USS Leftwich ( DD - 984 ) USS " Leftwich " ( DD - 984 ) was a " Spruance " - class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula , Mississippi . She was named for Lieutenant Colonel William G . Leftwich , Jr . , USMC ( 1931 – 1970 ) , who was killed in action at Quang Nam in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 November 1970 in a helicopter crash during the extraction of one of his reconnaissance teams . For this action , Lieutenant Colonel Leftwich received the Silver Star . Lieutenant Colonel Leftwich ’ s medals and awards include : the Navy Cross , the Silver Star ( posthumous ) , the Legion of Merit with Combat “ V ” and two gold stars , the Meritorious Service Medal , the Air Medal with one gold star , the Purple Heart with two gold stars , and various personal awards from the Republic of Vietnam . " Leftwich " was laid down on 12 November 1976 ; and launched 8 April 1978 ; and commissioned 25 August 1979 under the command of Commander Al Carney . The Commissioning speaker was the Chief of Naval Operations , Admiral Thomas B . Hayward , USN , who was a classmate of Bill Leftwich at the United States Naval Academy . Also in attendance at the Commissioning was H . Ross Perot , also a classmate of Lieutenant Colonel Leftwich . Both of Colonel Leftwich ' s sons , and his widow attended the commissioning as well . 1979 – 1985 . " Leftwich " sailed from Pascagoula , MS the morning following the commissioning on 26 August 1979 , en route via the Panama Canal for her homeport , Naval Station San Diego , from which she operated until March , 1985 . On sailing , Hurricane David was threatening to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico , so shipping traffic on the transit to the Panama Canal was unusually light . Hurricane David did strike the Gulf coast , and was followed shortly after by Hurricane Frederic , which caused many ships at Ingalls Shipbuilding and Drydock to sortie into the hurricane . The " Leftwich " made one of the fastest transits on record of the Panama Canal , making the passage without having to anchor . On sailing north in the Pacific Ocean , " Leftwich " found herself behind Hurricane Guillermo , which tracked along the western coast of Mexico , and then turned westward out into the Pacific , allowing the ship to arrive at her new homeport on schedule . While following the storm , " Leftwich " experienced 30 ft ( 10 m ) waves . In the few months after arrival in San Diego , CA , " Leftwich " conducted " Shakedown " training under the guidance of Fleet Training Group , Pacific , in the San Diego Operations Area ( OPAREA ) . In January , 1980 , " Leftwich " returned to Litton Industries at Pascagoula , MS for Warranty repairs and a Post - Shakedown Availability , which included the installation of the NATO Sea Sparrow and Harpoon missile system . On 29 November 1982 she collided with the submarine USS " Thomas A . Edison " ( SSBN - 610 ) approximately 40 miles east of Subic Bay , Philippines . Both ships were conducting war games . " Thomas A . Edison " was at periscope depth when the collision occurred . Both ships suffered damage and returned to Subic Bay . " Edison " suffered damage to her sail , sail planes , and sonar dome . " Leftwich " suffered damage to her sonar dome , sonar dome " banjo " strut , and forward fuel storage tanks located in the forward hull . Two months later , " Thomas A . Edison " made a surface transit to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for decommissioning without the damage having been repaired . In 1984 , " Leftwich " suffered hull and sonar window damage due to high - speed operations in heavy seas during fleet exercises on her deployment to Indian Ocean / Western Pacific ( WESTPAC 1984 ) . 1985 – 1998 . On 1 April 1985 " Leftwich " arrived at her new homeport of Naval Station Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . This remained her homeport for the rest of her career . Leftwich , under the command of RADM ( then Commander ) Daniel Bowler , participated in Operation Nimble Archer on 19 October 1987 . This was a response to Iran ' s 16 October 1987 attack on the MV Sea Isle City , a reflagged Kuwaiti oil tanker at anchor off Kuwait , with a Silkworm missile . " Leftwich " with Helicopter Anti - Submarine Squadron 3 Detachment 5 embarked , arrived at Naval Station Pearl Harbor homeport . In 1990 – 91 , under the command of Commander Patrick Garrett in support of Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm , the destroyer conducted more than 200 merchant ship interceptions and one boarding . She was one of the first ships to fire BGM - 109 Tomahawk cruise missile s during the conflict , and was the first combatant to conduct a wartime reload of Tomahawks for continued operations . With embarked helicopter s and SEALs , she captured the first Iraqi territory repatriated in the war ( an island off the coast of the al - Faw waterway ) , multiple enemy prisoners of war , and conducted 16 combat search and rescue cases . For her efforts in the Persian Gulf , The Leftwich and her crew were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and the Combat Action Ribbon . During her career , " Leftwich " made eight deployments in the Western Pacific Ocean , Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf . She participated in Operation Nimble Archer , Desert Shield , and Desert Storm as well as operations in support of UN sanctions against Iraq . " Leftwich " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 March 1998 . She was sunk as a target on 1 August 2003 at in the Pacific Ocean . Awards , Medals , and Commendations for ship and / or crew : ( needs more help ) Sept 87 – Nov 87 , Jan 97 – Mar 97 , Apr 97 Three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal s , Jan 91 – Feb 91 Combat Action Ribbon , Jan 91 – Feb 91 Navy Unit Commendation , Jul 81 - Sept 81 Navy Expeditionary Medal , Jan 88 – Jun 89 & Jan 91 – Dec 92 Two Battle Effectiveness Award s , National Defense Service Medal , Dec 90 – Mar 91 Southwest Asia Service Medal , 8 Sea Service Ribbon s , Dec 97 – Dec 98 Chief of Naval Operations Letter of Commendation , Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Kuwait ) , Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Saudi Arabia ) REUNIONS : 3 reunions for any crew member who has served aboard the Leftwich , July 2009 , September 2011 , July 2013 . Captains Bowler and Garrett have attended a reunion . Plankowners , Decommissioning crew , and everyone in between have attended . See Facebook USS Leftwich Alumni Association or email ussleftwcih @ gmail . com ( you know how to spell it ) to be on the list for information on future reunions .