View source for USS Fletcher (DD-992)

{{short description|Spruance-class destroyer}}
{{other ships|USS Fletcher}}
{{coord|23.0172220|-159.9858330|display=title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Image:USS Fletcher-h96841k.jpg
| image alt =
| image size =
| Ship caption = USS ''Fletcher'' on 4 February 1988
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header =
| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|2004}}
| Ship name = ''Fletcher''
| Ship namesake = Adm [[Frank Friday Fletcher]] and Adm [[Frank Jack Fletcher]]
| Ship ordered = 15 January 1975
| Ship builder = [[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]
| Ship laid down = 24 April 1978
| Ship launched = 16 June 1979
| Ship acquired = 16 June 1980
| Ship commissioned = 12 July 1980
| Ship decommissioned = 1 October 2004
| Ship in service =
| Ship out of service =
| Ship struck = 1 October 2004
| Ship identification = *[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NJCN
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Charlie}}{{ICS|November}}
*[[Hull number]]: DD-992
| Ship honours =
| Ship motto = *''Pace et Bello Paratus''
*(In Peace and War Prepared)
|Ship nickname=*''Fighting Friday''
*''Fighting Jack''
| Ship fate = [[Target ship|Sunk as target]], 16 July 2008
| Ship notes =
| Ship badge = [[File:Crest of USS Fletcher (DD-992).png|150px]]
}}
{{Spruance class destroyer infobox ship characteristics
| armament extra =
*1 × 21 cell [[RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile]]
}}
|}

'''USS ''Fletcher'' (DD-992)''', the thirtieth [[Spruance class destroyer|''Spruance''-class]] [[destroyer]], was part of the first major class of [[United States Navy]] surface ships to be powered by [[gas turbine]]s. She was commissioned in July 1980 and was deployed mainly in the western and southern [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], but also voyaged to the [[Indian Ocean]] and [[Persian Gulf]]. She was the second ship in the U.S. Navy to bear this name but the first to be named after [[Admiral]] [[Frank Friday Fletcher]] and [[Frank Jack Fletcher]]. After her decommissioning in 2004, she was sunk in a torpedo test exercise in 2008.

==Construction==
Designed and built by [[Ingalls Shipbuilding|Ingalls Shipyards]] of [[Litton Industries]] in [[Pascagoula, Mississippi]], ''Fletcher'' was a member of the first major class of surface ships in the United States Navy to be powered by [[gas turbine]] engines. Four [[General Electric LM2500]] [[gas turbine]] engines, marine versions of those used in [[DC-10]] aircraft, drove the ship at speeds in excess of 30&nbsp;knots (56&nbsp;km/h). Twin controllable reversible pitch [[propeller]]s provided ''Fletcher'' with a degree of maneuverability unique among warships of her size.

==History==
Commissioned in July 1980, ''Fletcher'' was immediately sent to join the [[U.S. Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]]. Starting in 1982, ''Fletcher'' made regular deployments to the western and [[Pacific Ocean|southern Pacific]], with some of those extending into the [[Indian Ocean]] and [[Persian Gulf]] areas. During 1994 and 1995, she was modernized with the [[vertical launch system]], giving her a much broader range of capabilities.

A highly versatile multi-mission [[destroyer]], ''Fletcher'' was capable of operating independently or in company with amphibious or carrier [[task force]]s. Her main mission was to operate offensively in a [[strike warfare]] or [[antisubmarine warfare]] (ASW) role. The [[BGM-109 Tomahawk|Tomahawk]] weapons systems provided ''Fletcher'' with long range cruise missile capability for use in tactical strike operations. The ship's primary passive ASW sensor was the [[AN/SQR-19]] tactical towed array [[sonar]] (TACTAS). Its active sonar together with the Mk&nbsp;116 underwater fire control system combined as one of the most advanced underwater detection and fire control systems ever developed. The [[Naval Tactical Data System]] (NTDS) provided the ship with faster and more accurate processing of target information. Integration of the ship's digital gun fire control system in the NTDS provided quick reaction in the mission areas of shore bombardment, anti-surface, and [[anti-aircraft]] warfare.

