USS Richard E . Byrd ( DDG - 23 ) USS " Richard E . Byrd " ( DDG - 23 ) , a " Charles F . Adams " - class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy , was named after noted polar explorer Admiral Richard E . Byrd . The keel for the " Richard E . Byrd " was laid down 12 April 1961 by Todd Shipbuilding Corp . Seattle , Washington . She was launched 6 February 1962 ; sponsored by Mrs . Richard E . Byrd , whose daughter , Mrs . Robert G . Breyer , acted as proxy sponsor for the admiral ' s wife ; and commissioned on 7 March 1964 , Comdr . Walter G . Lessman in command . She was decommissioned on 27 April 1990 and in 1992 was sold to Greece and used for spare parts . She was sunk as target 19 June 2003 . Service . Following a 45 - day fitting out period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , Wash . , " Richard E . Byrd " steamed for her homeport of Norfolk , Va . , via the Panama Canal , arriving 14 June 1964 . During July , August , and September she underwent missile qualifications and underway training out of San Juan and Guantanamo Bay . She then returned to Norfolk Naval Shipyard , Portsmouth , Va . , for 2 months of post - shakedown availability . " Richard E . Byrd " deployed to the Mediterranean 6 January 1965 as a unit of Destroyer Division 182 . Operating with the 6th Fleet , she participated in AAW and ASW exercises with both U . S . and NATO forces . Following her return to Norfolk 6 June , she conducted missile firings at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range . September , October and November found her on type training in the Virginia Capes operating areas . Steaming north to Argentia , Newfoundland , 7 January 1966 , " Richard E . Byrd " conducted a missile firing test in the Davis Strait before returning to Norfolk a month later . Following firing exercises at Culebra in March , she called at the Virgin Islands before returning to homeport . " Richard E . Byrd " transited the Atlantic with , , , and , entering the Mediterranean 29 March to commence a 5 - month deployment . After turnover 2 August at Pollensa Bay , the Balearics , " Richard E . Byrd " steamed for Norfolk , arriving the 12th . Post deployment leave and upkeep occupied the next month . A call at Brooklyn Naval Shipyard ( 18 September to 7 October ) was followed by local operations out of Norfolk with various amphibious and ASW fleet units . Operations of this sort continued into January 1967 . Late that month Richard E . Byrd moved south to the Jacksonville operations area , and , while serving as rescue destroyer for , she rescued Lt . ( jg ) John F . Dickinson , whose A4 - E aircraft crashed during a landing approach . After a 3 - day call at Mayport and a visit to Mobile , Ala . , for Mardi Gras festivities , " Richard E . Byrd " returned to Norfolk , where she remained until 3 March . " Springboard " exercises next took " Richard E . Byrd " to the Caribbean through 16 March , then came pre - deployment leave , upkeep , and training . Standing out of Thimble Shoals Channel 2 May in company with " Saratoga " and four other escorts , " Richard E . Byrd " steamed for the Mediterranean , effecting turnover 5 May at Pollensa Bay . Because of the Arab - Israeli conflict , port visits were curtailed . Instead of calling at Naples , " Richard E . Byrd " remained at sea in the screen of . She was a member of the force which rendezvoused with the damaged 9 June . Returning to Norfolk 8 September , " Richard E . Byrd " entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul 21 November 1967 to 30 May 1968 . Refresher training and coastal operations filled the summer of 1968 , and on 11 September , the ship steamed to take part in NATO exercise " Silver Tower " in the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea . Back in Norfolk 11 October , " Richard E . Byrd " prepared for her fourth Mediterranean deployment . Joining the 6th Fleet 15 November , she immediately became involved in the varied evolutions that typify Mediterranean fleet operations . She returned to her homeport 27 May 1969 . Local training , leave and upkeep followed , and then came a Caribbean cruise 29 July to 26 August . On 6 October ship and crew participated together with Senator Harry F . Byrd and Virginia Gov . Mills E . Godwin , in the dedication of Richard Evelyn Byrd Hall at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at Gloucester Point , Va . " Richard E . Byrd " continued local operations out of Norfolk during the first four months of 1970 ; she operated both along the east coast and in the Caribbean . On 30 April , she exited the Chesapeake Bay bound for her fifth deployment with the Sixth Fleet , arriving at Gibraltar 11 May . Six months later she was back in Norfolk and remained there for the rest of 1970 . For eleven of the twelve months of 1971 , she stayed in Atlantic coast – Caribbean Vicinity , undergoing overhaul , post - overhaul tests and refresher training . On 1 December she steamed out of Norfolk on still another Mediterranean cruise . She made Gibraltar 9 December and remained with the Sixth Fleet until 23 June 1972 , when she began her return voyage to Virginia . She arrived at Norfolk on the 29th and continued normal operations out of that port up to 29 May 1973 , when she again pointed her bow toward the Mediterranean She made Rota , Spain , 21 June and cruised the Mediterranean until November . " Richard E . Byrd " returned to Norfolk on the first day of December . Decommissioning . The guided - missile destroyer continued to serve until decommissioned on 27 April 1990 . She was struck from the Navy list on 1 October 1992 and officially transferred to the Hellenic Navy on 26 August 1993 . The hulk was towed to Salamis , Greece , on 12 October 1993 where she was used for spare parts for the other four " Charles F . Adams " destroyers in Greek service . See also . The second United States Navy ship to be named after Admiral Richard E . Byrd was the USNS Richard E . Byrd ( T - AKE - 4 ) a " Lewis and Clark " - class dry cargo ship .