UNDERWAY! 2025 Wall Calendar / W.W. II SPECIAL EDITION

NOW AVAILABLE -
CLICK HERE
For RATING SHIRTS - Click on your Rating Abbreviation below:
AB AC AD AE AG AK AM AO AQ AS AT AW AX AZ BM BT BU
CE CM CS CT DC DK DM DP DS DT EA EM EN EO ET EW
FC FT GM GS (53-61) GS (78-Now) HM HT IC IM IS IT JO LI LN LS
MA (48-67) MA (72-Now) ME ML MM MN MR MS MT MU NC ND OM OS OT
PC PH PM PN PR QM RD (WW2) RD (48-72) RM SD SF SH SK SM
SO ST SV SW TM UT WT YN DIVER


U.S.S. RICHARD E. BYRD

(DDG-23)

SEA POWER FROM POLE TO POLE

Click to view crew list
 

USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23) - a Charles F. Adams-class guided missle destroyer

In Commission 1964 to 1990

DDG-23 Deployments - Major Events

Add a DDG-23 Shellback Initiation Add a DDG-23 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
APR1961-Keel Date: 12 APR 1961
at Todd Pacific Shipyards Seattle WA
FEB1962-Launch Date: 6 FEB 1962
MAR1964-Commissioned: 7 MAR 1964
JAN1965-AUG1965Mediterranean
JAN1966-AUG1966Mediterranean
OCT1966-DEC1966Blue Nose - Arctic Circle
JUN1967-OCT1967Mediterranean
NOV1967-MAY1968Regular Overhaul
NOV1968-MAY1969Mediterranean
NOV1968-MAY1969Mediterranean
JAN1969-NOV1970Dry Dock
MAY1970-NOV1970Mediterranean
DEC1971-JUN1972med cruise
MAY1973-DEC1973North Atlantic-Med-Indian Ocean
MAY1973-DEC1973Blue Nose - Arctic Circle
NOV1974-MAY1975Mediterranean
FEB1977-JUL1977Caribbean
JUN1977-DEC1977North Atlantic
JUL1977-DEC1977North Atlantic
JUN1978-FEB1979Mediterranean
FEB1979-AUG1980Mediterranean-Indian Ocean
MAR1980-AUG1980Mediterranean-Indian Ocean
SEP1980-NOV1980North Atlantic Blue Nose Initiation for Artic Circle crossing
SEP1982-MAR1983Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
JAN1983-Shellback Initiation - 14 JAN 1983 - Indian Ocean
APR1983-SEP1983Panama Canal
AUG1984-JAN1985Mediterranean
JAN1985-JUL1985North Atlantic
MAY1985-Shellback Initiation - 20 MAY 1985 - Atlantic Ocean
JUN1986-JUL1986Guantanamo Bay
JUN1986-Shellback Initiation - 29 JUN 1986 - Atlantic Ocean
JUN1986-Shellback Initiation - 12 JUN 1986 - Atlantic Ocean
AUG1986-FEB1987Regular Overhaul
JAN1987-JUL1987Mediterranean
JUL1987-Shellback Initiation - 15 JUL 1987 - Atlantic Ocean
JUL1989-DEC1989UNITAS
AUG1989- Shellback Initiation - 7 AUG 1989 - Atlantic Ocean
APR1990-Decommissioned: 27 APR 1990
JUL1997-Shellback Initiation - 15 JUL 1997 - Atlantic Ocean

DDG-23 General Specifications

Class: Charles F. Adams-class guided missle destroyer

Named for: Richard E. Byrd

Complement: 24 Officers and 330 Enlisted

Displacement: 3277 tons

Length: 437 feet

Beam: 47 feet

Flank Speed: 33 knots

Range: 4 500 nautical miles

Final Disposition:Sold to Greece for spare parts Sunk as Target 19 June 2003



USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23)



Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23), a guided-missile destroyer, was laid down 12 April 1961 by Todd Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Wash.; launched 6 February 1962; sponsored by Mrs. Richard E. Byrd, whose daughter, Mrs. Robert G. Breyer, acted as proxy sponsor for the admiral's wife; and commissioned 7 March 1964, Comdr. Walter G. Lessman in command.

Following a 45 day fitting out period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., Richard E. Byrd steamed for her homeport of Norfolk, Va., via the Panama Canal, arriving 14 June 1964. During July, August, and September she underwent missile qualifications and underway training out of San Juan and Guantanamo Bay. She then returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va., for 2 months of post-shakedown availability.

