Remembering Pearl Harbor 83 Years Later

Hull Number: DD-974

Launch Date: 03/26/1976

Commissioned Date: 08/05/1978

Decommissioned Date: 06/05/1998

Call Sign: NCDG

Voice Call Sign: ALLIANCE (92-98)


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: FRANCOIS-JOSEPH-PAUL DE GRASSE, THE COMTE DE GRASSE

FRANCOIS-JOSEPH-PAUL DE GRASSE, THE COMTE DE GRASSE

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, January 2020

Franҫois-Joseph-Paul de Grasse, the Comte de Grasse, was born on 13 September 1722, in Paris, France. In 1740, at the age of 17, the Comte de Grasse entered the French Navy. During the Seven Years War, he fought in several actions against the British Royal Navy off India. After France began providing aid to the United States during the Revolutionary War, Adm. de Grasse defeated the British fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781. The victory led directly to the naval blockade and eventual British surrender at Yorktown, Va., helping the Americans secure victory and independence. The Comte de Grasse died on 11 January 1788, at Tilly, France, and is buried in Paris.


Disposition:

NAVSEA inactive ships On Site Maintenance Office Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


USS COMTE DE GRASSE DD-974 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, January 2020

(DD-974; displacement 7,800 tons; length 563′ 4″; beam 55′; draft ; speed 30+ knots; complement 322; armament 2 5-inch; 2 Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS); Mk 112 Anti-Submarine ROCket (ASROC) launcher; 6 Mk 32 torpedo tubes; 8 Mk 143 Tomahawk Armored Box Launchers; Mk 141 Harpoon canister missile system; Mk 29 NATO Sea Sparrow missile system; class Spruance)

The destroyer Comte de Grasse was laid down on 4 April 1975, at Pascagoula, Miss., by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Ind.; launched on 26 March 1976; sponsored by Madame Anne-Aymone Sauvage de Brantes, wife of the President of France, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing; and commissioned on 5 August 1978, Cmdr. Frank J. Lugo in command.

Getting underway on 7 August 1978, Comte de Grasse steamed for Norfolk, Va. She conducted sea trials in the Virginia capes (28 August–1 September) before making way for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, for selective refresher training (20–31 October). The destroyer finished the year at Norfolk preparing for post-shakedown availability (1–31 December).

After making a brief visit to Pascagoula (9 January–8 February 1979), Comte de Grasse returned to Norfolk for a restricted availability before conducting sea trials (18 July–9 August). On 2 August, the destroyer suffered a major fire in her number one Engine Room, behind the waste heat boiler. Although there were no major casualties, the fire caused serious damage to the engine room and associated electrical systems. Immediately making way for Pascagoula for repairs, she remained in a restricted availability while undergoing repairs (13 August–6 September).

Comte de Grasse got underway for Operation Ocean Safari (12–16 September 1979), before steaming for Europe. She made port visits to Brest, France (5–11 October); Dunkerque (12–17 October); Hamburg, Germany (19–21 October); and Portsmouth, England (23–27 October). She returned to Norfolk, arriving on 9 November.

On 15 February 1980, the ship made way for Puerto Rico to conduct training and gunnery exercises. She steamed for New York City to take part in Fleet Week festivities (9–12 March), before deploying on 16 April to the Mediterranean for a six-month deployment. After a short port visit to La Spezia, Italy (3–4 May), Comte de Grasse participated in Exercise Dawn Patrol (5–11 May) and Dawn Patrol II (13–17 May), before making port visits to Tunis, Tunisia (18 May), and Naples, Italy (24–27 May). Three weeks later, the destroyer trained with French and Italian naval vessels in Multiplex-80 (13–19 June).

After transiting the Suez Canal on 10 July 1980, Comte de Grasse began operations in the Red Sea (11 July–2 August), occasionally making brief fuel stops in Djibouti, Africa. She returned to the Mediterranean to participate in Lightning Bolt (18–22 September) and National Week XXIX (18–24 September), both held simultaneously. After a brief stop at Tangiers, Morocco, on 1 October, she steamed en route to Norfolk, arriving there on 9 October.

Making way for Nassau, Bahamas, en route Roosevelt Roads, P.R., Comte de Grasse commenced gunnery and missile exercises at Vieques Naval Training Range (4–6 February 1981). The destroyer participated in Readex 1-81 from 1–4 March, before making a port visit to Martinique, France (6–9 March). Comptuex 2-81 marked the next major fleet exercise, with the destroyer joining 12 U.S. warships of the Atlantic Fleet (13–22 May). Three months later, Comte de Grasse got underway with the Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Battle Group to the North Atlantic for Ocean Venture 81 and Magic Sword (20 August–1 September). Steaming off Milford Haven, United Kingdom, she also participated in Ocean Safari 81 (7–19 September).

Comte de Grasse got underway for a six-month Mediterranean deployment on 1 December 1981. After operations off Crete and the naval weapons range at Souda Bay (12–18 December), the destroyer made a port visit and celebrated the holidays at Palma de Mallorca, Spain (23–31 December). Her first training evolution in the New Year began during National Week XXXI, off Gaeta, Italy (18–28 January 1982).

