USS John King ( DDG - 3 ) USS " John King " ( DDG - 3 ) was a " Charles F . Adams " - class guided missile armed destroyer in the United States Navy named for Medal of Honor recipient John King . " John King " was laid down by the Bath Iron Works at Bath in Maine on 25 August 1958 , launched on 30 January 1960 by Mrs . Paul J . Kilday , wife of Representative Kilday of Texas and commissioned on 4 February 1961 ; Comdr . A . M . Sackett in command . The " John King " was ordered as DD - 953 , reclassified as DDG - 953 on 16 August 1956 and reclassified as DDG - 3 on 26 June 1957 . " John King " participated in blockade duties during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 . 1960s . Following shakedown training out of Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , " John King " carried out weapons tests on the East Coast before arriving Norfolk 7 September 1961 for regular duty . One of a new class of guided missile destroyers , she featured latest hull design with all - aluminum superstructure and mounted the very latest in modern armament and electronic equipment . Departing 27 November 1961 , the ship cruised to England and Northern Europe until 1 January 1962 , when she sailed from Dublin for the Mediterranean . There , " John King " joined the 6th Fleet in its constant role of peacekeeping in this troubled region . After her return to Norfolk , Virginia in April , the ship conducted missile firing exercises and training in the Caribbean . She arrived Washington 10 July 1962 for a 4 day stay , entertaining a group of Senators and Congressmen as well as Secretary of the Navy Fred Korth . Following additional exercises , " John King " entered Norfolk Navy Yard 11 October 1962 . Soon afterward , the introduction of offensive missiles into Cuba precipitated a crisis ; and , as Navy ships placed a quarantine around the island , the ship quickly finished her repairs and joined the blockade 6 November . After the crisis eased , the ship remained in the Caribbean operating with the Navy ' s newest and biggest carrier , the nuclear - powered USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ) . She returned to Norfolk 8 December 1962 . " John King " departed for her second Mediterranean cruise 6 February 1963 . After visiting various ports on 6th Fleet maneuvers , she steamed to Kiel , Germany , 23 June 1963 , then returned to Norfolk 17 July 1963 . The next twelve months were spent on training and readiness exercises off the Virginia Capes and in the Caribbean , including a week at the Anti - submarine Warfare School , Key West , Florida , in April 1964 . The destroyer sailed for the Mediterranean Sea once more 3 August 1964 and joined the 6th Fleet 16 August near the strife - torn island of Cyprus . She remained in the Mediterranean until the end of 1964 . " John King " returned to Norfolk 29 January and operated along the East Coast until sailing for the " Med " 14 October . Following 4 months of operations with the 6th Fleet , she returned to Norfolk 7 March 1966 . In the summer she visited the Mediterranean and recrossed the Atlantic on NATO Exercise " Straight Laced . " Back at homeport in the fall she operated out of Norfolk until sailing for another 6th Fleet deployment 10 January 1967 . Her movements were concentrated in the Western Mediterranean until she sailed for home 11 May . Arriving Norfolk on the 19th , " John King " entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard 27 June 1967 for an overhaul to prepare for future service . Final years of service . " John King " was decommissioned on 30 March 1990 , stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 January 1993 and sold for scrap on 10 February 1999 .