View source for USS Arthur W. Radford

{{Short description|Spruance-class destroyer in the United States Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=US Navy 021127-N-3653A-004 Spruance-class Arthur W. Radford steams through the Mediterranean Sea.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], circa 27 November 2002, equipped with an experimental [[Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|2003}}
|Ship name=''Arthur W. Radford''
|Ship namesake=[[Arthur W. Radford]]
|Ship ordered=15 January 1971
|Ship builder=[[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]
|Ship laid down=31 January 1974
|Ship launched=1 March 1975{{efn|1 March 1975 per NVR and Janes}}
|Ship christened=5 April 1975<ref>{{cite news |title= Lott calls destroyers critical to U.S. Navy |newspaper= The Sun Herald |location= Biloxi, MS |page= A4 |date=6 April 1975}}</ref>
|Ship acquired=4 April 1977
|Ship commissioned=16 April 1977
|Ship decommissioned=18 March 2003
|Ship struck=6 April 2004
|Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NAWR
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Alpha}}{{ICS|Whiskey}}{{ICS|Romeo}}
*[[Hull number]]: DDG-968
|Ship motto=''Patriotism, Perseverance, and Preparedness''<ref>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000623000324/http://www.spear.navy.mil/ships/dd968/Shipcrst.htm |archive-date= 2000-06-23 |url= http://www.spear.navy.mil/ships/dd968/Shipcrst.htm |title= Ship's Crest |website= USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968) |date= 2000 |quote= Admiral Radford's career was dominated by three traits which are displayed on the Navy Blue banner beneath the shield: Patriotism, Perseverance, and Preparedness. Today these qualities serve as the guiding motto for USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD's crew.}}</ref>
|Ship fate=[[Scuttling|Scuttled]], 10 August 2011
|Ship badge=[[File:DD968crest.png|150px|Ship's crest]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Spruance class destroyer infobox ship characteristics}}
|}

'''USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' (DD-968)''' was a {{sclass|Spruance|destroyer}} in the [[United States Navy]]. She was named for [[Admiral]] [[Arthur W. Radford]] USN (1896–1973), the first naval officer to be [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. She was decommissioned on 18 March 2003 after serving for 26&nbsp;years,<ref name=Decom>{{cite news |url= http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=6392 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120829025139/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=6392 |url-status= dead |archive-date= 29 August 2012 |title=''Arthur W. Radford'' decommissions |publisher= Navy News |first= LTJG Kelley |last= Anderson |date= 20 March 2003 }}</ref> and on 10 August 2011 her [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] was [[Scuttling|scuttled]] off the coast of [[Delaware]] to form part of an [[artificial reef]].

==Construction and commissioning==
''Arthur W. Radford'' was [[Keel-laying|laid down]] 31 January 1974 by the [[Ingalls Shipbuilding]] Division of [[Litton Industries]] at [[Pascagoula, Mississippi|Pascagoula]], [[Mississippi]], and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 1 March 1975,{{efn|NVR and Janes ({{ISBN|0-7924-5626-2}} p.172) state launched 1 March 1975. DANFS and a ship published [http://www.navsource.net/archives/05/pix2/0596867.jpg welcome aboard pamphlet] (via navsource) state launched 27 February 1975. Biloxi Sun Herald states christened Saturday, 5 April 1975.}} [[Ship sponsor|sponsored]] by Mrs. Arthur Radford, the admiral's widow. ''Arthur W. Radford'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 16 April 1977,<ref name=DANFS>{{cite DANFS |url= http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arthur-w-radford.html |title= Arthur W. Radford}}</ref>

== Early operations ==
Underway for the [[United States East Coast]] the day she was commissioned, ''Arthur W. Radford'' was forced to return to her builder's yard for repairs soon thereafter, but got underway again on 30 April. Touching at [[Charleston, South Carolina]], on 3 and 4 May, the ship proceeded to her home port [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk, Virginia]], which she reached on 6 May.<ref name=DANFS />

Three days later, she steamed for [[Newport, Rhode Island]], to provide support for the Naval Surface Warfare Officer Training Command. While the ship proceeded north, a [[Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System|LAMPS]] helicopter practice-landed on her helo deck to prepare for the embarkation of a LAMPS&nbsp;III detachment. The helicopter returned to Norfolk later that day 11 May. Mooring at Newport on 13 May, the destroyer remained there until 17 May, when she headed home. Soon after returning to Norfolk, she conducted gunnery exercises and helicopter operations off the [[Virginia Capes]].<ref name=DANFS />