The warship continued her busy schedule with Sardinia 82 (27 February–9 March 1982), before making port visits at Cartagena (22–24 March) and Rota, Spain (26–29 March); Cork, Ireland (30–31 March); and Amsterdam, Netherlands (8–12 April). Arriving back to Norfolk on 26 April, Comte de Grasse sortied to conduct Northern Wedding/United Effort 82 (23 August–15 September) before making port visits to Plymouth, England (16–22 September) and Cherbourg, France (23–26 September). Continuing her high rate of tempo, she conducted sea trials in early November off Norfolk, and participated in Comptuex 1-83 (7–14 December).

Getting underway for a Standing Naval Forces Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) deployment on 8 January 1983, Comte de Grasse began training evolutions immediately while steaming for Europe. Arriving at Plymouth on 20 January, she began training with Canadian and Royal Navy forces. Conducting anti-submarine (ASW), gunnery, communications, and maneuvering drills, the destroyer’s crew put what they learned to the test during Roebuck (1–8 February). Afterwards, she made port visits at Edinburgh, Scotland (11–13 February), and Zeebrugge, Belgium (17–23 February). Comte de Grasse served as part of the first NATO squadron to visit Spain when she arrived at El Ferrol on 14 March.

Comte de Grasse participated in several exercises throughout the rest of the year, including Springtrain (17–25 April 1983), May West (23–26 May), Norops (30 May–5 June), and Ocean Safari (7–16 June). After a brief port visit to Den Helder, Netherlands (21–30 June), the destroyer made way for her homeport at Norfolk, arriving on 15 August. Steaming to Pascagoula, the ship arrived at the Ingalls Shipyard for a regular overhaul (29 October–31 December).

On 15 June 1984, Comte de Grasse completed her period in dry dock at Pascagoula and stood out for Norfolk. After various sea trials and underway periods off the Virginia Capes, she sortied from Norfolk on 11 September for hurricane anchorage in the Chesapeake Bay, returning to complete Tomahawk certification two days later. The destroyer completed refresher training on 14 December, and spent the holidays at her homeport.

After completing a series of weapons qualifications in the first quarter of 1985, the ship steamed from Norfolk to participate in Comptuex 2-85 (22 April–8 May). She departed again on 29 May for pre-deployment sea trials highlighted by the successful firing of both of her 5-inch guns. Comte de Grasse got underway for a deployment to the Middle East Force on 6 June, transiting the Atlantic with guided missile frigate Klakring (FFG-42). After an underway replenishment with Military Sealift Command-manned oiler Truckee (T-AO-147), the destroyer entered the Suez Canal to the Red Sea on 26 June. Continuing to make way for the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, she entered the Persian Gulf on the Fourth of July. An upkeep period followed at Bahrain (8–18 July) before Comte de Grasse resumed surveillance operations in the Gulf until 18 September. On 4 November, she conducted turnover in the Strait of Hormuz with Conolly (DD-979), and steamed back for Norfolk, arriving on 4 December.

Comte de Grasse participated in a series of training exercises, beginning with Fleetex 1-87, off the coast of Virginia (19 February–1 March 1987). Her next training evolution occurred during Solid Shield 87 (30 April–8 May), before immediately beginning Fleetex 2-87 (8–10 May). Getting underway for a Mediterranean deployment on 6 June, the destroyer conducted turnover with frigate W. S. Sims (FF-1059) on 17 June. Steaming off the coast of Italy, the increasingly seasoned ship participated in Commander, Sixth Fleet’s Operation Friendship (1–10 July), with 16 U.S. and 14 French Navy ships over the Fourth of July weekend. Comte de Grasse also joined the annual NATO exercise Display Determination, serving as flagship for the Orange Surface Force. The exercise included military vessels from nine NATO member nations and spanned the entire Mediterranean (15 September–12 October). Finally departing the area after a few more weeks of training, the destroyer steamed back for Norfolk, arriving on 17 November.

On 1 February 1988, Comte de Grasse participated with the U.S. Army in joint helicopter operations, embarking three Bell OH-58D Kiowa helicopters on board for training exercises. After participating in the annual Fleetex off Norfolk, the destroyer conducted anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and strike exercises (15–30 June). She then embarked two Coast Guard detachments and joined guided missile cruiser Ticonderoga (CG-47), Jesse L. Brown (FF-1089), McCloy (FF-1038), and Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC-903) on Coast Guard Enforcement Operation Checkmate 7Comte de Grasse stopped and boarded four ships suspected of carrying illegal narcotics and was awarded the Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon for the operation (12 August–1 September).

Getting underway from Norfolk, Comte de Grasse participated in annual Fleetex training (8–20 February 1989). After a Vandalex missile exercise on 5 April, the destroyer returned to Norfolk only to have the Sonar Technicians discover a tear in the hull-mounted sonar dome. With less than a month until her deployment, repairs began immediately in dry dock (13 April–8 May). Completing sea trials the next day, Comte de Grasse deployed on 11 May with the America (CV-66) Battle Group. On 6 July, while steaming for Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, the ship received a distress call from merchant vessel Agel, disabled and drifting helplessly. For two days, the destroyer served as a ready duty vessel for Agel until tugs arrived to take her in tow.

