The service history of the United States Warship USS Morton(DD-948).
PREAMBLE;
The Morton's "Keel" was laid on March 4th 1957, by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Mississippi, and launched on May 23rd 1958, with sponsorship by Miss Edwina R. Morton(Dudley Morton's Daughter), and commissioned on May 26th 1959 at North Charleston, South Carolina, with Commander John M. DeLargy in command.
The Morton was assigned to the US 7th Fleet, arriving at it's New "Home Port", Naval Station San Diego California on October 20th 1959.
The Morton made a Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC) from January through May of 1960, participating in Operation Blue Star, a joint Navy, Marine, Air Force amphibious operation in March, and made a special "Liberty Port Visit" to Bombay India, before returning to San Diego California on May 30th, 1960.
Departing San Diego on April 3rd 1960, The USS Morton reported for one month of duty in the Formosa Patrol, during which time it participated in "Operation Handclasp", carrying food, medicine, and clothing to the less fortunate people of Free China, and then returning to San Diego on September 28th 1961, where it continued "Local Operations" off the West Coast.
The USS Morton started another Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC), from November 1962 through June of 1963, including duty with the Formosa Patrol, and operations off Japan before returning to San Diego on June 15th, 1963.
The USS Morton then continued "Local Operations" off the West Coast until August 1964, when it traversed to the South China Sea and patrolled off the coast of South Vietnam. On September 11th 1964, approximately one month after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, DIRNAVSECGRUPAC informed DIRNSA of plans for an intercept team, SIGAD USN-467P, to be aboard the USS Morton. The DESOTO patrol, part of Operation 34A, was conducted by the USS Morton and the USS Edwards(DD-950) approximately one month after the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The USS Morton spent the next several months screening aircraft carriers after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident before returning to San Diego California on February 6th 1965.
Arriving off South Vietnam in April 1966 the destroyer shelled Vietcong supply points and encampments for the next 4 months.
The USS Morton then departed San Diego on October 30th 1968, again joining the "Gun Line", and bombarded North Vietnamese and Vietcong supply points and bunkers up and down the Vietnamese Coast,
and then returning to San Diego California in the late spring to begin preparations for an Anti-Submarine Weapons System Modernization at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, California, which included the replacment of one of the three Mark 42 Gun Mounts(the one just "Aft of Mid Ship") with an ASROC Launcher.
The USS Morton was decommissioned at Long Beach California on September 26th 1969.
The USS Morton was then "Recommissioned" on August 15th 1970, and then assigned to a "New Home Port", Pearl Harbor Hawaii on October 22nd 1970,
and spent the next year testing it's new SQS-23 sonar, ASROC Launcher and new Electronic Systems.
As part of this refresher training, The USS Morton conducted numerous ASW exercises against "Friendly Submarines" off the coasts of Hawaii and California.
Following a Tender Availability at Pearl Harbor in early 1971, The USS Morton sailed on a Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC) on September 9th, 1971, and conducted two "Gun Line Tours", before sailing from Australia, to arrive Pearl Harbor Hawaii, on March 1st 1972.
Later in the year, The USS Morton participated in several ASW exercises before deploying again to a Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC) on October 13th, 1972. More "Gun Line Tours" followed, including a "Linebacker Raid" on North Vietnamese coastal targets in December 1972.
Following the ceasefire on January 28th 1973, The USS Morton patrolled off the Coast of South Vietnam until sailing back to Pearl Harbor Hawaii on February 19th 1973.
With the end of Vietnam hostilities, The USS Morton's ensuing deployments centered around providing "Screen and Escort" services for Carrier Task Forces.
During these years, The USS Morton also continued to participate in ASW exercises, owing to the threat from the growing Soviet Submarine fleet.
After enduring serious boiler problems in the Philippines in the spring of 1974, The USS Morton underwent an "Extensive Overhaul" at Naval Shipyard Pearl Harbor Hawall in 1975.
After completion of the "Overhaul" at Naval Shipyard Pearl Harbor Hawaii, The USS Morton participated in "Local Operations" throughout 1976.