The ship headed down the coast on 24 May and reached [[Port Canaveral, Florida]], the following day. After embarking Capt. R.&nbsp;K. Albright, Commander, [[Destroyer Squadron 22]] (DesRon&nbsp;22) the destroyer got underway on 27 May and, for the next few days, conducted air, surface, and sub-surface surveillance of the surrounding waters while [[President of the United States|President]] [[Jimmy Carter]], observed operations on board the [[attack submarine]] {{USS|Los Angeles|SSN-688|2}}. The destroyer rendezvoused with the submarine prior to her initial dive and then again when the submarine surfaced. Throughout the operation, she provided support services for local and national press covering the Chief Executive's voyage.<ref name=DANFS />

Underway for Norfolk on 31 May, ''Arthur W. Radford'' reached her home port on 2 June for local operations. While returning from waters off the Virginia Capes on 6 June, the ship ran into low-visibility conditions and winds in excess of 90&nbsp;knots (170&nbsp;km/h) which disabled a radar antenna and drove the ship outside the main shipping channel. At one point her fathometer read only 30&nbsp;centimeters of water under the keel.<ref name=DANFS />

Fighting her way back to the channel in the teeth of the gale ''Arthur W. Radford'' sighted a capsized motor vessel, ''Dixie&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;II'', {{convert|300|yd}} south of Thimble&nbsp;A Shoals Channel buoy&nbsp;21. Unable to assist due to the shallow water and high winds, the destroyer notified the [[United States Coast Guard]] of bodies seen floating in the water. The destroyer then anchored in [[Hampton Roads]] until the wind had dropped and shipping, adrift in the vicinity, had moved off.<ref name=DANFS />

''Arthur W. Radford'' then proceeded to the [[West Indies]] for training operations including gunfire support. En route to Frederickstad, [[Saint Croix]], in the [[U.S. Virgin Islands]], in late June she conducted further weapons tests. Firing a gunnery exercise at [[Vieques, Puerto Rico]], the destroyer returned to the eastern seaboard with a port visit to [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] on [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] 1977.  During this firing exercise, a dummy shell hit {{USS|Opportune|ARS-41|6}} which was towing a target sled. Further work in the [[Bahamas]], and at [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]], preceded her return to Charleston, South Carolina, on the last day of July. She then headed home where she arrived on 3 August.<ref name=DANFS />

The ship returned to Pascagoula on 11 September for post-shakedown availability and remained in her builder's hands until she returned to Norfolk in mid-October. Entering the [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]] on 25 October for restricted availability, she remained there into the spring of 1978 before resuming local operations out of her home port. She principally engaged in ship qualification trials and underway training before steaming south to Guantanamo Bay and Vieques for refresher training and gunfire support practice, respectively. Following these evolutions, the ship returned to Norfolk on 30 July 1978.<ref name=DANFS />

On 23 August, ''Arthur W. Radford'' got underway from the [[Naval Weapons Station Yorktown]] Virginia, and headed for [[NATO]] exercises in the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]]. En route, she participated in Exercise "Common Effort", carrying out escort duties in an "opposed Atlantic transit", and briefly embarked Vice Admiral [[Wesley L. McDonald]], Commander, [[U.S. 2nd Fleet]]. Next came Operation "[[Northern Wedding]]" a joint NATO exercise which began on 4 September and involved several carrier groups in an amphibious landing and many other facets of simulated naval warfare. During that operation, ''Arthur W. Radford'' operated alongside [[Royal Navy]], [[Royal Danish Navy]], [[Royal Norwegian Navy]], [[Swedish Navy]], [[West German Navy]], and Canadian Forces Maritime naval units.<ref name=DANFS /> During this exercise, the ship encountered huge seas from [[Hurricane Flossie (1978)|Hurricane Flossie]].{{citation needed|date=February 2016|reason=Not mentioned in cited source}}

Following the conclusion of "Northern Wedding", the destroyer visited [[Copenhagen]], Denmark; [[Rotterdam]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[Portsmouth]], England. She again embarked VADM McDonald at Portsmouth on 16 October and wore his flag during the return voyage to Norfolk. The admiral disembarked upon her arrival at Norfolk on 25 October. The destroyer then operated locally through the winter, varying periods between in port for upkeep and getting underway for training.<ref name=DANFS />

== First deployment and interim ==
''Arthur W. Radford'' cleared Norfolk on 13 March 1979, bound for the Mediterranean and a tour with the [[U.S. 6th Fleet]]. Over the next six months, she participated in a variety of exercises and visited the ports of [[Catania]], Sicily; [[Split (city)|Split]], Yugoslavia; [[Trieste]], Italy; [[Alexandria]], Egypt; [[Cannes]], France, [[Palma de Mallorca|Palma]], Spain; [[Barcelona]], Spain; [[Toulon]], France, [[Théoule-sur-Mer|Théoule]], France, [[Rota, Cádiz|Rota]], Spain and [[Valencia, Spain]]. During the deployment, the vessel fired her first [[RGM-84 Harpoon|Harpoon missile]] in the Mediterranean on 28 July. Her target was the hulk of a destroyer, ex-{{USS|Lansdowne|DD-486|2}} (later the Turkish TCG&nbsp;''Gaziantep'' (D-344)). ''Arthur W. Radford'' also participated in Exercise "Multiplex&nbsp;1-79" in the [[Ionian Sea]], Exercise "Dawn Patrol" in the [[Tyrrhenian Sea]] and Ionian Seas, Exercise "Tridente" out of Alexandria, and Exercise "National Week" XXVII, Phases&nbsp;1 and 2. While en route from Toulon to Theoule, France, she rescued the French ketch, ''Laurca'', adrift {{convert|50|mi|km}} from the French resort of [[St. Tropez]].<ref name=DANFS />

