DD–986 · SPRUANCE-CLASS DESTROYER

USS Harry W. Hill

United States Navy · 1979–1998

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THE SHIP

A record of service.

USS Harry W. Hill · DD–986
Spruance-class destroyer

Commissioned: 17 Nov 1979
Decommissioned: 29 May 1998
Length · class baseline: 563 ft 4 in
Beam · class baseline: 55 ft
Propulsion: 4 × LM2500 turbines
Power / shafts: 80,000 shp / 2

THE NAMESAKE · DD–986

Admiral Harry W. Hill

DD-986 was named in honor of Admiral Hill.

Namesake reference: USS Harry W. Hill · DD-986

ORIGIN & DESIGN

Built at Pascagoula.

USS Harry W. Hill (DD-986) was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi as part of the Spruance class. Designed around antisubmarine warfare, the ships combined gas-turbine propulsion with a flight deck and hangar for embarked helicopters.

Commissioned U.S. Navy service spanned 1979–1998. The record below describes the launcher configuration; the photographs preserve individual moments at sea and in port.

THE SHIP AT A GLANCE

ASROC retained

The trainable ASROC launcher was retained. Harry W. Hill did not receive Tomahawk armored box launchers or a Mk 41 VLS conversion.

Equipment changed during each ship’s service. This is a later-service summary; photographs may show earlier configurations.

Shared design, individual service

Two 5-inch/54 Mk 45 guns; Harpoon; NATO Sea Sparrow; torpedo tubes; Phalanx close-in defense in later service.

Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The class combined gas-turbine propulsion, helicopter facilities, and an emphasis on antisubmarine warfare.

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PHOTOGRAPHS & ARTIFACTS