''Fletcher'' was originally armed with an 8-tube ASROC launcher, but was later upgraded with a sixty-one cell Mk&nbsp;41 vertical launching system for firing Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAMs) and anti-submarine rockets (ASROCs). Other weapons included two Mk&nbsp;45 light weight 5&nbsp;inch guns, two triple Mk&nbsp;32 [[torpedo tube]]s, and facilities for operating LAMPS helicopters. The ship was also armed with the NATO Sea Sparrow missile system, a short range, surface-to-air defensive weapon; and the [[RGM-84 Harpoon|Harpoon]] weapon system, a medium range, surface-to-surface, anti-ship cruise missile. For defense against anti-ship missile, ''Fletcher'' employed two Mk&nbsp;15 (PHALANX) 20&nbsp;mm close-in weapons system, [[Mark 36 SRBOC|SRBOC chaff]], and topside armor in addition to the NATO Sea Sparrow missile system. The [[AN/SLQ-32]] countermeasures set provided ''Fletcher'' with additional defense against anti-ship missiles through the use of active electronic countermeasures.

Crew comfort and habitability were an integral part of the design. Berthing compartments were spacious and the ship was equipped with amenities not usually found aboard other destroyers, including a crew's gymnasium and an improvised library of sorts with several hundred fiction novels. Although ''Fletcher'' was as large as a World War II [[cruiser]], a high degree of automation permitted a crew of 24 officers and 296 enlisted to operate the ship.

===Deployment in 1983===
On 20 July 1983, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that the ''Fletcher'', along with seven other vessels in the carrier {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|2}} battle group, left [[San Diego]] on Friday 15 July 1983, and were headed for the western Pacific when they were rerouted and ordered to steam for Central America to conduct training and flight operations in areas off the coasts of [[Nicaragua]], [[El Salvador]] and [[Honduras]] as part of major military exercises planned for that summer. The other ships in the battle group were the cruiser [[USS Horne (DLG-30)|''Horne'']], the guided missile destroyer [[USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)|''Lynde McCormick'']], the destroyer [[USS Fife (DD-991)|''Fife'']], the frigate [[USS Marvin Shields (FF-1066)|''Marvin Shields'']], the oiler [[USS Wichita (AOR-1)|''Wichita'']], and the support ship [[USS Camden (AOE-2)|''Camden'']].

Following the diversion to Central America, ''Fletcher'', along with Battle Group Echo, resumed the planned deployment to the Indian Ocean. Following the regular stops at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay, Philippines, ''Fletcher'' was tasked with steaming down the coast of Vietnam, just outside territorial waters, to affirm the right-of-way of maritime traffic in international waters. Following the transit of the Straits of Malacca, ''Fletcher'' spent virtually the entire period in the Indian Ocean on station in the North Arabian Sea, as previously planned port calls were cancelled due to the changing nature of political and operational matters in the Mid-East. The one exception was an unplanned port call in Port Victoria, Seychelles. ''Fletcher'' returned to San Diego on 29 February 1984.

===Sea Swap in 2003===
On 2 August 2002, USS ''Fletcher'' departed Pearl Harbor to begin Sea Swap, an experimental program that calls for a ''Spruance''-class destroyer to deploy and remain on station for more than 400 days. The original Sea Swap ''Fletcher'' crew, under the command of Cmdr. Thomas Neal, stopped in Yokosuka, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. While in port Singapore, numerous repairs were accomplished as part of an availability period. ''Fletcher'' then headed to the Persian Gulf. The original ''Fletcher'' team sailed the ship to the Persian Gulf and spent the next four months conducting Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) in support of United Nations sanctions on Iraq. The Sea Swap initiative became a reality in January 2003, when the ''Fletcher'' crew pulled the ship into Fremantle, Australia, and made preparations to turn it over to the former crew of the USS ''Kinkaid (DD-965)'', under the command of CDR Mike Slotsky. After decommissioning ''Kinkaid'', they had embarked a flight to Australia ready to turn over and assume command of ''Fletcher''. Team ''Kinkaid'' then made preparations to take ''Fletcher'' back to the Persian Gulf for their six-month deployment. The original ''Fletcher'' crew then flew back to Pearl Harbor and disassembled to their new duty stations. Team ''Kinkaid'' completed a 4-month deployment in the Persian Gulf and participated in Escort Operations and Tomahawk Missile Strikes at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF); at same time the {{USS|Oldendorf|DD-972}} was decommissioning in San Diego. Team ''Oldendorf'', under the command of CDR Charles Gaouette, received the ''Fletcher'' in Singapore from team ''Kinkaid.'' Team ''Oldendorf'' then proceeded to the Persian Gulf and completed their deployment. They then proceeded to Fremantle, Australia for their relief from the crew of {{USS|Elliot|DD-967}}. It was being prepared for decommissioning. The crew of the ''Elliot'', under the command of CDR John Nolan, then embarked on a flight to Fremantle to receive the ''Fletcher'' from Team ''Oldendorf''. Team ''Elliot'' was the last crew to embark onboard ''Fletcher''. Team ''Elliot'' then completed a final 4-month deployment in the Persian Gulf in 2004, continuing Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) in support of ''Operation Iraqi Freedom''.