Initiates entering King Neptune’s Court were crowned shellbacks on 13 July 1989, before steaming en route to Phuket, Thailand (28 July–1 August). Tensions in the Persian Gulf resulted in Comte de Grasse leaving Phuket early to transit towards the Middle East, entering the Gulf on 15 August. Patrolling in the area for the next two weeks, the destroyer finally made way for the Mediterranean on the 29th. She returned to Norfolk on 10 November, and occasionally steamed out to hold various gunnery exercises and other drills throughout the rest of the year.

After a port visit to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, from 13–16 January 1990, Comte de Grasse made way to the Vieques Gunnery Range at Roosevelt Roads for gunnery practice (16–20 January). The destroyer entered the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., (NORSHIPCO), for a regular overhaul (1 May 1990–8 April 1991). She immediately completed sea trials upon leaving dry dock (9–11 April) and hosted French corvette Lieutenant De Vaisseau Le Hénaff (F.789) from 17–19 April. Arriving at Annapolis on 24 May, to be the “Ship in the Yard,” for the 1991 Commissioning Week, crewmembers had a chance to tour the United States Naval Academy. Comte de Grasse spent the rest of the year undergoing various inspections or short training exercises while underway.

The ship rang in New Year’s 1992 moored pierside at Norfolk Naval Base. Preparing for Fleetex 2-92, she joined the Saratoga (CV-60) Battle Group for training in the Caribbean before arriving off Roosevelt Roads for the annual exercise (13 January–13 February). Comte de Grasse got underway for a six-month Mediterranean deployment (6 May–6 November), making port visits to Naples (26–29 May), Gaeta (4–8 June), Trieste (16–20 June), and Fiumicino, Italy (8–11 July); Villefranche, France (3–6 July); and Gölcük, Turkey (7–24 August).

Comte de Grasse participated in counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea (3–15 May 1993). She transited to La Cieba, Honduras, from 26–28 May, before making a port visit and holding a reception for Honduran dignitaries. After returning to Norfolk on 7 June, the destroyer made several short underway sorties for training, before participating in Comptuex in the Caribbean (19 October–3 November). Comte de Grasse closed out the year with a fleet exercise with the Saratoga Battle Group off Cherry Point, N.C. (1–15 December).

On 24 April 1995, Comte de Grasse deployed to the Caribbean for Comptuex 95. Operations included ASW, anti-surface and electronic warfare exercises. Making way for Unitas XXXVI-95 on 27 June, the destroyer departed for the annual multi-national training cruise comprising the navies of nine South American nations participating with the U.S. Navy. The ten phases of Unitas XXXVI-95 began off Roosevelt Roads and moved as far south as Brazil (1 July–29 November). Comte de Grasse returned to Norfolk on 3 December for leave and upkeep.

For two days at the beginning of February 1996, Comte de Grasse stood out for training off the Virginia capes. The warship began counter narcotics operations in the Caribbean for four weeks (24 February–24 March) before making way to Boston for a port visit (23–26 August). She entered the shipyard in Mayport, Florida, for upkeep in preparation for an engineering plant inspection (26 October–20 November), and arrived at Norfolk on the 27th, in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Comte de Grasse got underway for France to participate in Spontex 97, a multinational ASW exercise sponsored by the French Navy (4 March 1997). After the exercise finished, she joined French frigate De Grasse (D.612—and also named for the heroic admiral). The in port period corresponded with the 216th anniversary of the date Adm. de Grasse sailed for America with the fleet that became victorious at the Battle of the Virginia Capes in 1781. After returning to Norfolk on 18 May 1997, Comte de Grasse departed on 1 July to begin Unitas 38-97. After meeting up with the other vessels in her task force, including Dewert (FFG-45), patrol coastal ship Squall (PC-7), dock landing ship Whidbey Island (LSD-41), and Zephyr (PC-8), the group completed all nine phases of the voyage after ranging from the Caribbean to South America (7 July–22 November).

Comte de Grasse was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 5 June 1998.

On 7 June 2006, Comte de Grasse was towed approximately 275 miles off the coast of N.C., and sunk with sister ship Stump (DD-978), as a target during naval training exercises.                               

Commanding Officers Date Assumed Command
Cmdr. Frank J. Lugo 5 August 1978
Cmdr. Philip A. Dur 8 September 1980
Cmdr. Stephen H. Hamilton 14 August 1982
Cmdr. Robert L. Richardson 6 October 1984
Cmdr. Russell J. Lindstedt II 22 December 1986
Cmdr. William D. Lynch 14 March 1989
Cmdr. Peter W. Marzluff 25 April 1991
Cmdr. William C. Moye 5 February 1993
Cmdr. Richard C. Hill III 16 December 1994
Cmdr. Archer M. Macy, Jr. 18 July 1996