The Charles F. Adams ( DDG ) Class
The Charles F. Adams class of missile destroyers was one of the more elegantly designed classes of destroyers ever built. It’s design grew outof the ForrestSherman class and was originally designed as a Forrest Sherman with one five inch gun being replaced by a Tartar missile launcher. As built however,it had a considerably larger hull.
We are seeking information on Charles F. Adamsclass destroyers and their crews. Files, photos andstories may be e-mailed to us.
In addition to our information on the Charles F. Adams Class, you can find more details at www.charlesfadams.com and Adams Class Veterans Association
Ships by Hull Number
- DDG2 Charles F. Adams
- DDG 3 John King
- DDG 4 Lawrence
- DDG 5 Claude V. Ricketts
- DDG 6 Barney
- DDG 7 Henry B. Wilson
- DDG 8 Lynde McCormick
- DDG 9 Towers
- DDG 10 Sampson
- DDG 11 Sellers
- DDG 12 Robison
- DDG 13 Hoel
- DDG 14 Buchanan
- DDG 15 Berkeley
- DDG 16 Joseph Strauss
- DDG 17 Conyngham
- DDG 18 Semmes
- DDG 19 Tattnall
- DDG 20 Goldsborough
- DDG 21 Cochrane
- DDG 22 Benjamin Stoddert
- DDG 23 Richard E. Byrd
- DDG 24 Waddell
Mission:
Work with all Adams Class groups and organizations to Save, Restore and Preserve an Adams class DDG ship. Educate the public on the rich naval heritage of the Adams class ships; Document the roles Adams Class ships played in United States history; Show the importance of preserving historic naval vessels for future generations.
We are searching for a naval ship museum and/or location, willing to partner with us for this project. The ship museum we choose would be designated as the future site for the USS Charles F. Adams DDG-2, and would provide a pier / location and museum facilities to handle the 430 ft long ship. The Charles F. Adams Class ship statistics are shown later in this document.
The History of the USS Charles F. Adams DDG-2
On June 16, 1958, the keel was laid for the USS Charles F. Adams. ADAMS was the first US Naval ship planned and built as a guided missile ship moving the US Navy from a gunship navy into the missile age. The Adams was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and was the first in the class of 29 ships. The ship was named for Charles Francis Adams, Secretary of the Navy from 1929 to 1933. Secretary Adams was a world class yachtsman, winning the America’s Cup in 1921 as the master of the Resolute. The Adams was launched on September 8, 1959, and commissioned on September 10, 1960 at Charlestown/Boston, Massachusetts.
After commissioning and months of operation and technical evaluations, the Adams made an initial Northern Europe good will tour during early 1961 as the flagship for Commodore Raymond Calhoun, DesRon6. Stops were made at many cities not visited by the US Navy since the end of World War II. From Northern Europe Adams sailed through to Keil Canal to Keil, Germany and was assigned to the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean on Mar. 3, 1962. The DDG-2 returned to her home port of Charleston, SC July, 28, 1961.
The Charles F. Adams was designed to meet the new challenges of the Cold War and bristled with more antenna and guidance systems then guns. Adams used new technology as well as conventional weapons. She was armed with two rapid firing, single barreled 5″ 54 caliber guns, one twin Tartar surface-to-air missile launcher, ESW gear, one ASROC 8-tube launcher and two triple torpedo tubes. The first active duty assignment was given the Adams Oct 25, 1962 to serve as the first ship sent to oversee the Cuban Blockade. She served as flagship during Cold War surveillance of Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic, patrolled the turbulent waters of Lebanon, Libya and the Persian Gulf when troubles brought the Navy to those regions in the late 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s and later performed drug interdiction duties. The USS Charles F. Adams was decommissioned Aug.1, 1990 and retired to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to await final disposition.
In January, 1997 the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum Committee, Bay City, MI. began efforts to bring the Charlie Deuce to the area as a museum. The group quit in 2003 and the Adams Class (DDG) Veterans Association, Inc. began in early 2004. The ACVA has over 400 members and gained support of the CNO, key Congressmen and Senators and many ranking military leaders. The ACVA has met and communicated with many cities and local governments to locate a city suitable to place the USS Charles F. Adams DDG-2.
Adams Class (DDG) Veterans Association, Inc.
The ACVA is a 501(c) (3) non profit IRS organization and has begun fundraising. NAVSEA is the government organization who oversees assignment of US Navy vessels from the retired fleet and ACVA is in contact with them. We desire to file an application with NAVSEA to become the sponsor for the ship and have it released to us to become a museum ship. NAVSEA usually meets in May, and we were told our deadline to submit a full application is March 31, 2008
USS Charles F. Adams is the only DDG remaining in the US retired fleet and is sitting at the Philadelphia Navy Shipyard. Several Adams Class DDG’s were transferred to the foreign government of Greece. All were given Greek names and some converted to power barges while others were put in service in the Greek Navy. All have been removed from service, sunk or scrapped. The Australian Government purchased 3 DDG ships and used them in the Royal Australian Navy. All have been decommissioned and sunk as dive reefs at various places off Australia. The German Government purchased 3 DDG ships and used them in their Navy. All have been decommissioned. Two were sunk in exercises however Germany thought so highly of the DDG ships that the FGS Molders was converted into a museum ship and opened in June 2005 at Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
The USS Charles F. Adams DDG-2 has been on “Donation Hold” status by NAVSEA since about 1994. Being on “Donation Hold” has kept the Adams somewhat intact because it has been off limits to scavengers who remove parts and equipment. A group of 15 ACVA members visited the ship in May 2007 with a marine engineer hired to survey the ships condition, The group performed a complete inventory of all spaces and equipment condition. Much original equipment is still intact but has been demilled (made unusable) by NAVSEA but remains available to allow us to use and refurbish to make this a museum ship. The marine engineers report concluded that while needing a great amount of clean up, paint, dry docking and care the ship is still sound and should make a great museum ship.