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USS John Paul Jones (DDG 32)

- formerly DD 932 -
- decommissioned -
- sunk as a target -


Commissioned as a FORREST SHERMAN - class destroyer, the USS JOHN PAUL JONES initially was designated DD 932. In December 1965, the JOHN PAUL JONES entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for conversion to a guided missile destroyer. The conversion was finished in the fall of 1967 and the ship was redesignated as DDG 32. During the conversion, the JOHN PAUL JONES had 90% of her superstructure replaced and received the Tartar surface-to-air missile system and the ASROC antisubmarine rocket system. In addition, her engineering equipment was completely overhauled, and she received a lot of additional electronic gear.

USS JOHN PAUL JONES was decommissioned after more than 26 years of service on December 15, 1982. Stricken from the Navy list on April 30, 1986, the JOHN PAUL JONES was finally disposed of as a target off the coast of southern California at 032° 00' 06.0" North, 121° 36' 23.0" West. The Sinkex took place on January 31, 2001.

General Characteristics:Keel laid: January 18, 1954
Launched: May 7, 1955
Commissioned: April 5, 1956
Decommissioned: December 15, 1982
Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Propulsion system: four-1200 lb. boilers; two steam turbines; two shafts
Propellers: two
Length: 418.3 feet (127.5 meters)
Beam: 45,3 feet (13.8 meters)
Draft: 22 feet (6.7 meters)
Displacement: approx. 4,150 tons full load
Speed: 32+ knots
Aircraft: none
Armament: one Mk-42 5-inch/54 caliber guns, Mk-32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts), one Mk-16 ASROC missile launcher, one Mk-13 Mod.1 missile launcher for Standard MR missiles
Crew: 25 officers, 339 enlisted


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Crew List:

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


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USS JOHN PAUL JONES Cruise Books:


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About the Ship's Name, about Commodore John Paul Jones:

USS JOHN PAUL JONES honored the Father of the American Navy. Born in Scotland, Commodore John Paul Jones earned the undying respect and admiration of his countrymen by his extraordinary courage, tactical genius and audacity during the American War for Independence. Without hesitation, he single-handedly took the war at sea to the British, attacking their coastlines and capturing their ships in the British fleets' home waters. These acts inspired and transformed the fledgling Colonial Navy from an upstart band of rebels to a recognized fighting force, providing critical support for the colonies and their bid for independence from Great Britain. John Paul Jones is best remembered for his heroic defeat of the British 50-gun frigate SERAPIS on 23 September 1779. The three hour battle off Flamborough Head, in which John Paul Jones, in command of BONHOMME RICHARD, was victorious over a vastly superior British foe, established the spirit from which has grown the greatest navy the world has ever known.


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