USS Comte de Grasse ( DD - 974 ) USS " Comte de Grasse " ( DD - 974 ) , named for Admiral Francois - Joseph Paul , Comte de Grasse ( 1722 – 1788 ) , was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula , Mississippi . She was laid down 4 April 1975 , launched 26 March 1976 and commissioned 5 August 1978 . The sponsor of " Comte de Grasse " was Madame Anne - Aymone Sauvage de Brantes , wife of the then - President of France , Valéry Giscard d ' Estaing . Operational history . After being commissioned in August 1978 , the " Count " journeyed to homeport in Norfolk , Virginia . She would make a deployment to the Caribbean to participate in training in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , and Puerto Rico . While there she also made a port call in Nassau , Bahamas . In the Fall of 1979 , she deployed to Northern Europe to participate in NATO Exercises . She visited Breast France , " Dunkirk " , France , Hamburg , Germany , and Portsmouth , England . In the early Spring of 1980 , the " Count " visited New York City , the hometown of Captain Frank J . Lugo . In late February - early March 1980 , " Comte de Grasse " took part in Exercise Safepass - 80 . " Comte de Grasse " sailed on her maiden Mediterranean deployment in April 1980 , returning home in December . Since then she deployed there six times . In February 1981 , " Comte de Grasse " went to the Vieques NGFS Range . The following month , she took part in READEX 1 – 81 . In May , she took part in a Comprehensive Training Unit Exercise ( COMPTUEX ) in the Virginia Capes Operations Area . In late August , she took part in Ocean Venture - 81 and exercise Magic Sword . In September , she took part in Exercise Ocean Safari - 81 . She was drydocked for a short period in November for voyage repairs and replacement of her Sonar Dome Rubber Window , before departing for a Mediterranean deployment on 1 December . 1982 saw " Comte de Grasse " take part in Exercise Sardinia - 82 from 27 February to 9 March . She then took part in Exercise Norther Wedding / United Effort - 82 from 23 August to 20 October . From 7 to 14 December , she took part in COMPTUEX 1 – 83 . From 8 January to 10 July 1983 , she deployed to join NATO ' s Standing Naval Forces Atlantic . During that time , she took part in Exercise Roebuck near Scotland , Spring Train off Gibraltar , Bright Horizon and May West off Norway , Nor Ops , and Ocean Safari . Upon her return home , she was drydocked from 28 October 1983 to 10 July 1984 for a routine overhaul at Ingalls Shipyard , Pascagoula , MS . From 4 to 13 September , she underwent Harpoon Certification , Tomahawk Material Certification , and from 24 to 26 September , Combat Systems Ship Qualification Test ( CSSQT ) , at the Virginia Capes Operations Area . From 19 to 23 March 1985 , " Comte de Grasse " underwent Tomahawk Tactical Qualification Test ( TTQT ) . Then from 22 April to 7 May , she participated in COMPTUEX 2 – 85 , before deploying to join the Middle East Force on 6 June . She transited the Suez Canal into the Red Sea on 26 June and entered the Persian Gulf on 4 July . She took part in Exercise Inferno Creek / Bright Star - 85 from 11 to 17 August . Transiting though the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea on 15 November , she returned home on 5 December . 1986 saw " Comte de Grasse " take part in a number of gunnery , air targeting and submarine tracking exercises in the Virginia Capes and Puerto Rico operations areas . From 4 to 8 September , she took part in drug interception operations in the Caribbean . " Comte de Grasse " took part , from 9 to 28 January 1987 , in BLASTEX 1 – 87 , and from 10 February to 1 March , in FLEETEX 1 – 87 . Then after being drydocked in March on , she took part in Solid Shield 87 , from 30 April to 8 May , and FLEETEX 2 – 87 from 9 May to 10 May . She departed for her Mediterranean deployment 3 – 87 on 6 June and returned home on 17 November . From 11 May to 23 May 1988 , " Comte de Grasse " took part in a USN / FGN missile exercise . Then from 15 June to 1 July , she participated in FLEETEX 2 – 88 ( BASIC ) . From 12 August to 1 September , she assisted United States Coast Guard law enforcement operations in the Caribbean operations area . Then , from 7 to 22 November , she participated in FLEETEX 1 – 89 ( ADV ) and SOCEX 1 – 89 . From 8 February to 1 March 1989 , " Comte de Grasse " took part in FLEETEX 1 – 89 . She was in drydock from 14 April to 7 May at Norfolk Naval Shipyard , Portsmouth , Virginia , for replacement of its sonar dome rubber window . She deployed on 11 May for her Mediterranean / Indian Ocean deployment 2 – 89 . She transited on 25 June through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea , then from 4 – 6 July , conducted operations in the Strait of Hormuz , Eastern Patrol Area ( SOHEPA ) . Entering the Persian Gulf on 14 August , she transited the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea on 6 September before returning home on 9 November . From 16 to 28 January 1990 , " Comte De Grasse " spent time at the Vieques Gunnery Range where she earned the designation of Top Gun of the Year . On 15 February 1990 , she was visited by a delegation of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and the Chairman of the U . S . House Committee on Armed Services , Les Aspin . 