View source for USS Parsons

{{Short description|Forrest Sherman-class destroyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2025}}
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|Ship image=[[File:USS Parsons (DDG-33) underway circa in the 1970s.JPEG|300px|USS Parsons (DDG-33)]]
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1982}}
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|Ship namesake=R.Adm. [[William S. Parsons]]
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|Ship builder=[[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]
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|Ship laid down=17 June 1957
|Ship launched=17 August 1958
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|Ship acquired=22 October 1959
|Ship commissioned=29 October 1959
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|Ship decommissioned=19 November 1982
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|Ship struck=1 December 1984
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|Ship fate=Sunk as a target, 25 April 1989
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|Ship class=[[Forrest Sherman class destroyer|''Forrest Sherman''-class destroyer]]
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|Ship displacement=4,000 tons
|Ship length={{convert|418|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|45|ft|m|abbr=on}} 
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|Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=*4,500 nautical miles at 20 kt
*(8,300 km at 37&nbsp;km/h)
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|Ship complement=256 officers and men
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|Ship armament=*3 × [[5"/54 caliber Mark 42 gun|5 in (127 mm) guns]],
*6 × [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3 in (76 mm) guns]],
*[[RUR-5 ASROC]],
*one [[depth charge]] track,
*two [[hedgehog (weapon)|hedgehog]] depth change projectors,
*2 × [[American 21-inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
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'''USS ''Parsons'' (DD-949/DDG-33)''' began her career as a [[Forrest Sherman class destroyer|''Forrest Sherman''-class]] [[destroyer]] of the [[United States Navy]].  She was named in honor of [[Rear Admiral]] [[William S. Parsons]] (1901–1953), who worked on the [[Manhattan Project]] during [[World War II]].

''Parsons''' keel was laid down 17 June 1957 by [[Ingalls Shipbuilding]] of [[Pascagoula, Mississippi]]. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 17 August 1959, sponsored by Mrs. William S. Parsons, and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] 29 October 1959 at [[Charleston, South Carolina]].

== History ==

After shakedown, ''Parsons'' reported to her home port, [[Naval Station San Diego|San Diego, California]], and commenced operations with the [[U.S. First Fleet|First Fleet]] in February 1960. In October she deployed to the Western Pacific with [[United States 7th Fleet|Seventh Fleet]] units. She returned to resume West Coast operations in July 1961 and entered the [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]] on 6 October for major improvements in her communications and [[antisubmarine warfare]] (ASW) equipment. She then rejoined the [[United States 1st Fleet|First Fleet]] in extensive coastal training from January to November 1962, deployed for her second WestPac tour in November, and returned in July 1963 to the California coast.

[[File:USS Parsons (DD-949) underway c1961.jpg|thumb|left|USS ''Parsons'' (DD-949), circa 1961.]]

Under the command of Cdr. Jack Jester, USN, during the summer and fall of 1963 she carried out AAW and ASW operations in the San Diego, California area. During November she escorted [[USS Midway (CVA-41)|USS ''Midway'']] (CVA-41) and [[USS Hancock (CVA-19)|USS ''Hancock'']] (CVA-19) to the Western Pacific and returned to San Diego. During the summer of 1965, ''Parsons'' visited San Francisco, Puget Sound, and Hawaii as part of the Pacific Midshipman Training Squadron.<ref>Litrenta, P.L. ''SEABAT 65'' [[USS Columbus (CA-74)|USS ''Columbus'' (CG-12)]]</ref> ''Parsons'' continued her training and service operations alternately with First Fleet and Seventh Fleet until she was decommissioned at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard on 19 January 1966.

