USS Gyatt ( DD - 712 ) USS " Gyatt " ( DD - 712 / DDG - 1 ) , was a in the United States Navy , named for U . S . Marine Corps Private Edward E . Gyatt . Private Gyatt was a member of the First Marine Raider Battalion in the Battle of Guadalcanal . As part of the advance force , he held his post until killed by an enemy grenade . " Gyatt " was built by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . in Kearny , New Jersey and sponsored by Mrs . Hilda Morrell , Private Gyatt ' s mother , who was a member of the gold star mothers . Service history . Commissioning and training exercises . After shakedown in the Caribbean , " Gyatt " reported to Norfolk , Virginia for a variety of duties along the East Coast . In addition to local operations and training exercises , she participated in training operations with aircraft carrier s in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean . Departing Norfolk on 24 January 1947 , " Gyatt " sailed south to represent the United States at the inauguration of the new Uruguayan President Berres at Montevideo from 27 February 1947 to 6 March 1947 . Before returning to Norfolk on 21 March 1947 , she made goodwill visits to Rio de Janeiro and Port of Spain , Trinidad . Operations . " Gyatt " sailed 20 November 1947 to deploy with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean and returned to Norfolk on 2 March 1948 . She participated in six subsequent deployments to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean . Other operations took her north from Norfolk to Nova Scotia and Iceland and south into the Caribbean Sea . Refit . " Gyatt " entered the Boston Naval Shipyard on 26 September 1955 , and decommissioned on 31 October for conversion into the world ' s first guided missile destroyer . In addition to twin Terrier guided missile launchers , she received the Navy ' s first Denny - Brown stabilization system with two 45 square foot ( 4 m² ) retractable fins extending out from midships well below the waterline to greatly reduce pitch and roll on the sea ) . Her hull classification was changed to DDG - 712 on 1 December 1956 . " Gyatt " recommissioned two days later , with Commander Charles F . Helme , Jr . , in command . Evaluation and development work . The new guided missile ship spent nearly three years doing intensive evaluation and development work along the Atlantic coast . On 23 May 1957 her hull number was changed to DDG - 1 in recognition of her pioneering position . She sailed to join the 6th Fleet on 28 January 1960 and was the first guided missile destroyer to deploy with an overseas fleet . By the time of her arrival back in Charleston , her new home port on 31 August 1960 , " Gyatt " had participated in fleet readiness and training operations throughout the Mediterranean . Space program . On her return , " Gyatt " joined in America ' s space program . Taking nose - cone recovery station from 5 – 10 November 1960 and from 24 – 26 April 1961 to aid in Project Mercury , she pioneered another area of expanding seapower . With another world crisis pending over the status of Berlin , she again sailed 3 August 1961 to bolster the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . She remained on alert posture with the " steel gray stabilizers " in the Mediterranean until 3 March 1962 , then resumed training along the eastern seaboard out of Charleston , South Carolina . Overhaul . " Gyatt " entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard on 29 June 1962 , for an overhaul that included the removal of her missile system and installation of newly developed equipment that prepared her for specialized service with the Operational Test and Evaluation Force . Her classification changed from guided missile destroyer DDG - 1 back to conventional destroyer DD - 712 on 1 October 1962 . Her preparations were complete by 1 January 1963 when " Gyatt " arrived in Norfolk for continuing experimental work under the Operational Test and Evaluation Force in waters reaching into the Caribbean Sea . " Gyatt " continued to operate along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean into 1967 . She performed patrol and ASW duty and trained the officers and men of the Navy in guided missile destroyer tactics . She was especially active in testing and evaluating new equipment and helping to improve the efficiency and modernity of the Navy . Sinking . " Gyatt " was transferred to the Select Reserve and switched homeports to Washington , D . C . in 1968 . After being stricken on 22 October 1969 , " Gyatt " was sunk as a target off Virginia on 11 June 1970 .