NavSource Main Page FAQ Contact us Search NavSource

Waving US Flag

NavSource Naval History
Photographic History of the United States Navy
DESTROYER
ARCHIVE

USS LEFTWICH (DD-984)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NPFD

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - SPINNAKER

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. November 12 1976.
Launched April 8 1978 and commissioned August 25 1979.
Decommissioned and Stricken March 27 1998 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Fate Sunk as a target August 1 2003, 022° 48' 47.0" North, 160° 34' 00.0" West.

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By
Leftwich 32kLieutenant Colonel William G. Leftwich, Jr., the citation reads "The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to William Groom Leftwich, Jr. (0-61154), Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as the Senior Task Force Advisor to Task Force ALFA, Vietnamese Marine Brigade, in the vicinity of Hoai An Village, Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 9 March 1965. Major Leftwich played a major part in all phases of the successful relief of the village of Hoai An, which was under heavy enemy attack by two Viet Cong battalions. Prior to the actual operation, he worked out a plan with the 22d Division Air Liaison Officer for supporting aircraft to deliver their ordnance in extra-close proximity to the front lines, and then to continue simulated attacks while the Vietnamese Marines assaulted the enemy positions. He participated in the planning of the approach march which, by using last-minute intelligence, avoided a massive ambush planned by the Viet Cong. As lead elements of the Task Force contacted the Viet Cong from an unexpected direction, he sensed the ideal opportunity to use the prearranged air support plan, and taking the radio, he moved under heavy fire to the forward-most elements of the Task Force. By his own personal example of shooting point-blank and shouting, he led the attack which overran the immediate Viet Cong positions and carried the assault to within forty meters of the crest of a hill overlooking Hoai An. Despite injuries by enemy machine-gun bullets in the back, cheek, and nose, he went to the aid of a mortally wounded comrade, and although bleeding profusely, he refused assistance and delayed his own evacuation until he could call for additional air strikes and brief the Task Force Commander of the situation. Through his heroic conduct and fearless devotion to duty in the face of personal risk, Major Leftwich upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."Bill Gonyo
Leftwich 69kUndated, location unknown.-
Leftwich 63kUndated, location unknown.Joe Barbaritz
Leftwich 48kUndated, location unknown.Joe Barbaritz
Leftwich 71kUndated postcard Copyright © Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.Mike Smolinski
Leftwich 108kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Leftwich 151kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
Leftwich 115kDN-St-84-01212. February 14 1983, an aerial view of the ship repair facility at the U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay. The Spruance-class destroyer USS Leftwich (DD 984) can be seen in a floating dry dock. U.S. Navy Photo by PH2 R. Manary.Robert M. Cieri
Leftwich 168kUSS Leftwich (DD-984) at the Navy's No Ka Oi Shipyard, Pearl Harbor, HI, July 1985.Richard Leonhardt
Leftwich 51kUSS Leftwich (DD-984), USS Worden (CG-18) and USS Fife (DD-991) at Vancouver's 1986 EXPO 86 Worlds Fair.David Freeburn
Leftwich 193kJuly 1986, location unknown. Photo courtesy L & L van Ginderen.Robert Hurst
Leftwich 124kDN-ST-87-02993. A crew member explains basic handling principles for the Mark 46 torpedo and the Mark 32 torpedo tube launcher aboard the destroyer USS LEFTWICH (DD-984). The ship is participating in a midshipmen's summer training cruise. Photo by PH2 Flynn, July 1 1986.Bill Gonyo
Leftwich 39kVancouver, BC July 3 1986.Marc Piché
Leftwich 34kVancouver, BC July 3 1986.Marc Piché
Leftwich 110kDN-ST-87-03022. Crew members aboard the destroyer USS LEFTWICH (DD 984) work to secure lines at a pier. The ship is participating in a midshipmen's summer training cruise. San Francisco photo by PH2 Michael Flynn, July 12 1986.Bill Gonyo
Leftwich 38kSeattle August 1986.Marc Piché
Leftwich 35kSeattle October 1986.Marc Piché
Leftwich 38kFremantle, Australia December 1987.Marc Piché
Leftwich 88kSydney, Australia December 1987.Marc Piché
Leftwich 84kSydney, Australia December 1987.Marc Piché
Leftwich 97kSydney, Australia December 1987.Marc Piché
Leftwich 126kThe Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer Hatsuyuki (DD-122), foreground, and the destroyer Leftwich (DD-984) are moored at a pier as the Tuskegee (YTB-806) and another tug maneuver the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer Hatakaze (DD-171) into her assigned berth at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, HI., June/July 1989. DVIC photo # DN-SC-92-04835 by OS2 John BouviaDefense Visual Information Center
Leftwich 38kFremantle, Australia April 21 1997.Marc Piché
Leftwich 44kFremantle, Australia April 21 1997.Marc Piché
Leftwich 73kJune 4 2000, Middle Loch, Pearl Harbor, Oahu Hawaii, starboard bow view of four decommissioned Spruance class destroyers. They are: USS Ingersoll (DD 990 ), USS Harry W. Hill (DD 986), USS Leftwich (DD 984) and USS Merrill (DD 976). The ships are moored at the Naval Ships Intermediated Maintenance Facility.Fred Weiss
Leftwich 49kLeft to right - USS Ingersoll (DD-990), USS Harry W. Hill (DD-986), USS Merrill (DD-976) and USS Leftwich (DD-984) at NISMF Pearl Harbor August 1 2000. Thanks to Michael C. Potter who gave us the proper ID's.Jim Bedient
Leftwich 58kSame as above, different angle.Jim Bedient
Leftwich 56kTen views of the sinking of the Leftwich on August 1 2003.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 55kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 39kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 43kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 48kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 34kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 38kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 32kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 34kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 29kAs above.Joe Gardella
Leftwich 81kShip's patchMike Smolinski
Leftwich 233kShip's patchMike Smolinski

USS LEFTWICH DD-984 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 James Allen Carney    Aug 25 1979 - Aug 14 1982

CDR James Lawrence Burke    Aug 14 1982 - Dec 22 1984

CDR Ronald Charles Berning    Dec 22 1984 - Mar 20 1987

CDR Daniel Richards Bowler    Mar 20 1987 - May 2 1989 (Later RADM)

CDR Patrick Martin Garrett    May 2 1989 - Jun 12 1991

CDR Joseph Ferdinand Herger    Jun 12 1991 - Feb 27 1993

CDR Samuel Jones Locklear III    Feb 27 1993 - Dec 8 1994 (later ADM)

CDR Christopher Warren Kopang    Dec 8 1994 - Nov 15 1996

CDR Eric Robert Rosenlof    Nov 15 1996 - Mar 27 1998


Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Brian Ferguson
Address:
Phone:
E-mail: ussleftwich@gmail.com
Next Reunion: July 26-27 2013

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


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

Back To The Main Photo Index To The Destroyer Index Page


Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster