USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)

History of USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8)

USS Lynd McCormick (DDG-8) was one of the 29-man Charles F. Adams-class guided missile cruisers operated primarily for the United States Navy (USN) after the Korean War (1950-1953)... Charles The F. Adams class became the relatively large surface combatant class of the postwar period and was eventually adopted by the navies of Australia, Greece and West Germany. McCormick was ordered on March 28, 1957, and awarded to Defoe Shipbuilding, which began construction on April 4, 1958.

She was launched on July 28, 1959, and commissioned on June 3, 1961. As U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia continued to increase in the ensuing years, the USS Lind McCormick was eventually deployed to Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1955-1975).

Throughout her career, USS Lynde McCormick has fought under the motto "Sine Timore," which aptly translates to "Fearless." She is named after USN Admiral Lynde Dupuy McCormick (1895-1956), an award-winning veteran of World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945).

The Charles F. Adams class was the first U.S. Navy destroyer designed specifically for the guided-missile destroyer rolebefore that, all ships were armed with cannons.

Destroyers were historically developed as "torpedo boat destroyers" and posed a serious threat to capital ships at the turn of the 20th century. This type, built on speed and good weapon quality and short endurance, evolved into today's "Destroyer" class. The ships developed by the U.S.

Navy are fast warships with a multi-mission approach to offense and defense, capable of handling a variety of mission types and objectives as part of a fleet or independently.

For the Adams class, her design was influenced by the previous Forrest Sherman class ships, adding about 19 feet of hull length amidships, installing more powerful boilers, and installing anti-submarine Missile Launchers - and other more powerful launcher missile weapons eventually reinforce their "missile cruiser" designation. The Adams-class became the last steam-turbine-powered destroyer of the U.S.

Navy.

When built, the USS Lynde McCormick displaces 3,280 tons under standard load and 4,525 tons under full load. The profile consists of a raised bow with deck guns, followed by the main superstructure including the bridge, main mast and the first of two funnels. In the center is the ASROC (anti-submarine rocket) launcher, which can be driven to either side of the ship and raised as needed. Its midship position creates a distinct sectional gap between the front and rear superstructures. The stern superstructure contains a lower mast configuration as well as a second funnel.

Still behind this superstructure is another deck gun position and then another rocket launcher system. McCormick did not carry any aircraft on the quarterdeck. Dimensions include a length of 437 feet, a beam of 47 feet, and a draft of 15 feet. Her total crew number was 354, including 24 officers.

McCormick's armament is consistent with earlier ships of the class, her kit is spearheaded by the Mk 11 missile launch system. The weapon uses two "weapons" (launchers) and initially supports the RIM-24 "Tatar" medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM).

Only the first 13 ships of the Adams class received this weapon, with the launcher mounted aft - later ships were equipped with the M 13 single-arm launcher. The weapon has been upgraded to support the new RIM-66 SAM and even the updated RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile as technology and US Navy budgets allow. Anti-submarine weapons include a RUR-5 ASROC launcher amidships.

The ship also carries 2 x 324mm torpedo launchers for use against enemy surface ships. Deck gun armament consists of 2 x 5" (127 mm)/54 caliber Mark 42 turrets, one front mounted and one rear mounted.

Warships like McCormick are more than just their weapons. The sensor and processing system proves the other half of the equation, so in addition to the AN/SPS-10 surface search radar, McCormick is equipped with an AN/SPS-40 or AN/SPS-39 3D air search radar system. Missile fire control is performed by the AN/SPG-51 series kit using a pulsed Doppler radar control system.

The system was also adopted by the French and Dutch navies. The deck guns are managed by the AN/SPG-53 control radar. The vessel is also equipped with its own sonar, including the AN/SQS-23 mounted on the hull.

Her other major internal component is her propulsion system, which is managed by 4 Babcock and Wilcox boilers that power 2 General Electric steam turbines producing 70,000 hp on 2 shafts. Top speed in ideal conditions is 33 knots, with a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 20 knots.

McCormick's formal naval career began when she left Boston in mid-August 1961, following a circuitous route to the West Coast of the United States, where many World War II warships sailed. Once there, she was assigned to her homeport in San Diego and had her missile system evaluated during live fire. She then left home waters in November 1962 to join the 7th Fleet and arrived in Japan in early December of the same year. Returning home in June 1963, McCormick was subsequently detained in the United States for a number of local U.S.

Navy-related functions, including training. In early 1964, she made several changes to her weapon to improve her defenses.

The situation in Vietnam is becoming increasingly dangerous, both on land and at sea. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident (August 2, 1964) exacerbated the situation in Southeast Asia to the point that McCormick was diverted to Vietnamese waters to protect U.S. interests and maintain missile peace between North and South.

McCormick toured the areas for six months before being transferred home in February 1965. Until 1966, their armament and personnel training were further tested.

In April of the same year, McCormick was involved in sea shelling of Viet Cong positions along the waterways of the Mekong Delta. In May, she was reassigned to support carrier strikes in the North. Following these actions, she returned to San Diego, where she arrived in October for a scheduled overhaul. The job continued until March 1967, when she again trained the team until the summer.

McCormick managed to survive the entire Vietnam War before returning to mostly peace-oriented roles during the U.S. retreat in Southeast Asia and the "Vietnamization" of South Vietnamese forces.

In the 1980s, McCormick was an active ship. She participated in the training of several armed forces in Central America. In April 1988, amid tensions between the United States and Iran in the Persian Gulf, McCormick was assigned to protect Allied shipping on this important world waterway. After deployment, USS Lynde McCormick (DDG-8) was decommissioned on October 1, 1991.

On November 20, 1992, her name was removed from the Naval Register, and on February 14, 2001, her stripped hull was sunk as a target.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

AIR WING