USS Richmond K . Turner ( CG - 20 ) USS " Richmond K . Turner " ( DLG - 20 / CG - 20 ) was a " Leahy " class destroyer leader in the United States Navy . The ship was named for Admiral Richmond K . Turner , who served during World War II . The keel of the " Richmond K . Turner " was laid on 9 January 1961 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden , New Jersey . It is one of nine " Leahy " - class " double - ended " guided missile destroyers . History . Initial operations . The ship departed Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 10 August 1964 for her homeport of San Diego , Calif . , stopping briefly at Yorktown and Norfolk , Va . , and then Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . It crossed through the Panama Canal , and after a port call in Acapulco , Mexico , arrived in San Diego on 11 September 1964 . " Richmond K . Turner " departed San Diego 4 June 1965 for her first deployment to the Western Pacific . It joined Task Force 77 in the South China Sea area and served as missile support ship for the attack carriers " Coral Sea " ( CVA - 43 ) , " Independence " ( CV - 62 ) , and " Oriskany " ( CV - 34 ) . Vietnam . It was reassigned to the Search and Rescue Destroyer Unit in the Tonkin Gulf in September 1965 . After participating in missions in which eight aviators were rescued , it departed Subic Bay and arrived San Diego 18 December . It stood out of San Diego 15 October 1966 , bound a second time for Southeast Asian waters , returning to her homeport 28 March 1967 and making a midshipman training cruise to Pearl Harbor . It departed for her third tour off Vietnam 10 June 1968 , and contributed to Fleet readiness in Asian waters until returning to San Diego in December 1968 . " Richmond K . Turner " assumed the duty as antisubmarine warfare ( ASW ) Schoolship in the southern California operating areas . In February , it conducted a SecNav guest cruise , and 1 March , it commenced an extensive updating of her shipboard missile systems at the Naval Station San Diego . It then underwent training and further preparations for its fourth WestPac deployment , which commenced in January 1970 . It arrived in Yokosuka , Japan , 4 March 1970 and spent two months operating in the Sea of Japan . it operated off the coast of Vietnam from June until July 1970 and returned to San Diego in August after stopping at Guam and Pearl Harbor . Refit . On 22 March 1971 , it embarked for Bath , Maine and arrived at the Bath Iron Works on 27 April . It was decommissioned 5 May , under a Navy wide program to enhance the anti - air warfare capability of major guided missile ships . " Richmond K . Turner " was recommissioned at Bath Iron Works on 17 May 1972 . For seven months , " Richmond K . Turner " engaged in various trials , exercises , and refreitr training along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean . It returned to Newport , R . I . , 22 November 1972 and remained there until 9 January 1973 , when she entered Boston Naval Shipyard for a two - month yard period . Leaving Boston in March , " Richmond K . Turner " deployed on a UNITAS cruise to South America in 1973 . " Richmond K . Turner " was re - designated CG - 20 in July 1975 and participated in Operation 200 which included the International Naval Review in New York City for the Nation ' s Bicentennial Celebration on 4 July 1976 . In September 1978 the " Richmond K . Turner " reported to GTMO for REFTRA . The day after arrival " Richmond K . Turner " was directed to intercept and conduct surveillance of Soviet Naval units operating in the West Indies . With that task completed " Richmond K . Turner " was then directed to transit the Panama Canal and conduct surveillance operations off the contiguous waters of western Nicaragua . The ship received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for these operations in March 1979 . In May 1980 " Richmond K . Turner " participated in Boston ' s OPSAIL 80 and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for conducting two special operations . " Richmond K . Turner " completed four highly successful Mediterranean deployments as part of the U . S . Sixth Fleet , prior to an extensive baseline overhaul at Charleston Naval Shipyard , Charleston , SC from January to December 1982 . During this overhaul " Richmond K . Turner " received numerous updates to modernize its combat systems suite . It was also fitted with the Vulcan Phalanx Close in Weapons System ( CIWS ) for self - defense against cruise missiles . After this overhaul " Richmond K . Turner " completed two more Mediterranean deployments , one of which included the successful launch of a Harpoon missile in the Gulf of Sidra , destroying the target at a range of . This was the first firing of a Harpoon missile in combat from a deployed US Navy Ship . The ship received both Navy Expeditionary and Meritorius Unit Commendation during this employment . naval battle in the Gulf of Sidra . Persian Gulf . " Richmond K . Turner " also completed a 1988 deployment to the Persian Gulf and was a participant of Operation Earnest Will . Upon its return to the United States , " Richmond K . Turner " was overhauled in Ingalls Shipyard at Pascagoula , Mississippi , where it received the New Threat Upgrade ( NTU ) to its Combat Direction System as well as many engineering improvements . In response to the crisis in the Persian Gulf caused by Iraq ' s invasion of Kuwait , " Richmond K . Turner " deployed early as a primary AAW unit in the " Theodore Roosevelt " ( CVN - 71 ) battle group , which arrived in the theater just before hostilities broke out . During 60 days in the Persian Gulf , " Richmond K . Turner " provided protection to four carriers and served as an advance picket ship in the mine infested waters off Kuwait . Following the cease fire , " Richmond K . Turner " relocated to the Red Sea where it participated in the continuing maritime interception operations in support of U . N . sanctions against Iraq . Escorting USS " Theodore Roosevelt " through the Suez Canal in late April 1991 , " Richmond K . Turner " participated in Operation Provide Comfort , a massive relief effort to help tens of thousands of Kurdish refugees who fled the turmoil of Iraq following that country ' s defeat in the war . During this time " Richmond K . Turner " became the Anti - Air Warfare Commander for the Aircraft Carrier Striking Force , U . S . Sixth Fleet . For its operations during Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort , the Secretary of the Navy awarded " Richmond K . Turner " the Joint Meritorious Service Medal , the Navy Unit Commendation , the National Defense Medal and the Southwest Asia Service Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon . The ship also received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for its participation in Operation Provide Comfort , one of only five USN ships to be included in that award . The citation was signed out by CJCS General Colin Powell on 18 December 1991 . Bosnia . It made a final deployment to the Mediterranean as a part of the USS " Theodore Roosevelt " battle group and served as an anti - air warfare command during Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia - Herzegovina . Prior to its decommissioning on 31 March 1995 , " Richmond K . Turner " served as the test platform for the Navy ' s Light - weight Exoatmosheric Projectile ( LEAP ) Program , firing the first LEAP shot ever and launching the Navy into the future of missile technology . End of career . On 9 August 1998 , USS " Richmond K . Turner " was sunk as a target near Puerto Rico . The SINKEX was conducted by the USS " Enterprise " battle group including the USS " Philippine Sea " ( CG - 58 ) , USS " Thorn " ( DD - 988 ) , USS " Nicholson " ( DD - 982 ) and Carrier Air Wing 3 .