Clearing Rota on 12 September, ''Arthur W. Radford'' reached Norfolk on 22 September. Underway for [[Miami, Florida]] on 23 October, she served as the platform for deck landing qualifications for helicopter pilots en route, and, after touching at [[Mayport, Florida]] to unload a crippled H&nbsp;3 helicopter from HSL-30, reached Miami on 27 October for a two-day port visit.<ref name=DANFS />

After returning briefly to Norfolk from 31 October to 5 November, the destroyer proceeded to [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]], and participated in a training exercise with American and Canadian warships. During the course of Exercise "Canus-Marcot" she logged her 1,000th helicopter landing of 1979. Returning to Norfolk on 21 November, she remained in port for the remainder of the year 1979.<ref name=DANFS />

For the first half of 1980, the warship principally operated off the eastern seaboard of the United States, and ranged as far north as Halifax and as far south as the Caribbean, working briefly out of Vieques and [[Roosevelt Roads Naval Station]], as well as out of [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. During this time, she also visited [[Annapolis, Maryland]], where [[United States Naval Academy]] midshipmen toured the ship's engineering plant on an orientation visit. Admiral [[James L. Holloway III]], the former [[Chief of Naval Operations]], visited the ship as well.<ref name=DANFS />

== Second deployment and interim ==
[[File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD-968) Panama Canal during Unitas XXI.jpg|thumb|''Arthur W. Radford'' (DD-968) transits the Panama Canal during Unitas XXI.]]
Following a brief period at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, ''Arthur W. Radford'' prepared for another extended deployment. She departed Norfolk on 21 June 1980, embarking HSL-34, Detachment&nbsp;2 and proceeded to Roosevelt Roads, where she embarked Rear Admiral Peter K. Cullins, Commander, South Atlantic Force and his staff to become Cullins' flagship for UNITAS&nbsp;XXI. Visits to [[Saint Kitts]] and to [[Bridgetown]], Barbados, followed before the destroyer sailed for [[Venezuela]]n waters.<ref name=DANFS />

[[File:USS ARTHUR W RADFORD (DD-968) underway.jpg|thumb|upright|''Arthur W. Radford'' c.1981 with ASROC launcher, without CIWS and original mast.|left]]Over the next four months, ''Arthur W. Radford'' operated with elements of the [[Military of Venezuela|Venezuelan]], [[Military of Ecuador|Ecuadorian]], [[Military of Peru|Peruvian]], [[Military of Colombia|Colombian]], [[Military of Trinidad and Tobago|Trinidad and Tobagonian]], [[Argentine Navy|Argentine]], [[Military of Uruguay|Uruguayan]], and [[Brazilian Navy|Brazilian]] navies. Her ports of call included [[Barcelona, Venezuela|Puerto La Cruz]] and [[La Guaira]], Venezuela, Rodman, [[Panama]], [[Manta, Ecuador|Manta]], Ecuador, Paito and [[Callao]], Peru, [[Cartagena, Colombia]]; [[Trinidad and Tobago]], [[Belgrano, Buenos Aires|Puerto Belgrano]], and [[Bahía Blanca]], Argentina, [[Montevideo]], Uruguay, and the Brazilian ports of [[Santos (São Paulo)|Santos]], [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Salvador, Brazil|Salvador]] and [[Recife]]. She also transited the [[Panama Canal]] twice during UNITAS XXI, the first time on 21 July 1980 and the second on 24 August.<ref name=DANFS />

Completing UNITAS XXI on 4 November, ''Arthur W. Radford'' sailed for [[Gabon]], as a unit of the West Africa Training Cruise (WATC), reaching [[Libreville]], the capital of Gabon, on 12 November. Over the next few weeks, she visited [[Tema]], Ghana [[Freetown]], Sierra Leone, and [[Dakar]], Senegal. Clearing Dakar on 1 December, the destroyer stopped at [[Guadeloupe]] and at Roosevelt Roads on the return voyage and arrived at Norfolk on 15 December.<ref name=DANFS />

