USS Sterett (CG-31)

USS Sterett (DLG-31/CG-31)
History
United States
Name	Sterett
Namesake	Andrew Sterett
Ordered	20 September 1961
Builder	Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Laid down	25 September 1962
Launched	30 June 1964
Acquired	16 June 1967
Commissioned	8 April 1967
Decommissioned	24 March 1994
Reclassified	CG-31 on 30 June 1975
Stricken	24 March 1994
Homeport	Various: Yokosuka, JN Subic Bay, PI San Diego, CA Long Beach, CA
Motto	Dauntless
Fate	Stricken, contract awarded for the dismantling of this ship July 2005
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Belknap-class cruiser
Displacement	7,930 tons
Length	547 ft (167 m)
Beam	55 ft (17 m)
Draft	28 ft 10 in (8.79 m)
Speed	30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Complement	418 officers and men
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPS-48E air-search radar AN/SPS-49(V)5 air-search radar AN/SPG-55B fire-control radar AN/SPG-53F gun fire-control radar AN/SQS-26 sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	AN/SLQ-32
Armament	1 x Mark 42 5 in (130 mm)/54 gun 2 x 3 in (76 mm) guns, 1 x Terrier missile / SM-2ER launcher, 6 x 15.5-inch (394 mm) torpedo tubes, Harpoon missiles, Phalanx CIWS

USS Sterett (DLG/CG-31) was a Belknap-class destroyer leader / cruiser. She was the third ship to be named for Master Commandant Andrew Sterett (1778–1807), who served during the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Wars. She was launched as DLG-31, a frigate, and reclassified a cruiser (CG) on 30 June 1975.

The contract to construct Sterett was awarded on 20 September 1961. Her keel was laid down at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 25 September 1962. Sponsored by Mrs. Phyllis Nitze, wife of Secretary of the Navy, Paul H. Nitze, she was launched on 30 June 1964, delivered to the navy on 16 June 1967 and commissioned on 8 April 1967.

Sterett earned nine battle stars for her service along the coast of Vietnam.^[1]