The USS Dewey (DLG-14/DDG-45) was a Farragut-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy, named in honor of Admiral George Dewey. As the ninth ship of her class, she was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, with her keel laid down on August 10, 1957. She was launched on November 30, 1958, with Katherine St. George, a U.S. representative from New York, serving as her sponsor. Dewey was officially commissioned on December 7, 1959, under the command of Commander Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., who later became the youngest Chief of Naval Operations in 1970. Designed during a period when Farragut-class ships were closer in size to World War II cruisers rather than traditional destroyers, Dewey was part of the evolution of U.S. naval warfare, with her classification initially as a guided missile frigate (DLG). The ship's role was focused on anti-aircraft warfare, reflecting the Navy's emphasis on missile technology and carrier defense strategies. Throughout her early service, Dewey conducted training operations off the New England coast, the Virginia Capes, and in the Caribbean Sea during the first half of 1960, preparing her for deployment with the Atlantic Fleet. She underwent a reclassification on June 30, 1975, changing from a frigate (DLG-14) to a guided missile destroyer (DDG-45), aligning her designation with her primary roles. Dewey was decommissioned for the final time on August 31, 1990, and was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in November 1992. She was sold for scrap in April 1994 to J&L Metals in Wilmington, North Carolina, and was subsequently dismantled. Her service marked an important phase in the U.S. Navy’s transition to missile-armed ships capable of multi-role combat, embodying technological advancements and strategic shifts during her active years.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.