The ship spent the next two years engaged in operations along the East Coast and in the West Indies mostly in underway training out of Norfolk, Roosevelt Roads, and Vieques and in refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. During the summer of 1981, she operated out of Annapolis, training midshipmen. She underwent upkeep at Norfolk and [[Boston, Massachusetts]], and received an overhaul at her builder's yard. En route to Puerto Rico, the ship had a [[Law Enforcement Detachments|Coast Guard detachment]] embarked from 20 to 23 September 1982, and cooperated with the Coast Guard on drug interdiction duties.<ref name=DANFS />

== Third deployment and interim ==
For the first few months of 1983, ''Arthur W. Radford'' operated primarily in the Virginia Capes area, but ranged into the Atlantic as far as the Bahamas. After embarking Commander, Destroyer Squadron&nbsp;26, at Norfolk on 7 March to begin a nine-month period on board, ''Arthur W. Radford'' hosted [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[John F. Lehman, Jr.]], on 29 March. A little less than one month later the destroyer cleared Norfolk on 27 April for a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean.<ref name=DANFS />

Touching at [[Gibraltar]] on 10 May, ''Arthur W. Radford'' proceeded to Augusta Bay, Sicily, and thence moved to waters off the coast of [[Lebanon]]. After supporting the multinational peacekeeping force in [[Beirut]] from 20 to 28 May, the destroyer visited [[Taranto]], Italy, before returning to Lebanese waters for another brief period. During a port call at the Romanian port of [[Constanţa]] along with guided-missile frigate {{USS|Antrim|FFG-20|2}}, the destroyer served as flagship for Vice Admiral [[William H. Rowden]], Commander, 6th Fleet.<ref name=DANFS />

Visiting Catania, Sicily, [[Monte Carlo]], Monaco, and [[Livorno]], Italy, ''Arthur W. Radford'' exercised with U.S. 6th Fleet battle groups later that summer, later visiting [[Gaeta]] and [[Naples]], Italy. While visiting [[Istanbul]], Turkey, she hosted the retired [[United States Army|Army]] leader and former presidential advisor General [[Alexander M. Haig]].<ref name=DANFS />

''Arthur W. Radford'' returned to the waters off Beirut on 18 September 1983 to assume duty as ready gunfire support ship. She conducted gunfire support missions<ref>{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19830922&id=qqddAAAAIBAJ&pg=3764,2967522&hl=en |title= US Navy Shells Syrian Artillery Positions |agency= Associated Press|newspaper= Observer-Reporter |location= Washington, PA |page= 1 |date= 22 September 1983 }}</ref> against forces threatening the peacekeeping force on 21 and 22 September until relieved on station by the battleship {{USS|New Jersey|BB-62|2}} on 8 October. Visits to [[La Maddalena]], [[Sardinia]], and to [[Tangier]], Morocco rounded out the destroyer's time in the U.S. 6th Fleet. Operating briefly with Spanish Navy units en route to the turnover port of Rota, ''Arthur W. Radford'' cleared Rota on 10 November with the [[carrier battle group|battle group]] formed around the carrier {{USS|Dwight D. Eisenhower||2}}. She arrived at Norfolk 11&nbsp;days later, remaining there for the rest of 198

[[File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD-968) participates in an underway replenishment with the battleship USS IOWA (BB-61).jpg|thumb|''Arthur W. Radford'' performing an underway replenishment with ''Iowa''.]]3.<ref name="DANFS" />

''Arthur W. Radford'' operated briefly in the Virginia Capes area in January 1984 before undergoing an overhaul at the [[Metro Machine Shipyard]] at [[Portsmouth, Virginia]], between 16 February and 27 April. Subsequently, undergoing sea trials and repairs in the [[floating drydock]] {{USS|Sustain|AFDM-7|2}}, ''Arthur W. Radford'' conducted routine training out of Norfolk through early August.<ref name=DANFS />

The destroyer next operated out of Roosevelt Roads and off St. Croix before returning to Norfolk at the end of August and becoming [[flagship]] for [[Destroyer Squadron 10]]. After then conducting underway training in the Virginia Capes area in September and October, ''Arthur W. Radford'' accompanied the recommissioned battleship {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|2}} to Roosevelt Roads. She later conducted gunfire support exercises off Vieques. Returning northward the destroyer took part in exercises off the coast of [[North Carolina]] before reaching to Norfolk on 20 November.<ref name=DANFS />

== Fourth deployment and interim ==
After local operations, ''Arthur W. Radford'' sailed for a deployment with the Middle East Force (MidEastFor) on 4 February 1985, in company with {{USS|Barney|DDG-6|2}}. Rendezvousing with {{USS|Antrim|FFG-20|2}} and {{USS|Charles F. Adams|DDG-2|2}} near [[Bermuda]] two days later, and refueling from {{USNS|Waccamaw|T-AO-109|6}}, the destroyer reached Rota on 16 February. She then visited Naples before heading for Egypt to transit the [[Suez Canal]] on 27 February 1985.<ref name=DANFS />

