command center in USS Harnett County, Lieutenant Commander Peterson was mortally wounded when an enemy rocket detonated against his vessel.[1]

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[5]

Awards and honors

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device (awarded posthumously) and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device.[1] USS Peterson was named in his honor. His name is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel 27W, Row 1.[6]

 


Disposition:

Stricken 11/6/2002. Sunk as target 2/16/2004.


USS PETERSON DD-969 Ship History

Wikipedia (as of 2024)

USS Peterson (DD-969), named for Lieutenant Commander Carl Jerrold Peterson (1936–1969), was a Spruance-class destroyer laid down by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, MississippiPeterson was sponsored by Mrs. Miriam C. Peterson, the mother of LCDR Carl J. Peterson. Matron of Honor was Peterson’s sister, Mrs. John F. Elliott.[1] She was commissioned on 9 July 1977 and decommissioned on 4 October 2002.

1979 – Persian Gulf deployment. Peterson made her first deployment which included duty as flagship for Commander, Middle East Force in the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Upon return to Norfolk, Virginia she was awarded Destroyer Squadron Ten‘s Battle ‘E’.

1980 – Persian Gulf In Support of Iran Hostage Crisis Vigilant Presence. Peterson spent her second deployment beginning in September 1980 in the Persian Gulf. She returned home in March 1981. Crew awarded Navy Expeditionary Medal for Peterson’s roll in operations during the last 5 months of the Iran Hostage Crisis, while acting as US Navy’s most forward deployed combatant on “Camel Station” in the Straits of Hormuz.

1981 – Mediterranean deployment. Six months later, Peterson returned to the Mediterranean on 1 December 1981 for her third deployment in three years.

1982 – Overhaul. During a nine-month overhaul starting in July 1982, Peterson’s weapons systems were upgraded to include the Target Acquisition System (TAS), two 20 mm Vulcan Phalanx CIWS mounts, and an enhanced communications and electronics suite.

1984 – Mediterranean (Lebanon) deployment. Peterson was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for her role as naval gunfire support ship off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon as part of the Saratoga battle group in April 1984.

1985 – Arctic deployment. In the Fall of 1985, Peterson participated in the NATO exercise ‘Ocean Safari’ in the North Atlantic, earning the title of ‘Blue Nose’ for the crossing of the Arctic Circle and was also awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptional performance.

1986 – Mediterranean (Libya) deployment. In 1986, Peterson deployed to the Mediterranean with the America battle group and performed search and rescue duties during combat operations in the vicinity of Libya. She was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her efforts.

1988 – Mediterranean deployment. During Peterson’s 1988 deployment, she served as the flagship for Commander, Destroyer Squadron Twenty Six and operated with the BritishFrenchGermanSpanish and Tunisian navies.

1990 – Mediterranean and African (Liberia) deployment. Peterson’s 1990 deployment began in the Mediterranean with the Dwight D. Eisenhower battle group, visiting NaplesSt. MaximePalma and Tunis. When civil war broke out in Liberia, Peterson was called upon to make a high speed transit to the site with embarked Marines to stand by to evacuate American citizens trapped by the fighting. For the rest of the deployment, Peterson assisted in the evacuation of more than 1,600 refugees with Saipan and her Marine Amphibious Readiness Group, before returning home in September.

1991 – Overhaul. On 15 March 1991 Peterson commenced a thirteen-month overhaul at Ingalls Shipbuilding Company in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Modifications included installation of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, SQQ-89 Anti-Submarine Warfare SONAR suite and double RAST tracks to support two SH-60B helicopters.

1993 – Red Sea deployment (Operation Desert Storm). On 16 February 1993, Peterson commenced a six-month Middle East Force deployment in the Red Sea where she intercepted and boarded 247 vessels in support of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. In response to Iraq’s attempted assassination of former U.S. President George H. W. BushPeterson successfully struck the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad with 14 Tomahawk missiles on 26 June 1993, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of StaffPeterson earned Destroyer Squadron Two‘s battle efficiency award for 1993.

1994 – Haitian operations. July and August 1994 saw Peterson off the coast of Haiti where she provided support for Operation Uphold Democracy.

1995 – Mediterranean deployment and selected restricted availability (SRA). On 14 April 1995 Peterson returned to Norfolk, Virginia culminating a highly successful Mediterranean deployment as a member of the Eisenhower battle group. While on deployment, Peterson played an active role in several community service projects including the highly visible Project Handclasp program. On 22 October Peterson commenced a three and a half month SRA which included the installation of the state of the art Tomahawk Weapons Control System (ATWCS). Peterson earned Destroyer Squadron Twenty Eight‘s battle efficiency award for 1995.

1996 – Counter drug operations. June and July 1996 saw Peterson off the coasts of South and Central America in the Eastern Pacific Ocean for counter drug operations. During this employment, the Peterson crew enjoyed a Line-crossing ceremony in sight of the Galápagos Islands. After returning home, she began training for her next deployment.

1997 – Atlantic deployment. In July 1997 Peterson deployed with NATO as a member of the Standing Naval Forces Atlantic Squadron. She operated with ships of the British, German, Dutch, Spanish, PortugueseCanadian and other NATO navies.

1999 – Mediterranean deployment. Peterson deployed as flagship for the Standing Naval Forces Mediterranean Squadron in support of NATO. Peterson participated in the Kosovo campaign as part of this NATO battle group.

2001-2002 – Persian Gulf deployment. Peterson completed a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She was at the tip of the spear, and involved in every facet of the operation. As the Comskey guardship and Commander, Destroyer Squadron Fifty flagship for maritime interdiction operations in the North Persian Gulf. Peterson was praised as ‘One of the best to have operated in the Persian Gulf in a long time!’. She operated as Surface Action Group commander of the JASK operating area in the Gulf of Oman then again in the North Arabian Sea off Karachi, Pakistan. Peterson conducted 349 queries and 4 boardings – one of which resulted in crew member fatalities – in support of maritime interdiction operations. The ill-fated mission in question occurred on 18 November 2001, when 8 U.S Navy members boarded Samra, an Iraqi oil-smuggling ship, suspecting it of violating oil sanctions against then president Saddam Hussein‘s regime. While on board, Samra sank, killing 2 of the USS Peterson’s crewmen, and 1 of Samra’s crew members.[2] Peterson supported Bonhomme Richard amphibious readiness group as Combined Task Force 51 sea component commander conducting intelligence surveillance and reporting operations off the Horn of Africa for exercise Edged Mallet in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. She received more than ten accolades from national and fleet commanders for the timely, high quality reporting provided to the Office of Naval Intelligence, greatly improving understanding of suspect activities in the Horn of Africa region. Peterson safely completed a 196-day deployment with 178 days spent underway, with over 600 queries conducted, more than 700 flight evolutions, 34 underway replenishments, 6 sea and anchor details, and more than 500 small boat operations.

Final underway: While returning from Newport, Rhode IslandPeterson steamed for 6 hours at full power and successfully fired 100 rounds from her 5″/54 guns. This demonstration of strength proved that she was an asset to her country until the end.

Peterson decommissioned on 4 October 2002, and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 6 November 2002. On 16 February 2004 she was sunk in the western North Atlantic Ocean in support of weapons effect tests for the new DD-21 program, later renamed DD(X), then again renamed DDG 1000, which is the current Program of Record.[3] The ship’s bell was transferred to Baldwin County, Alabama for display at the war memorial at the Foley satellite courthouse and was unveiled on 5 January 2012.[4][5] The site of the wreck was confirmed in approximately 2,400 m (7,874 ft) of water on 7 July 2014 by the EV Nautilus.[6]