USS Luce ( DDG - 38 ) The third USS " Luce " ( DLG - 7 / DDG - 38 ) was a " Farragut " class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy . It was named for Rear Admiral Stephen B . Luce ( 1827 - 1917 ) . History . " Luce " was laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Quincy , Massachusetts on 1 October 1957 . The ship was launched on 11 December 1958 by Mrs . Felix Stump and commissioned on 20 May 1961 Commander David H . Bagley in command . USS " Luce " was reclassified as a guided missile destroyer on 30 June 1975 and designated DDG - 38 . " Luce " departed Mayport , Florida , on her shakedown cruise 14 February 1962 . She spent the month of April with the U . S . 6th Fleet in her first task force operations , and returned home 11 May , where Capt . H . J . Ereckson , Commander Destroyer Division 84 , made her his flagship . She departed 3 August to rejoin the 6th Fleet , en route participating in NATO exercises Riptide III with units of the British and French Navies . In the next 7 months she joined in three major NATO exercises before returning home 2 March 1963 . During the spring and early summer , the guided missile destroyer conducted missile tests , trained midshipmen , and engaged in independent exercises along the Atlantic coast On 20 August 1963 she steamed to the Caribbean for independent air , surface , and shore bombardment firings , and returned Mayport 4 September . She joined TF 23 for intensive antisubmarine warfare ( ASW ) and anti - aircraft ( AA ) exercises 28 October , and after a short operation with " Enterprise " ( CVAN - 65 ) was back in Mayport for tender availability . On 8 February 1964 she again joined the 6th Fleet , and was called upon to stand guard for 3 weeks near the trouble ‑ ridden island of Cyprus to evacuate American citizens if necessary . She hosted the Secretary of the Navy and Commander 6th Fleet 24 April for a missile firing demonstration , and then escorted " Shangri - La " ( CVA - 38 ) on a high ‑ speed Atlantic crossing to Mayport , where she arrived 23 May . In July the ship steamed to New York City to participate in operation “ Sail ” with a regatta of sailing craft from all over the world . She returned to Mayport after a 4 ‑ month overhaul 28 January 1965 . The frigate had won both the Engineering and Battle Efficiency “ E ” s during 1964 . " Luce " returned to the Caribbean for intensive refresher training in March 1965 . On 29 April she embarked a company of marines at Guantanamo Bay and proceeded to the troubled Dominican Republic 30 April . She patrolled the coast of the politically disturbed island until 8 May . She returned to the Mediterranean in June for 4 months of operations with units of the Spanish , French , Greek , and Italian Navies . In September she operated with " Corry " ( DD - 817 ) in the Black Sea , and she returned to the Mediterranean late in 1965 . She arrived Mayport 6 November and embarked Commander Destroyer Squadron 8 . In December she engaged in missile firing and after a brief time in port in 1966 continued testing and improving missile techniques and carrying out the fleet ' s widespread peacekeeping activities which guard the free world . On 19 January 1966 an " actual nuclear incident " occurs when the nuclear warhead on a Terrier anti - air missile separates from the missile and drops about eight feet on the " Luce " while the ship is docked at Mayport Naval Station . It is recorded that " there were no personnel casualties , and aside from the dent in the warhead , no equipment was damaged . " On 13 June 1966 " Luce " got underway for deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . After participating in various exercises with United States and other Allied ships , and representing the United States at two international trade fain , she returned to Mayport on 26 October . The first half of 1967 saw " Luce " operating again in the Atlantic and Caribbean , and participating in a midshipmen training cruise in June . On 7 August , " Luce " began a regular overhaul at the U . S . Naval Shipyard , Charleston , S . C . She continued in overhaul until early 1968 , then operated locally and in the Caribbean until departing Mayport 14 September for the Persian Gulf , sailing via Recife , Brazil , and various ports along the west and east coasts of Africa . She arrived at Bahrain 29 October and continued to stand watch over the troubled Middle East into 1969 . Fate . " Luce " was decommissioned on 1 April 1991 at Naval Base Mayport , FL . , and stricken from the Navy list on 20 November 1992 . On 16 December 1994 , " Luce " was finally sold for scrapping and on 17 June 2005 , the scrapping was complete . There was a retirement ceremony for 19 members of the decommissioning crew at the " O " Club right after the ceremony . References . In September 2004 , 176 former crew members and their family members gathered at the former Navy base in Philadelphia to give USS Luce a send off prior to her scrapping being completed . The 176 sailors included plank owners when she was commissioned to 2 sailors who were with her when she was decommissioned . Unfortunately , the Pentagon prevented a planned tour of the ship by the visitors .