The destroyer touched briefly at [[Raysut]], Oman, on 8 March before transiting the [[Strait of Hormuz]] the following day and entering the Persian Gulf. After touching briefly at [[Bahrain]] ''Arthur W. Radford'' got underway on 14 March for the Persian Gulf radar picket station. Five days into her time on station, she responded to a "[[Mayday (distress signal)|Mayday]]" from the [[Liberia]]n-flag [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]] [[MV Caribbean Breeze|''Caribbean Breeze'']] which had been attacked and set afire in the central Persian Gulf. The destroyer provided medical advice over the emergency radio channel and launched a helicopter to render assistance.<ref name=DANFS />

Refueling on 25 March at [[Sitrah]] Anchorage, Bahrain, ''Arthur W. Radford'' got underway to resume her radar picket duty later the same day, remaining employed thus until she moored alongside {{USS|La Salle|AGF-3|2}} for availability. The destroyer resumed steaming on radar picket station again on 8 April, also conducting surveillance operations simultaneously.<ref name=DANFS />

''Arthur W. Radford'' embarked Rear Admiral John Addams, Commander, Middle East Force, on 17 April, and served as his flagship until 5 June. During that time, the destroyer served twice on radar picket duties in the Persian Gulf, the first from 17 to 26 April and the second from 23 to 29 June, and once on routine cruising. She visited the Sitrah anchorage twice during this period, and visited [[Manama]], Bahrain, twice.<ref name=DANFS />

After Rear Admiral Addams shifted his flag from ''Arthur W. Radford'', the ship served two more tours of radar picket duty in the Persian Gulf from 6 to 16 June and 20 to 29 June. During the first of these periods, on 7 June, the destroyer's embarked [[Sikorsky SH-3]] "Sea King" helicopter from squadron HS-1 transported a civilian rescued from drowning and in need of medical attention to Bahrain hospital, saving the person's life.<ref name=DANFS />

''Arthur W. Radford'' underwent her final upkeep in the Persian Gulf at [[Mina Sulman]], Manama, Bahrain, from 29 June to 4 July observing [[Fourth of July|Independence Day]] there before getting underway that afternoon to transit the Persian Gulf for the Strait of Hormuz. She conducted turnover to the destroyer {{USS|Comte de Grasse|DD-974|2}} the following day, and exited from the gulf.<ref name=DANFS />

Stopping for fuel at Mina Raysut, Oman, on 8 July, ''Arthur W. Radford'' transited the Strait of [[Bab-el-Mandeb]] in company with ''Antrim'' on 10 July, and the two warships conducted freedom of navigation operations off the coast of the [[People's Democratic Republic of Yemen]] on 11 July. The destroyer transited the [[Suez Canal]] on 14 July, and replenished from the [[Oiler (ship)|oiler]] {{USNS|Neosho|T-AO-143|6}} that same day. Fueling from {{USNS|Truckee|T-AO-144|6}} the following day, ''Arthur W. Radford'' conducted a port visit to [[Benidorm]], Spain, from 20 to 23 July before reaching Rota on 24 July. Proceeding thence with ''Antrim'', ''Barney'', and ''Charles F. Adams'', the destroyer sailed for Norfolk on 24 July. After visiting [[Ponta Delgada]], [[Azores]], and Bermuda en route, ''Arthur W. Radford'' reached her home port on 5 August 1985.<ref name=DANFS />

The destroyer remained at Norfolk into late October, preparing for a command inspection and operating locally in the Virginia Capes operating area. Early in this period, [[Hurricane Gloria]] prompted ''Arthur W. Radford'' to depart Norfolk on 13 September 1985, and proceed to the upper [[Chesapeake Bay]] anchorage to ride out the storm. The destroyer returned to her home port on 21 September.<ref name=DANFS />

Departing Norfolk on 25 October, ''Arthur W. Radford'' sailed for Nova Scotia, and arrived at Halifax on 28 October. After being briefed for her participation in an exercise, SHAREM&nbsp;62, the ship departed Halifax on the following day for Notre Dame Bay [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]]. Transiting the [[Strait of Belle Isle]] on 31 October ''Arthur W. Radford'' reached her destination on 1 November, and took part in SHAREM&nbsp;62 until 6 November, when she sailed for Halifax.<ref name=DANFS />

[[File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD-968) underway as it approaches Hampton Roads.jpg|thumb|''Arthur W. Radford'' underway near Norfolk after VLS installation, 1990.]]
Following the post-exercise debriefing, ''Arthur W. Radford'' sailed for Norfolk, arriving at her home port on 13 November. Moving up the eastern seaboard, the destroyer visited Boston, Massachusetts (5 to 8 December) before spending a brief period at Newport serving as Surface Warfare Officer School school ship from 9 to 12 December. ''Arthur W. Radford'' then returned to the Norfolk area, unloading weapons at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown from 15 to 18 December before conducting a dependents' cruise on 18 December.<ref name=DANFS />

