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USS OLDENDORF (DD-972)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NOLY

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - DEPUTY DOG and BIG GUN

CLASS - SPRUANCE As Built.
Displacement 7800 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 563' (oa) x 55' x 20' 6" (Max)
Armament 2 x 5"/54 RF (2x1), 1 Sea Sparrow SAM (1x8) ASROC ASW (1x8),
6 x 12.75" Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3). 1 Helicopter.
Machinery, 80,000 SHP; 4 LM 2500 Gas Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 30 Knots, Range 6000 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 296.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Litton Ingalls, Pascagoula Miss. December 27 1974.
Launched October 21 1975 and commissioned March 4 1978.
Decommissioned June 20 2003.
Stricken April 6, 2004.
Fate Sunk as a target (SINKEX) August 25 2005 off the coast of Washington State.

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Size Image Description Contributed
By
Oldendorf 67kAdmiral Jesse B. Oldendorf served aboard California, Preble, Denver Whipple, San Diego, Hannibal and Saratoga. Sunk by U-boat aboard President Lincoln in WWI. Served aboard Seattle, Patricia, Niagara, Birmingham. Commanded Decatur, navigator of New York, exec West Virginia, commanded Houston. Commanded western Atlantic convoy escorts at start of WWII. Then became battleship cruiser support commander for Marshalls, Truk-Palaus, Marianas, Peleliu, and Leyte Gulf. Capped the Japanese "T" at Surigao Strait, destroying the Japanese southern strike force earning the Navy Cross. Wounded off Okinawa.Bill Gonyo
Oldendorf 24kUndated, location unknown.-
Oldendorf 128kUndated, the USS OLDENDORF (DDG-972), pulls into Pearl Harbor after a six month deployment in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. 960804-N-7726D-001Bill Gonyo
Oldendorf 61kUndated postcard Copyright © Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.Mike Smolinski
Oldendorf 95kUndated, location unknown.Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr
Oldendorf 294kUndated postcard.Tommy Trampp
Oldendorf 80kUndated, off Point Loma.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Oldendorf 122kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Oldendorf 42kSeattle August 1982.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 37kSeattle August 1982.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 68kPort visit to Hobart, Tasmania. Australia sometime prior to 1983.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 65kAs above.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 72kAs above.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 71kAs above.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 61kAs above.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 65kAs above with a good view of the SH-2 Sea Sprite helicopter and the door in the hull for the internally mounted Mk-32 torpedo tubes.Nick Jansen
Oldendorf 73kJanuary 6 1984, Pacific Ocean, a port bow view of the destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD 972 ) underway. US Navy photo.Jerry Hays
Oldendorf 71kJanuary 6 1984, Pacifiv Ocean, a starboard bow view of the destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD 972 ) underway. US Navy photo.Fred Weiss
Oldendorf 51kA port quarter view of the Spruance class destroyer USS OLDENDORF (DD-972) underway off the coast of San Diego, California. An SH-2F Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter is on the ship's flight deck. Photo by PHC KRISTOFFERSEN dated January 6 1984.-
Oldendorf 44kA port bow view of the Spruance-class destroyer USS OLDENDORF (DD 972) underway off the coast of San Diego, California. An SH-2F Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter is approaching the ship's flight deck for a landing. Photo by PHC KRISTOFFERSEN dated January 6 1984.-
Oldendorf 99kEntering Sydney Harbor September 1986Paul Coleman
Oldendorf 36kSydney, Australia October 1986.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 79kSydney, Australia October 1986.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 113kDN-ST-87-03545. The guided missile cruiser USS REEVES (CG-24) and the destroyer USS OLDENDORF (DD-972) moored to a pier in Qingdao during the first visit by U.S. Navy ships to China in 40 years. Photo by PHC Chet King, November 1 1986.Bill Gonyo
Oldendorf 72kDN-ST-87-02188. A port quarter view of the destroyer USS OLDENDORF (DD 972) entering the harbor. Accompanying the ship are the guided missile cruiser USS REEVES (CG 24) and the guided missile frigate USS RENTZ (FFG 46). This is the first visit by US Navy (USN) ships to China in 40 years. Photo by PH1 Charles Mussi, November 5 1986.Bill Gonyo
Oldendorf 178kThe destroyer tender USS Acadia (AD-42) with the destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD-972) and the guided missile frigate USS Curts (FFG-38) alongside, and a sea-going tug on the other. This is a stock image file from the USS Acadia newspaper "Tendergram" November 1990.Robert Hurst
Oldendorf 24kHong Kong, circa 1991-1992.William Chiu
Oldendorf 65kHong Kong, circa 1991-1992.William Chiu
Oldendorf 71kHong Kong, circa 1991-1992.William Chiu
Oldendorf 73kHong Kong, circa 1991-1992.William Chiu
Oldendorf 36kVancouver, BC July 18 1996.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 72kVancouver, BC July 22 1996.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 45kVancouver, BC July 22 1996.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 64kSan Francisco October 1997.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 35kVancouver, BC October 31 1997.Marc Piché
Oldendorf 69kDeparting San Diego, with Point Loma in the background, August 21 2002.Andrew C. Esh
Oldendorf 112k030101-O-4633P-001, San Diego, CA January 1 2003, the first sunset of the year provides a beautiful backdrop for the destroyers USS Elliot (DD 967), USS Oldendorf (DD 972), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), and the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). The ships are decorated with holiday lights as they are moored in San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by Geoffrey Patrick.Bill Gonyo
Oldendorf 143kPhoto taken during SINKEX showing damage from the CIWS fired from the USS Preble (DDG-88), August 25 2005. Photo taken by PH1 (AW/SW/NAC) Keith DeVinney.Joe Gardella
Oldendorf 84kShip's patchMike Smolinski

USS OLDENDORF DD-972 History
Note: History is unavailable at this time
This ship was built too late to be covered by the DANFS project

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves


CDR Lawrence Bertram Blumberg    Mar 4 1978 - Oct 18 1980

CDR Michael Allen McDevitt    Oct 18 1980 - Jul 30 1982 (Later RADM)

CDR John Francis Sussilleaux    Jul 30 1982 - Jan 14 1985

CDR William Robert Schmidt    Jan 14 1985 - Feb 18 1987 (Later RADM)

CDR William John Kane    Feb 18 1987 - Jul 8 1989

CDR Cyrus Hugh Butt IV    Jul 8 1989 - Jul 21 1991

CDR James August Moseman    Jul 21 1991 - Apr 2 1993

CDR Joseph Frederick Bouchard    Apr 2 1993 - Feb 24 1995

CDR Mark Cullen Nesselrode    Feb 24 1995 - Oct 25 1996

CDR Rolf Yngve    Oct 25 1996 - Apr 3 1998

CDR Donald Emory Babcock    Apr 3 1998 - Nov 19 2000

CDR Thomas Robert Taylor Jr.    Nov 19 2000 - Aug 28 2001

CDR Charles McAlister Gaouette    Aug 28 2001 - Jun 20 2003 (Later RADM)


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Oldendorf website
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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