Richard E. Byrd deployed to the Mediterranean 6 January 1965 as a unit of Destroyer Division 182. Operating with the 6th Fleet, she participated in AAW and ASW exercises with both U.S. and NATO forces. Following her return to Norfolk 6 June, she conducted missile firings at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range. September, October and November found her on type training in the Virginia Capes operating areas.

Steaming north to Argentia, Newfoundland, 7 January 1966, Richard E. Byrd conducted a missile firing test in the Davis Strait before returning to Norfolk a month later. Following firing exercises at Culebra in March, she called at the Virgin Islands before returning to homeport.

Richard E. Byrd transited the Atlantic with Saratoga (CVA-60), Sampson (DDG-10), Dahlgren (DLG-12), and Cony (DD-508), entering the Mediterranean 29 March to commence a 5-month deployment. After turnover 2 August at Pollensa Bay, the Balearics, Richard E. Byrd steamed for Norfolk, arriving the 12th. Post deployment leave and upkeep occupied the next month.

A call at Brooklyn Naval Shipyard (18 September to 7 October) was followed by local operations out of Norfolk with various amphibious and ASW fleet units. Operations of this sort continued into January 1967. Late that month Richard E. Byrd moved south to the Jacksonville operations area, and, while serving as rescue destroyer for Lexington (CVS-16), she rescued Lt. (jg) John F. Dickinson, whose A4-E aircraft crashed during a landing approach. After a 3-day call at Mayport and a visit to Mobile, Ala., for Mardi Gras festivities, Richard E. Byrd returned to Norfolk, where she remained until 3 March.

"Springboard" exercises next took Richard E. Byrd to the Caribbean through 16 March, then came pre-deployment leave, upkeep, and training. Standing out of Thimble Shoals Channel 2 May in company with Saratoga and four other escorts, Richard E. Byrd steamed for the Mediterranean, effecting turnover 5 May at Pollensa Bay. Because of the Arab-Israeli conflict, port visits were curtailed. Instead of calling at Naples, Richard E. Byrd remained at sea in the screen of America (CVA-66). She was a member of the force which rendezvoused with the damaged Liberty (AGTR-5) 9 June.

Returning to Norfolk 8 September, Richard E. Byrd entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul 21 November 1967 to 30 May 1968. Refresher training and coastal operations filled the summer of 1968, and on 11 September, the ship steamed to take part in NATO exercise "Silver Tower" in the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea.

Back in Norfolk 11 October, Richard E. Byrd prepared for her fourth Mediterranean deployment. Joining the 6th Fleet 15 November, she immediately became involved in the varied evolutions that typify Mediterranean fleet operations. She returned to her homeport 27 May 1969. Local training, leave and upkeep followed, and then came a Caribbean cruise 29 July to 26 August. On 6 October ship and crew participated together with Senator Harry F. Byrd and Virginia Gov. Mills E. Godwin, in the dedication of Richard Evelyn Byrd Hall at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at Gloucester Point, Va.

Richard E. Byrd continued local operations out of Norfolk during the first four months of 1970; she operated both along the east coast and in the Caribbean. On 30 April, she exited the Chesapeake Bay bound for her fifth deployment with the Sixth Fleet, arriving at Gibraltar 11 May. Six months later she was back in Norfolk and remained there for the rest of 1970.

For eleven of the twelve months of 1971, she stayed in Atlantic coast - Caribbean Vicinity, undergoing overhaul, post-overhaul tests and refresher training. On 1 December she steamed out of Norfolk on still another Mediterranean cruise. She made Gibraltar 9 December and remained with the Sixth Fleet until 23 June 1972, when she began her return voyage to Virginia. She arrived at Norfolk on the 29th and continued normal operations out of that port up to 29 May 1973, when she again pointed her bow toward the Mediterranean She made Rota, Spain, 21 June and cruised the Mediterranean until November. Richard E. Byrd returned to Norfolk on the first day of December.

The guided-missile destroyer continued to serve until decommissioned on 27 April 1990. She was struck from the Navy list on 1 October 1992 and officially transferred to the Hellenic Navy on 26 August 1993. The hulk was towed to Salamis, Greece, on 12 October 1993 where she was used for spare parts for the other four Charles F. Adams destroyers in Greek service.

[Note: The above USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23) history may, or may not, contain text provided by crew members of the USS RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23), or by other non-crew members, and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]