Wreck of USS Fletcher (DD-992)

 military, shipwreck, destroyer (ship), United States Navy

USS Fletcher was the 29th member of the Spruance Class of Destroyers and served with the US Pacific Fleet from her July 12th 1980 commissioning date to her October 1st 2004 decommissioning.

Following her decommissioning, she was relocated to NIMSF Pearl Harbor where she was retained in reserve for 4 years, before being stricken from the Naval register and selected to serve as a target ship. After environmental preparations completed, the Ex-USS Fletcher was towed to this location and used as a target ship for RIMPAC '08 live fire excercises.

Coming under the crosshairs of the Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Waller, the Ex-USS Fletcher became the first vessel ever sunk with the new Mk48 ADCAP 'heavyweight' torpedo, which struck the Veteran Destroyer directly amidships and broke her keel, causing her to rapidly break apart and sink at this location on July 16th, 2008, in 2,670 fathoms.

www.navsource.org/archives/05/992.htm