''Parsons'' was one of four ''Forrest Sherman''-class destroyers selected for conversion from all-gun destroyers to the new [[Decatur class destroyer|''Decatur'' class]] of guided missile destroyer. The others were [[USS Decatur (DDG-31)|USS ''Decatur'']] (DD-936/DDG-31), [[USS John Paul Jones (DDG-32)|USS ''John Paul Jones'']] (DD-932/DDG-32), and [[USS Somers (DDG-34)|USS ''Somers'']] (DD-947/DDG-34). ''Parsons'' was assigned [[hull classification symbol]] '''DDG-33''' on 15 March 1967, recommissioned 3 November 1967, and assigned to the Cruiser-Destroyer Force, [[U.S. Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]]. Following shakedown she carried out a rigorous testing program for her missile systems, and in September 1968 she assumed duties as [[flagship]] for Destroyer Squadron 31 (DesRon&nbsp;31) and immediately deployed to the Western Pacific for operations with the Seventh Fleet off [[Vietnam]]. Interspersed with her [[aircraft carrier]] escort duties on [[Yankee Station]], she conducted on-station training operations, assuming duties as ASW training coordinator ship with Commander Destroyer Squadron 31 (ComDesRon&nbsp;31) embarked. ''Parsons'' also visited [[Kaohsiung]], [[U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]], Hong Kong, Singapore and [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo]]. She returned to San Diego, California, on 12 May 1969 to resume operations from there and train for her next deployment.

The conversion removed both of the after  5&nbsp;in (127&nbsp;mm) 54-caliber gun mounts and installed one AN/SPG-51C Missile Fire Control System (MFCS), one Mk.13 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS), one Anti-Submarine Rocket ([[ASROC]]) system, and modified the Gun Fire Control System to accommodate an illuminator to provide a second missile capable Gun/Missile Fire Control System (G/MFCS). The ship could then engage two air targets simultaneously (one with each FCS) using from two to four [[Tartar SM1|Tartar]] medium-range, less than 20&nbsp;nautical mile (37&nbsp;km) missiles, depending upon the engagement policy in force (Shoot-Look-Shoot or Shoot-Shoot-Look).

The forward five-inch/54-caliber gun mount was retained as were the torpedo tubes. The 5&nbsp;in (127&nbsp;mm) 54-caliber gun was, nominally, a rapid-fire mount capable of firing over 30&nbsp;rounds per minute at targets up to ranges of 12&nbsp;nautical miles (22&nbsp;km). The torpedo launchers each held three [[Mark 46 torpedo|Mk46 torpedoes]], for use only against submarines.

The conversion created a unique ship, but one that never found a unique role. In the long run, one of the ship's best capabilities, [[convoy]] escort, was taken over by the [[Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate|''Oliver Hazard Perry'' class]].

After conversion, ''Parsons'' was homeported in [[Naval Station San Diego|San Diego, California]], from re-activation until late 1971, when the ship, as part of Destroyer Squadron 15 (DesRon&nbsp;15), was forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. As part of this movement, the families of all eligible crewmen were transported to Japan, where they lived in U.S. Navy Housing, located in both the Yokosuka and [[Yokohama]] areas.

From December 1971 through December 1972, ''Parsons'' provided support to forces afloat and ashore involved in the [[Vietnam War]] by operating as:

* [[Naval gunfire support|Naval Gunfire Support]] (NGFS) unit in both [[U.S. I Corps|I]] and [[U.S. IV Corps|IV Corps]] areas, with the vast majority of operating time spent very close to the [[Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone|DMZ]], supporting [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] in that area.
* [[Search and rescue|Search and Rescue]] (SAR) unit (or escort when a DLG held the SAR position) at both the North (N-SAR) and South (S-SAR) stations in the northern [[Tonkin Gulf]]. This station provided a means to rescue downed U.S. pilots.
* Carrier escort on Yankee Station.

''Parsons'' left Vietnam for the last time on or around 19 December 1974.

On 29 October 1980 she rescued 111 Vietnamese refugees 330&nbsp;miles <!-- (530&nbsp;km) or 610 km? --> south of [[Saigon]].

DDG operations ranged from Anti-Aircraft Warfare (AAW) to Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) to Anti-Surface Warfare (SUW) and Naval Gunfire Support (NFGS) and included, as necessary, Electronic Warfare (EW).

==Fate==
''Parsons'' was decommissioned on 19 November 1982. She was stricken from the [[Navy Directory]] on 1 December 1984, and finally disposed of as a target on 25 April 1989.

== References ==
{{reflist}}
*{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/parsons.html}}
*{{Naval Vessel Register|hull=DDG-33}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Parsons (DD-949)}}

* {{navsource|05/949}}
* [http://www.navysite.de/dd/ddg33.htm  navysite.de: USS ''Parsons'']

{{Forrest Sherman class destroyer}}
{{1989 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parsons (DD-949)}}
[[Category:Forrest Sherman-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi]]
[[Category:1959 ships]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1989]]