The destroyer underwent a restricted availability until late March 1986, running her post-repair trials on 29 and 30 March before proceeding to Yorktown to take on weapons. ''Arthur W. Radford'' operated locally out of Norfolk into late July, interspersing this work with a drydocking in ''Sustain'' from 30 May to 17 June, for repairs to her struts and stern tubes, as well as an inspection of her sonar dome. Following refresher training in Guantanamo Bay, the ship touched at Roosevelt Roads before operating at Vieques for gunfire support practice, surface gunnery exercises, and missile shoots. After visiting Fort Lauderdale, and Florida en route, the ship returned to Norfolk on 12 September.<ref name=DANFS />

''Arthur W. Radford'' returned to Guantanamo Bay soon thereafter to embark HSL-36, detachment&nbsp;6, and then proceeded to Roosevelt Roads, where she arrived on 6 October to load ammunition, to take on fuel, and to embark a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment along with Commander, Caribbean Squadron and his staff. The ship operated in her assigned waters from 6 to 19 October, returning to Roosevelt Roads to debark Commander, Caribbean Squadron and his staff.<ref name=DANFS />

Detaching the Coast Guardsmen at [[Nassau, Bahamas]], on 22 October at the commencement of the ship's port visit there, ''Arthur W. Radford'' sailed for Norfolk on 25 October, arriving two days later. As before, her stay in port proved brief, for she got underway on 3 November for the Bermuda operating area for exercises. One day out of Norfolk, she assisted {{USS|Preble|DDG-46|2}} in searching for a crewman who had been lost in the [[Cape Hatteras]] area.<ref name=DANFS />

[[File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD-968) fires a Harpoon missile during an Operation Red Reef III.jpg|thumb|left|''Arthur W. Radford'' fires a Harpoon missile during operation Red Reef III, 1992.]]''Arthur W. Radford'' conducted her exercises, SHAREM 1-87, before returning to Norfolk on 16 November. With the exception of a period underway in the Virginia Capes operating area on 9 and 10 December, ''Arthur W. Radford'' spent the month of December in port in Norfolk.<ref name=DANFS /> In early 1987, the ship participated in a major FLEETEX and other exercises, and from 20 July to 10 December 1987, the ship took part in UNITAS XXVIII.<ref>{{cite book |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= UNITAS XXVIII |year= 1987 |page= 3 }}</ref>

A [[vertical launching system]] (VLS) was installed in January 1990<ref name=Med94 /> during a major overhaul at [[Avondale Shipyard]]. On 26 September 1991, the ship departed for a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf with the ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' battle group, returning 26 March 1992. It was her first deployment in five years.<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/1/306769262 |title= Homecoming |journal= Arthur W. Radford [Persian] Gulf 1991-92 |page= 93 |year= 1992 }}</ref>

The ship deployed to the Mediterranean sea in 1994<ref name=Med94>{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/1/306769279 |title=History |journal= Arthur W. Radford Med '94 |year= 1994}}</ref> and in 1996.<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/1/306769379 |title=Cover |journal= Arthur W. Radford Med '96 |year= 1996}}</ref> The ship and crew received awards for service relating to [[Bosnia]] during both deployments.<ref name=Awards />

== Later career and collision ==
[[File:960711-N-7340V-001 Ships Conduct UNREP.jpg|right|thumb|''Arthur W. Radford'' replenishes from {{USS|George Washington|CVN-73|6}} (CVN-73) in the Mediterranean in 1996.]]
As of 31 August 1995, ''Arthur W. Radford'' was to become part of [[Destroyer Squadron 26]].

In May 1997, ''Arthur W. Radford'' received the first shipboard installation of the [[Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor System]] which fully integrates advanced materials, structures, and manufacturing technologies with sensor technology, electromagnetics, and signature reduction to achieve improved warfighting capabilities.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000623122342/http://www.spear.navy.mil/ships/dd968/aemspr.htm |archive-date= 2000-06-23 |url= http://www.spear.navy.mil/ships/dd968/aemspr.htm |title= Navy's AEM/S System Mast Leads the Fleet into the 21st Century |website= USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968) |date= 1997 }}</ref>

On 4 February 1999 at about 23:34, ''Arthur W. Radford'' collided with the ''Saudi Riyadh'',<ref name="Barisic, 1999" /> ({{IMO|7900053}}) a 29,259-ton, {{convert|656|ft|m|adj=on}}-long, [[roll-on/roll-off]] [[container ship]], which was preparing to enter the Chesapeake Bay bound for Baltimore. According to the Navy, ''Arthur W. Radford'' was conducting calibration tests on electronic warfare equipment at the time of the collision. As a part of that test, the ship had been sailing in circles around an electronic buoy for six hours prior to the collision. ''Saudi Riyadh'', meanwhile, was approaching the Chesapeake Bay from the northeast, preparing to line up in the shipping lanes before taking on a marine pilot for its eventual trip to Baltimore.<ref name="Smith, 2000" />

