USS Caron ( DD - 970 ) USS " Caron " ( DD - 970 ) was a , named for Hospital Corpsman Third Class Wayne M . Caron ( 1946 – 1968 ) , who was killed in action during the Vietnam War , and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . Service History . " Caron " was laid down by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula , Mississippi on 1 July 1974 . She was commissioned on 1 October 1977 . In August 1979 Soviet planes staged a mock missile attack against the " Caron " in the Black Sea . In October 1983 the " Caron " participated in Operation Urgent Fury in the vicinity of Grenada . From November 1983 to March 1984 she was part of the Multi National Peacekeeping Force in Beirut , Lebanon . On 10 March 1986 , " Caron " departed Norfolk , Virginia with the carrier battle group , for a Mediterranean deployment . During this deployment , the Action in the Gulf of Sidra took place during a freedom of navigation exercise in the Gulf of Sidra . This action saw U . S . Navy fighter aircraft shoot two Libyan Air Force fighters down . On 23 March 1986 - Operating with and , " Caron " moved south of the Libya – claimed " Line of Death " . Libya reacted with two days of low intensity conflict in which " Caron " did not fire any weapons . On 12 February 1988 " Caron " was lightly rammed by Soviet Mirka II class light frigate ( FFL 824 ) in the Black Sea ( see " Incident in Soviet waters " below ) . On 15 February 1990 " Caron " completed a regular overhaul . " Caron " was deployed to the Middle East after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 , and from 14 January 1991 she participated in Operation Desert Storm . On 14 October 1993 she began participation in United Nations - mandated U . S . - executed sanctions enforcement operations against Haiti . She was one of six US Navy ships prepositioned off Haiti as a result of an order by President Bill Clinton . Clinton ' s order allowed the ships to be in position to enforce United Nations sanctions fully on the date at which they went into effect . In April 1995 " Caron " took part in NATO mine countermeasures exercise off Denmark . From January to July 1996 she deployed to Persian Gulf upholding United Nations sanctions against Iraq and aiding in Operation Southern Watch . From February to 3 July 1998 she deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf , operating with and Carrier Group Seven . During this deployment , Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 46 ( HSL - 46 ) Detachment 3 maintained 2 SH - 60B Seahawk onboard " Caron . " One of the first exercises during this deployment was Exercise Shark Hunt 98 in April 1998 off the coast of Spain . From January to 4 June 1999 she completed a regular overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding . This overhaul included modifications to accommodate female crew . In June to December 2000 she deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf , operating with the battle group . On 15 October 2001 the ship was decommissioned . On 4 December 2002 " Caron " was sunk prematurely off the coast of Puerto Rico as a result of explosives tests . Incident in Soviet waters . In February 1988 , " Caron " operating with , entered Soviet territorial waters limit in the Black Sea off the Crimean Peninsula . Under international law , this act could be permissible if the ship was progressing from one point in international waters to another point in international waters via the shortest course possible , but according to the Soviet Union , it was the right of the USSR to authorize or prohibit travel in selected areas within the 12 mile limit . The United States however did not recognize the Soviet ' s claim in this case . To prevent it from becoming accepted precedent , the US Navy claimed that it had sailed warships through such areas at regular intervals in the past , although no reference was provided . On this occasion , " Caron " had on board a Ship ' s Signal Exploitation Spaces ( SSES ) system , operated by a crew of 18 , supporting the U . S . National Security Agency . This system was capable of recording data on Soviet defense radar s and communications . In response , the Soviets deployed a destroyer and a Mirka II class light frigate as well as many other Soviet Navy , Coast Guard , KGB and " civilian " ships to intercept the U . S . ships . Soviet aircraft continuously buzzed the " Caron " and " Yorktown " as smaller vessels weaved to and fro in front of the American ships . Several times , Soviet vessels and aircraft obtained radar " lock " on the " Caron " and " Yorktown " . Both American ships maintained a constant course and speed throughout the incident . Eventually , the Soviets lightly rammed both ships . No significant damage resulted to any of the ships involved . The Captain of the " Caron " Lou Harlow , ordered that painters go over the side to paint over the superficial marks created by the " ramming " within minutes of the event . The Soviets depict the outcome of the incident slightly differently . Following is a transcript of a report by Russian officers Nikolay Mikheev and Vladimir Bogdashin : Ship ' s crest . The design of the shield and crest of the coat of arms is based on service of Wayne Maurice Caron , Hospital Corpsman Third Class , United States Navy , who heroically sacrificed his life on 28 July 1968 while aiding wounded Marines on the field of fire in Vietnam . The Medal of Honor was awarded him posthumously . " Caron " is named in his honor . The light blue center section and the white five - pointed star allude to the Medal of Honor ribbon ; the star is also inverted in reference to the silhouette of the Medal of Honor pendant . The one light blue and the two Navy blue sections refer to the courage , steadfast determination and selfless dedication of Petty Officer Caron in performance of duty while serving as Platoon Corpsman with Company K , Third Battalion , Seventh Marines , 1st Marine Division . The sweep of his unit through an open rice field in Quang Nam Province is indicated by the scarlet base and the embattled gold chevron . Navy blue and gold and scarlet and gold are the colors of the Navy and Marine Corps . The Navy - blue caduceus is the insignia worn on white uniforms by Hospital Corpsmen , United States Navy . This insignia and the crossed bayonet s ( in the colors of the Marine Corps ) allude to the medical services customarily provided to the Marine Corps by the Navy . In particular , the caduceus and bayonets symbolize the combat operation in which Petty Officer Caron , though grievously wounded , was killed while giving medical assistance to his wounded comrades .