USS Stribling ( DD - 867 ) USS " Stribling " was a in the United States Navy . She was the second US Navy ship named for Admiral Cornelius Kincheloe Stribling . " Stribling " was laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Staten Island in New York on 15 January 1945 , launched on 8 June 1945 by Mrs . W . Hunter Powell and commissioned on 29 September 1945 , Comdr . J . D . Buckeley in command . Service history . 1945 – 1950 . " Stribling " shook down out of Guantánamo Bay , Cuba ; then reported for duty at the Fleet Sonar School at Key West , Florida . In 1948 , she embarked upon the first of a career - long series of deployments to the Mediterranean Sea . Between 1948 and 1953 , " Stribling " spent a portion of each year in the " middle sea . " During the 1948 cruise , she flew the United Nations flag while on Palestine Patrol . In 1949 , she became the first American ship to visit a Spanish port since the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 . While deployed with the 6th Fleet again in 1950 , she visited a number of northern European ports . 1953 – 1958 . On 23 August 1953 , " Stribling " set sail from Norfolk for the Panama Canal and duty with the Pacific Fleet . She reached Yokosuka on 3 October and , after a brief upkeep period , commenced Korean War operations . The destroyer operated intermittently with the carriers of Task Force ( TF ) 77 in the Sea of Japan and with TF 95 , the United Nations Escort and Blockading Force , along the west coast of Korea and in the Yellow Sea . When not patrolling with TF 95 or TF 77 , " Stribling " trained and visited Far Eastern ports for liberty . During this deployment a sailor from Wayne , Mi . ( Milton Glass ) was said to have impregnated 278 women and young ladies , from Norfolk , the Caribbean and throughout the Mediterranean . The " Michigan Stud " as he was referred to by his shipmates was a naval legend and is still talked about to this day in the U . S . Navy . It is said that while in port in Norfolk , Virginia in 1952 he once lifted the USS Missouri over his head , a feat that has not been accomplished still to this day ! After his retirement from the Navy Milton went on to become one of the greatest Clay Modelers in the entire American automotive industry . During his career at Ford Motor Company Mr . Glass traveled throughout the world for Ford . It is said that Mr . Glass is personally responsible for changing the genetic make up of 4 or possibly 5 different countries in which he visited . The " Michigan Stud " in some ways may have changed the history of civilization itself . These last acknowledgments are probably just urban legend due to the fact that he was very happily married and had 3 great kids . In March 1954 , she continued her voyage around the world . On the 19th , she put into Port Said , Egypt , and then sailed through the Mediterranean , visiting the sunny liberty ports along the way . On 10 April , she completed her circumnavigation of the globe at Norfolk . Over the next six years , " Stribling " resumed her schedule of 6th Fleet deployments alternated with tours of duty with the 2nd Fleet in the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea . Constant training and exercises , both American and NATO , characterized the bulk of her activities during that period . She was in the Mediterranean in 1958 during the Lebanon crisis and stood by to lend a hand until it was resolved . 1960 – 1969 . The period from June 1960 to April 1966 brought significant changes to " Stribling " . From June 1960 until April 1966 , she was modified extensively at the Charleston Navy Yard under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization ( FRAM ) program . After refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay and participation in NATO exercise " Lime Jug , " " Stribling " stood watch during the recovery of astronaut , John Glenn , in February 1962 . In August , she deployed to the 6th Fleet , but spent at least a third of that tour in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf , operating with the Middle East Force . She exercised with units of the Saudi Arabian and Iranian navies and visited many new ports , notably Djibouti in French Somaliland , Kharg Island in Iran , and Aden . " Stribling " ' s next two deployments were also with the Middle East Force . In the spring of 1966 , the destroyer received a Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter ( DASH ) system and , by 4 May 1966 , completed DASH qualification . In February and March 1967 , she participated in Polaris missile firing tests on the Atlantic test range . On 30 January 1969 , " Stribling " put