When the two ships collided, ''Saudi Riyadh''{{'}}s bow struck the starboard side of ''Arthur W. Radford'', about {{convert|30|ft|m|0}} behind its bow. ''Saudi Riyadh'' sustained a four-foot-high, {{convert|30|ft|m|0|adj=on}}-long gash along the port and starboard sides of its bow, with most of the damage to its port side. ''Arthur W. Radford'', more heavily damaged, sustained a deep gash on its starboard side, penetrating nearly {{convert|25|ft|m|0}} into the main deck, ripping a pie-shaped gash and penetrating into the centerline of ''Arthur W. Radford''. A hole ran from the deck to the waterline. The collision toppled its 5-inch 54-caliber gun and damaged Tomahawk cruise missile tubes.{{citation needed|date=February 2016|reason=Specifics of damage to ships and weapons not cited by newspaper reports}} One sailor aboard suffered a broken arm, and 12&nbsp;more had various injuries.<ref name="Barisic, 1999">{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19990206&id=3wMzAAAAIBAJ&pg=6668,1106033&hl=en |title= Destroyer, merchant ship collide |first= Sonia |last= Barisic |agency= Associated Press|newspaper= The Free Lance-Star |date= 6 February 1999 |page= C3 }}</ref> The ship entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard Drydock #3 25 February 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.shipstructure.org/radford.shtml |website= Ship Structure Committee |title= USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' collision at sea |date= 25 October 2001 |access-date= 28 February 2016 |archive-date= 6 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160306135511/http://www.shipstructure.org/radford.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref>

[[File:USS ARTHUR W RADFORD (DD 968) returns to Norfolk.jpg|thumb|''Arthur W. Radford'' returning to duty following collision repairs, September 1999.]]
''Arthur W. Radford'' sustained an estimated $32.7&nbsp;million in damages and the damage prevented the ship from leaving 26 March on a scheduled six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea with the carrier {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|2}} battle group. Repairs aboard ''Arthur W. Radford'' were completed on 13 September and the destroyer then deployed with the {{USS|Eisenhower|CVN-69|2}} battle group.{{citation needed|date=February 2016|reason=Damage costs and results not cited}} As a result of the collision, the commanding officer was relieved 13 February 1999.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/14/us/national-news-briefs-commander-of-destroyer-reassigned-after-crash.html |title= Commander of Destroyer Reassigned After Crash |newspaper= The New York Times |date= 14 February 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-68418979.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160504214036/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-68418979.html |url-status=dead |archive-date= 4 May 2016 |title= Navy made scapegoat of ex-Radford skipper, frustrated officers say navy officials deny claims that system breakdowns mean ships are sailing with major problems |newspaper= The Virginian-Pilot |location= Norfolk, VA |first= Jack |last= Dorsey |date= 19 July 1999 |page= 1 }}</ref> In June 2000, a US court affixed liability at 65% ''Saudi Riyadh'' / 35% ''Arthur W. Radford''. Neither the US Navy commanding officer nor the cargo ship's master were on the bridge or consulted prior to the collision.<ref name="Smith, 2000">{{Cite web |url= http://www.leagle.com/decision/2000572147FSupp2d425_1535/IN%20RE%20NATIONAL%20SHIPPING%20CO.%20OF%20SAUDI%20ARABIA |title= IN RE NATIONAL SHIPPING CO. OF SAUDI ARABIA |first= Rebecca Beach |last= Smith |publisher= United States District Court, E.D. Virginia, Norfolk Division |date= 21 June 2000 }}</ref>

''Arthur W. Radford'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf 3 April to 1 October 2000.<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/1/306769467 |title=History |journal= Arthur W. Radford Cruisebook |year= 2000}}</ref>

== Decommissioning and fate ==
''Arthur W. Radford'' was decommissioned 18 March 2003,<ref name=Decom /> then stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 6 April 2004 and eventually assigned to the [[Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility]] at [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]. On 8 June 2010, the ex-''Arthur W. Radford'' was transferred to the State of [[Delaware]] for preparation for eventual sinking as an [[artificial reef]] onto the Del-Jersey-Land Inshore Reef site on a project led by Captain Tim Mullane of The American Marine Group ({{coord|38|31|N|74|31|W |type:landmark_region:US_dim:70&nbsp;km |display=inline,title |notes=<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/2009-10%20Delaware%20reef%20guide.pdf | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110717230344/http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/2009-10%20Delaware%20reef%20guide.pdf | url-status= dead | archive-date= 17 July 2011 | title= Delaware Reef Guide 2009–2010|publisher= Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC) |access-date= 13 August 2011 }}</ref>}}), about {{convert|30|nmi|km|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Cape May, New Jersey]], and northeast of [[Ocean City, Maryland]].<ref>{{Cite press release |title= Preparations for ex-USS Arthur W. Radford sinking under way |publisher= Delaware Department of Natural Resources And Environmental Control |date= 8 June 2010 |url= http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/News/Pages/Preparations_begin_for_Radford_sinking.aspx |access-date= 13 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110817224545/http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/News/Pages/Preparations_begin_for_Radford_sinking.aspx |archive-date= 17 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="scuttled" />

