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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 biography of LtCol William Leftwich )〕 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). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Leftwich (DD-984)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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