===Fate===
''Fletcher'' was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list 1 October 2004. In 2004, the [[United States President|President]] requested authority to sell ''Fletcher'' to Chile; in 2005 her transfer to Pakistan was authorized by the [[United States Senate|Senate]].<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/transfer.htm Ship Transfers / Transfer of Naval Vessels], retrieved 2010-01-15</ref> On 16 July 2008, the U.S. Navy, working with the Royal Australian Navy, sank ''Fletcher'' as part of a new torpedo test exercise. The Australian submarine [[HMAS Waller (SSG 75)|HMAS ''Waller'']] test fired a modified live Mk48 Mod7 ADCAP torpedo specifically designed for shallow water operations.<ref>[http://navysite.de/dd/dd992.htm USS Fletcher (DD 992)], Unofficial U.S. Navy Site, retrieved 2009-03-23</ref> The ''Fletcher'' suffered a direct hit, breaking in half and sinking within minutes. The ''Fletcher's'' final resting place is located at {{Coord|23|01|02|N|159|59|09|W}}.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

==Awards==
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]] – (16-20 Dec 1998, Jan-May 2003)
* Navy [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] – (Jan 1999-Sep 2001, Aug 2000-Jan 2001)
* [[Battle Effectiveness Award|Battle "E"]] – (1982, 1994, 2003)<ref>[https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=13485 navy.mil]{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>
* [[Coast Guard Unit Commendation]] – (Jan-Feb 2000)

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:USS Fletcher (DD-992) alongside USS New Jersey (BB-62).jpg|USS ''Fletcher'' alongside {{Ship|USS|New Jersey|BB-62|6}}, 15 April 1983
File:USS Chicago (SSN-721) and USS Fletcher (DD-992).JPEG|{{Ship|USS|Chicago|SSN-721|6}} and USS ''Fletcher'' on 2 April 1991
File:USS Fletcher (DD-992) underway in the Pacific Ocean on 23 July 1998 (6510487).jpg|USS ''Fletcher'' in the [[Pacific Ocean]] on 23 July 1998
File:US Navy 001112-N-2147W-029 USS Fletcher (DD 992) underway.jpg|USS ''Fletcher'' on 12 November 2000
File:U.S., Australian, and British warships in December 2002.jpg|From left to right; {{Ship|HMAS|Darwin|FFG 04|6}}, {{Ship|USS|Paul Hamilton|DDG-60|6}}, USS ''Fletcher,'' {{Ship|HMAS|Anzac|FFH 150|6}}, and {{Ship|HMS|Cardiff|D108|6}}, 16 December 2002
File:US Navy 030329-N-6141B-003 The Spruance Class destroyer USS Fletcher (DD 992) conducts underway operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.jpg|USS ''Fletcher'' during [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], 29 March 2003
File:Defense.gov News Photo 040525-N-3019M-001.jpg|USS ''Fletcher'' in [[Pearl Harbor]] on 25 May 2004 
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-f/dd992.htm  history.navy.mil/photos: USS ''Fletcher''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405052550/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-f/dd992.htm |date=5 April 2004 }}
*{{navsource|05/992}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050207220443/http://www.dd992.org/forum/portal.php ''USS Fletcher'' alumni website]

{{Spruance_class_destroyer}}
{{2008 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher (DD-992)}}
[[Category:Spruance-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:1979 ships]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]
[[Category:Destroyers sunk by submarines]]
[[Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi]]