USS Semmes ( DDG - 18 ) USS " Semmes " ( DDG - 18 ) , was the second Navy ship named for Commander ( USN ) , Rear Admiral ( CSN ) , Brigadier General ( CSA ) Raphael Semmes ( 1809 – 1877 ) . USS " Semmes " ( DDG - 18 ) was a " Charles F . Adams " - class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy . " Semmes " was laid down by Avondale Marine Ways , Inc . at Avondale , Louisiana on 15 August 1960 , launched on 20 May 1961 by Mrs . Felix Edward Hébert and commissioned on 10 December 1962 . 1960s . Following shakedown , " Semmes " joined Destroyer Division ( DesDiv ) 62 , Destroyer Squadron ( DesRon ) 6 , at Charleston , South Carolina , in July 1963 ; and , into the summer of 1964 , participated in various fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean . Toward the end of that summer , she sailed east for a six - week NATO exercise , “ Masterstroke / Teamwork , ” in the North Atlantic - Norwegian Sea area ; and , on 22 September , she crossed the Arctic Circle . Two months later , on 28 November , she deployed to the Mediterranean for her first tour , of four months , with the 6th Fleet . She returned to Charleston in time to participate in the 2nd Fleet ' s exercises during the spring of 1965 . She then took part in support operations off the Dominican Republic . From February to July 1966 , the guided missile destroyer conducted her second tour with the 6th Fleet ; and , on her return to the United States , changed her home port from Charleston to Norfolk , Virginia , effective 1 August , in anticipation of her first major overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard . In April 1967 , " Semmes " resumed operations with refresher training in the Caribbean . In July , she rejoined DesRon 6 at Charleston ; and , in August , she deployed for her third tour with the 6th Fleet . She participated in fleet and NATO exercises into January 1968 ; then returned to Charleston , arriving on the 31st for a month ' s rest before resuming operations in the Caribbean and off the east coast . On 10 June , " Semmes " again sailed east . During that month and into July , she visited Germany and Denmark ; then turned south for another 6th Fleet deployment . On 15 November , she was relieved by at Rota , Spain ; and , 11 days later , she returned to Charleston where she remained in port for the rest of the year . In January 1969 , she cleared Charleston to oarticipate in ASW and “ Springboard ” exercises in the Puerto Rican operating area ; then returned to her homeport . In April , she returned to the Caribbean for 2d Fleet exercises . 1970s . Through the summer , " Semmes " continued to conduct exercises in the Caribbean and off the southeastern seaboard . In late September , she again crossed the Atlantic for a seven - month deployment with the 6th Fleet ; and , on 10 February 1970 , while moored at Naples , she was struck by the Greek freighter , SS " Mautric " . The damage sustained to her bow was quickly repaired ; and , before the end of the month , she had resumed operations . By mid - March , she had arrived at Barcelona for turnover with . On the 18th , she departed the Mediterranean ; and , on the 28th , she returned to Charleston . During 1971 , her schedule remained basically the same ; but her annual tour with the 6th Fleet , 16 July to 11 October , was followed by visits to the Netherlands and to Denmark for binational and NATO operations . On 20 December , " Semmes " returned to South Carolina ; and , in January 1972 , she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for conversion of her engineering plant to the Navy Distillate Fuel Oil System . With the spring , she resumed operations off the east coast and in the Caribbean . In September , she participated in NATO exercise " Strong Express , " which again took her above the Arctic Circle and which was followed by visits to Norway and Denmark . In October , she returned to Charleston . In November , she conducted exercises in the Caribbean ; and , in December , she prepared for another deployment in the Mediterranean with NATO ' s Standing Naval Force , Atlantic . After sea trials in the Charleston operating area , " Semmes " got underway from that port on 4 January 1973 . She arrived in Portsmouth , England , on the 15th , joining the NATO naval force there . For the next seven months , the guided missile destroyer cruised the Atlantic visiting ports on both sides of that ocean and participating in three exercises : NATO Exercise " Sunny Seas " , in January and February ; Canadian Exercise MARCOT 2 / 73 , in April and May ; and Norwegian Exercise " Midnight Sun " in June . On 1 July , " Semmes " changed operational control back to the 2d Fleet and , nine days later , returned to Charleston . Following a month of post - deployment standdown , from 10 July until 10 August , she resumed operations along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean . In November and December , she took part in Exercises " Fun in the Sun " and LANTREADEX 2 – 74 . " Semmes " reentered Charleston on 19 December to prepare for overhaul . Decommissioning . " Semmes " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 14 April 1991 , sold to Greece on 13 September 1991 and renamed " Kimon " . She was decommissioned on 17 June 2004 , placed in reserve at Souda Bay , Crete until scrapped fall 2006 .