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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 98402:  USS Lawrence underway near Cape Henry, Virginia, 3 May 1973

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Lawrence (DDG-4), 1962-2003

USS Lawrence, a 3370-ton Charles F. Adams guided-missile destroyer built at Camden, New Jersey, was commissioned in January 1962. She made a shakedown cruise on the Great Lakes and, in the Fall of 1962, took part in Cuban Missile Crisis operations in the Caribbean. In February 1963 Lawrence began the first of more than a dozen overseas cruises, steaming across the Atlantic to join the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. Further Mediterranean tours took place in 1964, 1965, 1966-67, 1968, 1969-70, 1971, 1977-78 and 1979. During the latter cruise, in June 1979, she briefly visited the Black Sea. Lawrence also passed through the 6th Fleet area en route to deployments in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf areas that took place in 1974-75, 1980 and 1983.

The much-travelled destroyer made one Vietnam War tour to the Western Pacific in 1972-73, providing naval gunfire suport, dodging enemy return fire and serving as plane guard during aircraft carrier operations. Lawrence also saw frequent service closer to home, in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, and occasionally visited the waters of Northern Europe. In 1986 she steamed around South America as part of Operation Unitas XVII, exercising with Latin American navies and visiting ports in Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil. USS Lawrence was decommissioned in late March 1990 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register a few months later. She was sold in April 1994, but was repossessed in October 1996 after the failure of the ship breaking firm. Following several more years in Navy custody, and an abortive attempt to have her scrapped in 1999-2000, Lawrence's hulk was broken up by a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania contractor beginning in November 2003.

USS Lawrence was named in honor of Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813), who lost his life while commanding the frigate Chesapeake in battle with HMS Shannon on 1 June 1813.

This page features all our views of USS Lawrence (DDG-4) and her insignia, plus selected views related to her construction.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 98400

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Off the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 6 October 1961. She was then running trials.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 510 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 98401

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Underway at sea, 26 December 1961.
Photographed by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 143KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51264

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


In Buffalo Harbor, New York, September 1962.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 98402

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Underway near Cape Henry, inbound to Norfolk, Virginia on 3 May 1973
Note the Destroyer Squadron 22 insignia painted on the side of her forward superstructure.
Photographed by PH2 Dupuis.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 485 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67991-KN (Color)

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)

Jacket patch of the insignia adopted about 1961-1962.
The eight devices on the shield are Tartar guided missiles.

Courtesy of Captain G.F. Swainson, USN, 1969.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 164KB; 650 x 675 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 101853-KN (color)

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)

Plaque presented by the ship to the Chief of Naval Operations, on the occasion of her commissioning, 6 January 1962.
It includes an example of Lawrence's insignia.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 107KB;520 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51268

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Is christened by Mrs. Fernie C. Hubbard, during launching ceremonies at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 27 February 1960.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 149KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51266

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 27 February 1960.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 137KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 51265

USS Lawrence (DDG-4)


Immediately after launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, 27 February 1960.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 605 pixels

 


In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Lawrence (DDG-4). The following list features some of these images:

The images listed below are NOT in the Naval History and Heritage Command's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • Photo #: USN 1058039
    USS Lawrence (DDG-4) off Camden, New Jersey, 6 October 1961, at the time of her builder's trials.
    Surface view, taken from directly off the ship's stern.

  • Photo #: USN 1058040
    as USN 1058039, but starboard quarter view. The near side of the ship is in the shadow.

  • Photo #: USN 1058042
    as USN 1058039, but starboard bow view. The near side of the ship is in the sunlight.


  • Photo #: USN 1099827
    USS Lawrence (DDG-4) underway in the Mediterranean Sea, 10 May 1964. Photographed PHC J.W. McCombs, of USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42).
    Starboard bow high aerial view.

    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval History and Heritage Command.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval History and Heritage Command's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 28 March 2003
    Introductory text and credit lines updated 14 January 2010