USS Mitscher (DDG 35)

- formerly DL 2, formerly DD 927 -
- decommissioned -

Laid down as DD 927, the MITSCHER was redesignated DL 2 on February 2, 1951. On March 18, 1966, the MITSCHER entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for conversion to a guided missile destroyer. Redesignated DDG 35, the MITSCHER rejoined the fleet on June 29, 1968. Both decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on June 1, 1978, the MITSCHER was sold for scrap on August 1, 1980.

General Characteristics:	Keel laid: October 3, 1949
	Launched: January 26, 1952
	Commissioned: May 15, 1953
	Decommissioned: June 1, 1978
	Builder: Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
	Propulsion system: geared turbines; 80,000 shaft horsepower
	Propellers: two
	Length: 490.5 feet (149.5 meters)
	Beam: 47.6 feet (14.5 meters)
	Draft: 21 feet (6.4 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 4,855 tons full load
	Speed: 36+ knots
	Aircraft: none
	Armament: two Mk-42 5-inch/54 caliber guns, Mk-32 torpedo tubes (two triple mounts), one Mk-16 ASROC missile launcher, one Mk-13 guided missile launcher
	Crew: 28 officers, 345 enlisted

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Crew List:

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

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to read more about the Ship's Namesake - Admiral Marc A. Mitscher

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

An incident from Admiral Mitscher's career provides the basis for the design of the ship's insignia. At the close of the first Battle of the Philippine Sea in 1944, his Task Force 58 planes were returning from a prolonged night strike. There was not adequate time to recover the planes using normal procedures since most of them were dangerously Iow on fuel. Weighing the dangers of lurking Japanese submarines against the plight of his own pilots, he issued his now famous order to his darkened ships: ''Turn on the Iights!''. The burst of light on the shield represents searchlights of the task force. The four stars of his rank commemorates Admiral Mitscher, for whom the ship is named.

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USS MITSCHER's Commanding Officers:

Period	Name
May 1953 - November 1954	CDR T. H. W. Connor, USN
November 1954 - August 1956	CDR J. R. Payne, USN
August 1956 - January 1958	CDR S. H. Kinney, USN
January 1958 - July 1959	CDR D. C. Plate, USN
July 1959 - July 1961	CDR M. T. Scott, USN
July 1961 - August 1963	CDR D. G. Parramore, USN
August 1963 - April 1965	CDR J. D. Usina, USN
April 1965 - March 1966	CDR A. F. Munnikhuysen, USN
decommissioned March 1966 - June 1968
June 1968 - August 1970	CDR R. R. Robertson, Jr., USN
August 1970 - June 1971	CDR S. D. Browning, USN
June 1971 - September 1972	LCDR F. J. Barnes, III, USN
September 1972 - April 1974	LCDR R. S. McCartney, USN
April 1974 - March 1976	CDR J. P. W. Decker, USN
March 1976 - May 1978	CDR D. E. Mosman, USN
May 1978 - June 1978	LCDR R. Sutton, USN

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USS MITSCHER History:

The keel of the USS MITSCHER was laid at Bath Iron Works Corporation Shipyard, Bath, Maine on 3 October 1949. She was originally designated "Destroyer'', DD-927, but in 1951 was reclassified "Destroyer Leader", and christened by Mrs. Marc A. Mitscher, wife of the late Admiral Marc Andrew Mitscher. MITSCHER was commissioned on 15 May 1953 at the Boston Navy Yard, and subsequently redesignated "Frigater", DL-2, in 1955.

MITSCHER was initially homeported in Newport, R.I., and became the operational flagship for Commander Destroyer Flotilla Two. In 1955, MITSCHER cruised the Caribbean with Commander Destroyer Force, US Atlantic Fleet embarked. In 1958, President Eisenhower broke his personal flag in MITSCHER during the America's Cup Challenge Races off Newport. MITSCHER journeyed to South America on a four month cruise in 1959, and subsequently cruised to Northern Europe for extended NATO Exercises.

In November, 1960, the ship's homeport was shifted to Charleston, S.C., where she became the operational flagship of Commander Destroyer Flotilla Six. Early in 1961, MITSCHER deployed with the Sixth Fleet. During this cruise, MITSCHER was flagship for Admiral Anderson, Commander Sixth Fleet. The ship was again transferred to Newport, R.I. in 1962, where she again became the flagship of Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Two.

MITSCHER arrived in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 3 March 1966, and was decommissioned 18 March 1966 for conversion to a Guided Missile Destroyer. MITSCHER rejoined the fleet on 29 June 1968, when she was commissioned as DDG 35.

After shakedown trials in 1969, MITSCHER was assigned to her new homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.

In late August 1970, MITSCHER departed Norfolk for Mediterranean operations with COMDESRON One Four aboard. Her next deployment was in July 1971 as a member of Destroyer Squadron Twenty-Six, the "Mod Squad''. MITSCHER entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in March 1972 for overhaul.

MITSCHER again deployed to the Mediterranean in June 1975. During this deployment the ship participated in numerous US and NATO exercises, and conducted special operations in the Black Sea. Her last Mediterranean cruise was from July 1976 through February 1977 where she served as flagship for Commander Destroyer Squadron Two.

MITSCHER's next major assignment was during the summer of 1977 when she was tasked to conduct Surface Warfare Orientation Cruises for Midshipmen, Second Class off the Virginia Capes (CORTRAMID OPS).

Her last cruise was in a public relations capacity as MITSCHER hosted nearly 10,000 visitors in port visits to Mobile, Alabama, MARDI GRAS and the Tampa, Florida, Gasparilla Festival in January - February 1978. It was during this cruise that the Secretary of the Navy directed that MITSCHER be decommissioned; bringing an end to her twenty-five year career.

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USS MITSCHER Image Gallery:

As DL 2:

As DDG 35:

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