1991 saw " Comte de Grasse " undergo a number of qualification training and tests . From 6 to 10 January 1992 , " Comte de Grasse " took part in the SWET Competition . Then from 13 January to 13 February , she took part in FLEETEX 2 – 92 ; followed by Exercise Fabric Falcon Brave form 26 February to 3 March . " Comte de Grasse ' s " superior performance was again recognized in March 1992 when she was awarded a second consecutive Battle Efficiency Award , representative of the best destroyer in Cruiser – Destroyer Group Eight . This prestigious award encompassed Mission Area Excellence Awards in Navigation and Deck Seamanship , Anti - Submarine Warfare ( ASW ) , Anti - Surface Warfare ( ASUW ) , Electronic Warfare ( EW ) , Anti - Aircraft Warfare ( AAW ) , Engineering , Damage Control , Surface Ship Safety , and Command Control and Communications . In preparation for her next deployment , " Comte de Grasse " completed Refresher Training in Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , conducted various battle group exercises in the Caribbean Sea , such as FLEETEX 2 – 92 , and successfully passed a myriad of pre - deployment inspections and exercises , including a Combat Systems Assessment ( CSA ) , in which " Comte de Grasse " received the highest grade of any unit in the entire U . S . Atlantic Fleet during 1991 . " Comte de Grasse " departed on her next Mediterranean deployment 2 – 92 on 6 May . She sailed with the carrier battle group to the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea . During the deployment , she took part in intense battle group operations , developed and integrated new tactics for small combatants , conducted maritime interdiction operations in the Red Sea , took part in major exercises , such as NATO Display Determination , and supported United Nations humanitarian efforts in the Adriatic Sea near the troubled lands of the former Yugoslavian Republic . " Comte de Grasse " transited the Suez Canal into the Red Sea on 7 September , at which point she conducted maritime interdiction force operations until 20 September when she transited the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea . She returned home on 6 November . One of the highlights of " Comte de Grasse ' s " deployment , was her participation in Grasse Day on 19 October 1992 . On the occasion , which honors the French Admiral Francois - Joseph Paul , Comte de Grasse , the officers and crew of the ship took part in ceremonies in Grasse and Bar sur Loup , France . In commemorating the day , which is built on and symbolized by Franco - American friendship , the town of Grasse adopted the warship " Comte de Grasse " , and proclaimed the town ' s populace as sponsors of " Comte de Grasse " . From 18 January to 15 February 1993 , " Comte de Grasse " took part in Operation Sea Signal in the Caribbean Sea . Then from 3 May to 25 May , she conducted counter drug operations in the Caribbean . She spent time dry docked in August , then participated in COMPTUEX , in the Caribbean Sea from 19 to 22 October , before finishing off the year with a fleet exercise in the Cherry Point operations area from 1 to 15 December . On 12 January 1994 , the ship ' s port main reduction gear was discovered to have been sabotaged , resulting in a delay in its deployment . It finally got underway for its Mediterranean deployment on 5 February . She conducted operations in the Southern Adriatic in support of Operation Sharp Guard and returned home on 24 June . From 6 September until 1 October , " Comte de Grasse " took part in Operations Support / Uphold / Restore Democracy in the Haitian operations area . 1995 saw " Comte de Grasse " take part in CART II , from 7 to 16 January ; in COMPTUEX in the Caribbean from 24 April to 14 May ; then from 1 July until 3 December , in UNITAS XXXVI - 95 . UNITAS 95 included operations and port calls in Puerto Rico , Venezuela , Colombia , Ecuador , Peru , Chile , Argentina , Uruguay and Brazil . From 24 February to 12 March 1996 , " Comte de Grasse " conducted counter drug operations in the Caribbean Sea . In 1997 , she took part in SPONTEX 97 - 1 , from 4 March to 10 April . Then she took part in INDEX 97 - 3 from 9 May to 16 May in the Puerto Rican operations area . " Comte de Grasse " then took part in UNITAS XXXVIII - 97 form 1 July to 26 November 1997 . Decommissioning & disposal . " Comte de Grasse " was decommissioned and stricken 5 June 1998 and held at Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility ( NISMF ) as a parts hulk . On 7 June 2006 , " Comte De Grasse " was towed approximately 275 miles off the coast of North Carolina and sunk along with her sister ship , , as a target during naval training exercises in a water depth of 12 , 000 ft .