USS John Rodgers (DD-983)

The USS John Rodgers (DD-983) was a Spruance-class destroyer laid down on 12 August 1976 at the Ingalls Shipbuilding facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 18 March 1978 and commissioned on 4 September 1979.

Early Service History

During the early 1980s, John Rodgers sailed to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as the Persian Gulf. On 16 September 1983, John Rodgers fired her guns against Syrian-controlled portions of Lebanon in response to Syrian shelling near the residence of the U.S. ambassador. Ongoing fire support missions continued through September 21. The Rodgers also spent time in the Caribbean and was photographed off the coast of Grenada in the early 1980s. She undertook a midshipman's cruise in the Caribbean during the summer of 1985.

The 1990s

The Rodgers operated in support of operations in the Persian Gulf over the winter of 1990 to 1991 during the first Gulf War. In 1993, John Rodgers served as the flagship for the Commander of the South Atlantic Force during UNITAS XXXIII, an annual exercise with the naval forces of various South American nations.

In 1995, the Rodgers was deployed as part of the NATO Standing Naval Force. Because of active hostilities among the successor states that were formed following the breakup of the former Republic of Yugoslavia, she spent much of this deployment engaged in Maritime Interdiction Operations in the Adriatic Sea in support of Operation Sharp Guard.

When Naval Station Charleston was closed in 1995 by the Base Realignment Commission, John Rodgers was transferred to Mayport, Florida in August of that year. From January to March 1996, John Rodgers participated in joint maneuvers with vessels of the British Royal Navy off the coast of Scotland. During this time she also made port visits to Bremerhaven, Germany and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

On 3 October 1997, John Rodgers departed on her last overseas deployment. This final tour of duty took her to the Mediterranean where she participated in the Bright Star 97 naval exercise hosted by the Egyptian navy. She also took part in Operation Reliant Mermaid, a joint exercise with Israel and Turkey in January 1998.

John Rodgers was decommissioned and stricken on 4 September 1998. While being stored at the Philadelphia Naval Yard, she was sold to International Shipbreaking Limited of Brownsville, Texas in 2005.

Asbestos Risks

The naturally occurring mineral asbestos was commonly used on Navy vessels for various reasons and in many different locations. Unfortunately, exposure to asbestos has been noted to cause the development of asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. The manufacturers that produced asbestos-containing materials knew these side effects but elected not to disclose the information or protect workers and sailors.

Because of this, many who have contracted an asbestos-related disease have received compensation to help pay for treatment options and lost income. If you would like to learn more about compensation, treatment options and asbestos exposure, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a complimentary packet.

Sources

Destroyers Index