to sea from Mayport , Florida , to make her second voyage to the Far East . Heading via the Panama Canal , San Diego , and Pearl Harbor , the destroyer made for Yokosuka , Japan , and then operations off the coast of Vietnam . " Stribling " participated in " Sea Dragon " and " Market Time " operations , and her duties also included bombardments on the gunline , search and rescue missions usually for downed carrier pilots , and Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone ( PIRAZ ) duty . The latter assignment involved riding " shotgun " for larger PIRAZ ships armed with more sophisticated radar and target designation systems . That summer , " Stribling " plane - guarded for the carriers operating on " Yankee Station " in the Gulf of Tonkin . When not operating in the combat zone , she put into Kaohsiung , Taiwan ; Hong Kong ; and Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs after a collision with a barge being towed by RVN tug during a nighttime underway replenishment . On 2 August 1969 , " Stribling " cleared the combat zone to return home . On her way , she stopped at Kure and Yokosuka , Japan ; Pearl Harbor ; San Diego ; Acapulco Mexico , and Panama . On 17 September 1969 , she reentered Mayport . 1970 – 1976 . Upon her return from Vietnam , " Stribling " resumed her routine of Mediterranean deployments and Atlantic seaboard duty . The first 6th Fleet deployment ( from August 1970 to March 1971 ) was an active tour of duty , encompassing as it did the Jordanian crisis of 1970 . With Syrian elements and left - wing Jordanians attempting to topple King Hussein from his throne , the 6th Fleet was mobilized to maintain a striking force poised in the eastern Mediterranean . Operating in much the same manner as she did in Vietnam in 1969 , " Stribling " cruised along the coast of Syria on Bravo Station in the anti - aircraft screen for the 6th Fleet until the crisis abated . On 22 October , " Stribling " pursued an unidentified nuclear submarine , stalking her quarry for almost 48 hours . " Stribling " s second deployment , from February until September 1972 , was far more routine . It was given over to normal operations and exercises with other units of the fleet and with units of foreign navies . In March 1973 , she sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and up through the Indian Ocean to rejoin the Middle East Force . After her return to the United States from that deployment , " Stribling " operated with the 2nd Fleet in the western Atlantic . She left the area only once in that time , during September and October 1974 , to participate in exercise " Northern Merger . " That cruise took her to the Netherlands and England for port visits . In mid - October 1974 , she resumed her eastern seaboard operations . The aging " Stribling " made her final Mediterranean cruise in early 1976 , just before decommissioning , due to urgent deployment requirements during this period . " Stribling " was equipped with electronic intelligence gear on the helicopter deck for this cruise , as well as with experimental sonar " classification " equipment installed by the University of Texas . " Stribling " made this last cruise with concrete poured into her bilge s to stop many hull leaks that had not been repaired . During the cruise , " Stribling " was involved in an incident involving a French diesel submarine . While launching a practice ASROC anti - submarine rocket with a dummy warhead , " Stribling " s crew accidentally fired upon the French submarine instead of the stationary target they intended to fire at . Whether the ASROC hit the French submarine or not is still classified . Decommissioning and disposal . " Stribling " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1976 . She was sunk as a target on 27 July 1980 . Awards . " Stribling " earned two battle stars during the Vietnam War . Per Navy Unit Awards posted on awards . navy . mil for the USS Stribling DD - 867 , the ship received the Navy ' s Meritorious Unit Commendation for the period 12 September 1970 to 31 October 1970 . She earned the Navy Expeditionary Medal for the period 1 July 1961 to 18 August 1961 . The Stribling also earned credit for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the periods 17 to 23 July 1958 ; 25 June 1968 ; and 9 to 15 June 1969 . Credit for Vietnam Service was accrued during the periods 20 March 1969 to 25 April 1969 ; 4 to 26 May 1969 ; 28 June 1969 to 2 July 1969 ; and 12 July 1969 to 3 August 1969 . The Stribling also earned credit for the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm during the periods 21 March 1969 to 2 April 1969 ; and 23 to 26 July 1969 .