The USS Morton deployed again on a Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC), on February 17th, 1977. During this cruise, the warship participated in ASW exercises off Taiwan, and sailed into the Indian Ocean for "Liberty Port Visits" to Kenya and Iran, before returning to Pearl Harbor Hawaii on September 28th 1977.
The USS Morton deployed again on September 11th 1978, operating off the coasts of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, before sailing for Pearl Harbor Hawaii on March 7th 1979.
On May 3rd 1980, The USS Morton began an overhaul at Navy Shipyard Pearl Harbor Hawaii,
The USS Morton sailed on it's Last Western Pacific Deployment(WESTPAC) in February 1982, during which it participated in five major ASW exercises with U.S. and Allied Naval Forces.
On two occasions during the "Last Deployment", The USS Morton aided Vietnamese Refugees, rescuing 18 Refugees on June 9th, 1982, and 52 Refugees on June 10th, 1982,
The USS Morton made it's "Last & Final" return to it's "Home Port" Pearl Harbor Hawaii on 12 August 12th, 1982.
"Left" to "Right", USS Somers(DDG-34), USS Morton(DD-948), & USS Richard S. Edwards(DD-950),
"Mothballed" at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility(NISMF) in Pearl Harbor Hawaii;
The USS Morton was sold to Southwest Recycling, Inc., Terminal Island California, for scrapping on March 17th 1992.
During the scrapping process, the commercial diving crew responsible for removing the Struts, Shafts and Wheels of the USS Morton set the current (as of 2007) world record for the thickest piece of steel cut underwater by means of an "Ultra Thermic Torch",
Charles Glisson
The USS Morton(DD-948) was a Forrest Sherman Class destroyer of the United States Navy, named after Commander
Dudley "Mush" Morton USN, on the "Left";
the Commanding Officer of the Submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) during World War II.
HISTORY;
After an initial "Shake Down Cruise" in the Caribbean, which even included a "Liberty Port Visit" to the Island of Aruba of the Netherland Antilles,
After a short break, The USS Morton began Sea Dragon operations off North Vietnam in May of 1967. During these raids, The USS Morton targeted enemy coast defense sites and radar installations and interdicted barge traffic along the coast. The USS Morton also provided gunfire support for the 12th Marine Regiment near the DMZ before returning to San Diego California on November 3rd 1967.
completing the "Yard Work" and "Refresher Training"(REFTRA) by the summer of 1981.
for which The USS Morton was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal.
CODA;
The USS Morton was decommissioned at Naval Station Pearl Harbor on November 22nd 1982, and it's name "Struck" from the Navy List on February 7th, 1982, and "Mothballed" at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility(NISMF) in Pearl Harbor Hawaii, for the next 10 Years.
and while cutting the STBD Shaft, it was discovered that the USS Morton's shafts deviated from the blueprints provided to Southwest Marine & Recycling. Specifically, the shafts were supposed to have
a wall thickness of Two Inches (2.0"), however, upon being cut, the shafts were found to be almost completely solid, consisting of a wall of 19.2" inches around a 2.0" inch hollow cylinder. It was "Speculated" that the shafts deviated from specifications because of material shortages, requiring use of an Inferior Alloy, and that the "Departure From Specifications" was basically just SWEPT UNDER "The Rug", but this has not been "Investigated" nor OFFICIALLY "Confirmed".
THE SALTIEST SHIP;
The Morton's "Motto" was;
"The Saltiest Ship in The Fleet", and The Ship's Flag had the Ship's name, the Morton Company "Salt Girl", and the Phrase "The Saltiest Ship in The Fleet" quite naturally, on a background of the same shade of blue that is featured on the Morton Salt Cans.
In the ships store, you could purchase Morton "Saltiest Ship" Patches and Tee Shirts too.
The story that I was "Told" when I "Came Aboard" in 1982, and that I have been able to verify from other "Morton Navy Veterans" going back to at least 1964, was that the ship asked The Morton Salt Company for permission to use "Their Logo", and not only was the permission "Granted", but that the Company "Gifted" the flag to The USS Morton "Ready Made"!
Respectfully,
Hull Maintenance Technician(HT3)
USS Morton(DD-948)
May-November, 1982