After being scuttled on 10 August 2011, the ship became part of the largest artificial reef on the U.S. East Coast and the longest vessel to be used for this purpose in the Atlantic.<ref name="scuttled">{{cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-radford-sinking-20110810,0,6608805.story |title=Sunken destroyer will offer haven for fish, divers |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |first=Candus |last=Thomson |date=11 August 2011 |page=3 |access-date=13 August 2011 |archive-date=5 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605194549/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-radford-sinking-20110810,0,6608805.story |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Scuba Dive USS Arthur W Radford | url = http://www.ussarthurradford.com/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141222122831/http://www.ussarthurradford.com/ |archive-date= 22 December 2014 |access-date= 13 August 2011}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:USS Arthur W Radford (DD-968) in the Med 1983.jpg|USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], 1983
File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD 968) arrives at Crete.jpg|USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' arrives in [[Crete]] on 30 August 2002
File:A crewman and officer of the deck stand by on the brow of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS ALBANY (SSN 753) following the vessel's commissioning ceremony. The destroyer USS - DPLA - c33da53e923dfe53be45f4963a481b79.jpeg|USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' behind [[USS Albany (SSN-753)|USS Albany]] on 7 April 1990
File:USS ARTHUR W. RADFORD (DD-968) underway in 1992.jpg|USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' in 1992
</gallery>

== Awards ==
From the Navy Unit Award website:
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]], 20-May-1983 to 27-May-1983, Lebanon<ref name=Awards>{{cite web |url= https://awards.navy.mil |title= USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968) |website= US Navy Awards |access-date= 28 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041014224730/https://awards.navy.mil/ |archive-date= 14 October 2004}}</ref>
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]], 28-May-1983 to 19-Nov-1983<ref name=Awards />
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]], 05-Jun-1983 to 07-Jun-1983, Lebanon<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, 27-Jul-1983 to 29-Jul-1983, Lebanon<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, 17-Sep-1983 to 27-Sep-1983, Lebanon<ref name=Awards />
* [[Coast Guard Unit Commendation]], 01-Nov-1985 to 28-Feb-1986<ref name=Awards />
* [[Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation]], 01-Oct-1986 to 30-Jun-1987<ref name=Awards />
* [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]], 13-Oct-1991 to 07-Mar-1992<ref name=Awards />
* [[Navy E Ribbon]], 01-Jan-1992 to 31-Dec-1992<ref name=Awards />
* [[Navy E Ribbon]], 01-Jan-1994 to 31-Dec-1994<ref name=Awards />
* [[Armed Forces Service Medal]], 09-Jul-1994 to 13-Aug-1994, Bosnia<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Service Medal, 17-Feb-1996 to 26-Feb-1996, Bosnia<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Service Medal, 14-May-1996 to 22-May-1996, Bosnia<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Service Medal, 28-May-1996 to 29-May-1996, Bosnia<ref name=Awards />
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]], as part of the {{USS|Dwight D. Eisenhower|CVN-69|2}} battle group, 01-Jan-1999 to 10-Sep-2001<ref name=Awards />
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, 20-May-2000 to 30-Jul-2000, coded "V. Bosnia"<ref name=Awards />
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]], as part of TF 60, 01-Apr-2002 to 30-Sep-2002, Iraqi Freedom<ref name=Awards />

== See also ==
*[[List of United States Navy destroyers]]
*{{USS|Radford}}, for ships with similar names.

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/arthur-w-radford.html}}
*{{Naval Vessel Register|hull=DD968}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=DD968|title=Naval Vessel Register entry for ''Arthur W. Radford''}}
*{{cite web |url= http://www.navsource.net/archives/05/968.htm
 |title= USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' (DD-968)
 |first=Fred|last=Willshaw |website=NavSource Naval History
 |access-date= 13 August 2011 }}
* [http://united-states-navy.com/dd/dd968.htm united-states-navy.com: USS ''Arthur W. Radford'']
* [http://navysite.de/dd/dd968.htm navysite.de: USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' (DD 968)] – includes a description of the AEM/SS mast

{{Spruance class destroyer}}
{{1999 shipwrecks}}
{{2011 shipwrecks}}
{{Recreational dive sites|wresit}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur W. Radford (DD-968)}}
[[Category:Spruance-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:1975 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1999]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2011]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as artificial reefs]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as dive sites]]