The sheet issued by Liberia “They Sailed the Seven Seas” has four ships not before depict on a stamps.
One is the USA destroyer MORTON.
She was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Miss.
04 March 1957 laid down.
23 May 1958 launched under the name USS MORTON (DD-948), Miss Edwina R. Morton performed the launching ceremony. She was one of the Forrest Sherman Class. She was named after Lieutenant Commander Dudley Morton the famed commander of the submarine WAHOO, which was lost with all hands on 10 Nov. 1943, after an air attack by Japanese aircraft.
Displacement 3.000 standard, 4.200 full load. Dim. 127.4 x 13.7 x 6.1m.
Powered by 2 General Electric geared turbines, 70.000 shp., twin screws, speed 33 knots. 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers supplied steam.
Armament 3 – 5 inch, 4 – 3 inch guns. 2 – Hedghog ASW Mortars, 4 – 21 torpedo tubes and 6 – 12.75 Mk 32 ASW torpedo tubes.
Complement 17 officers and 275 enlisted men.
Building cost $26 million.
26 May 1959 commissioned, under command of Commander John M. DeLargy
After a training cruise in the Caribbean MORTON proceeded to the west coast USA, arriving San Diego, California, 20 October 1959. She deployed to the western Pacific in January 1960, participated in “Blue Star” a joint Navy, Marine, Air Force amphibious operation in March and made a special “People to People” visit to Bombay, India, before returning to the west coast 31 May 1960.
Departing San Diego 03 April, she reported for 1 months duty in the Formosa Patrol, during which time she participated in operation “Handclasp,” carrying food, medicine, and clothing to the less fortunate people of free China. She returned to San Diego 28 September 1961, and continued operations off the west coast until sailing 13 November 1962 for another WestPac deployment.
Following duty with the Formosa Patrol, and operations off Japan, she steamed home, arriving San Diego 15 June 1963.
MORTON continued operations off the west coast until August 1964, when she steamed to the South China Sea to support South Vietnam in its struggle against Communist aggression, during which time she engaged hostile forces in the Gulf of Tonkin, before returning to the west coast 06 February 1965.
Arriving off South Vietnam in April 1966, she shelled Vietcong supply points and encampments for the next 4 months. MORTON resumed operations off Vietnam in May 1967. At first assigned to intercept Vietcong supply craft, she later provided gunfire support for the 12th Marine Regiment near the DMZ, returning to San Diego 03 November.
MORTON departed San Diego 31 October 1968 for WestPac where she continues to serve into 1969.
Between 02 May 1969 and 30 Sept. 1969 she underwent major ASW modernization. During this modernization was she recommissioned on 17 August 1970.
She was later based at Pearl Harbor.
22 November 1982 decommissioned at Pearl Harbor.
Towed to Middle Loch, Pearl Harbor for demilitarizing by the Navy yard.
07 February 1990 stricken from the Navy List.
17 March 1992 sold, she was towed to South West Marine Inc’s shipyard, San Pedro for scrapping.
Source: http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroyer/dd948txt.htm , copied till 1969.
Warships of the US Navy by Samuel I. Morison & John S. Rowe.
http://www.ussmortondd948.org/Decommisi ... orton.html