Search the Site with 
General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books History About the Ship's Name Image Gallery to end of page

USS John King (DDG 3)

- formerly DD 953 -
- decommissioned -


USS JOHN KING was the second ship in the CHARLES F. ADAMS class and was last homeported in Norfolk, Va. Initially, JOHN KING was designated DD 953 but in June 1957, this was changed to DDG 3.

USS JOHN KING was stricken from the Navy list on January 12, 1993, and was then berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF), Philadelphia, PA. On February 10, 1999, the ship was finally sold for scrap.

General Characteristics:Awarded: March 28, 1957
Keel laid: August 25, 1958
Launched: January 30, 1960
Commissioned: February 4, 1961
Decommissioned: March 30, 1990
Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
Propulsion system:4 - 1200 psi boilers; 2 geared turbines
Propellers: two
Length: 437 feet (133.2 meters)
Beam: 47 feet (14.3 meters)
Draft: 20 feet (6.1 meters)
Displacement: approx. 4,500 tons
Speed: 31+ knots
Aircraft:none
Armament: two Mk 42 5-inch/54 caliber guns, Mk 46 torpedoes from two Mk-32 triple mounts, one Mk 16 ASROC Missile Launcher, one Mk 11 Mod.0 Missile Launcher for Standard (MR) and Harpoon Missiles
Crew: 24 officers and 330 enlisted


Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page



Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page

Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS JOHN KING. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


back to top  go to the end of the page



Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page

USS JOHN KING Cruise Books:


Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page

USS JOHN KING History:

The scans below are from USS JOHN KING's Mediterranean Cruise Book 1989. Click on the scans to read the ship's history.



Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page

About the Ship's Name:

John King, born in Ireland 7 February 1865, enlisted in the Navy as a coal passer in VERMONT 20 July 1893. He served on board MASSACHUSETTS in the Caribbean during the Spanish-American War, and in 1900 was transferred to VICKSBURG for service during the Philippine Insurrection. King received the Medal of Honor while in VICKSBURG "for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession at the time of the accident to the boilers...29 May 1901." Eight years later, while a water tender in SALEM, King received a second Medal of Honor during another boiler explosion 13 September 1909. Advanced to Chief Water Tender 1 October 1909, he continued to serve at sea until discharged in 1916. The beginning of World War I, however, brought Chief King back on active duty; he served at New York until 20 August 1919. He lived in retirement until his death 20 May 1938.



Back to topback to top  go to endgo to the end of the page



Back to topback to top



Back to Destroyer list. Back to ships list. Back to selection page. Back to 1st page.