Haze Gray Mystery Picture #164 Answer


 [MYSTERY IMAGE]

Can You Identify This Ship?

This is the destroyer Gyatt (DD 712).

Gyatt was commissioned in 1945 as the third Gearing class destroyer. Her career became more interesting starting in 1956, when she completed conversion as a pioneering guided missile destroyer (DDG 712, then DDG 1), fitted with a twin Terrier missile launcher. She spent 1957-1959 involved in testing the new Terrier system, which was soon fitted in many new and converted guided missile ships. In 1960-1961 Gyatt deployed as an operational destroyer, then in 1962 her missile system was removed and she was outfitted to support the Operational Test and Evaluation Force. The unique experimental destroyer served in this role for several years, before she was eventually stricken in 1969 and sunk as a target the following year.

This view is taken from Gyatt's stern, looking forward. The large boxy structure is the former Terrier missile magazine and handling space. Since this photo was taken after the missile equipment was removed, the missile launcher itself is absent. One of the two missile doors from the magazine has been removed, but one remains. The large mast atop the missile magazine was added to carry additional electronics for experimental purposes while operating with the Test and Evaluation Force.

Correct answers were received from: Barry Lake, William F. Fessenden, Chris Vallery, Kenji Nozaki, Yann Clochec, Peter J. Watson, Maurizio Brescia, William Omberg, Jörg Bihlmayr, Dave Becker, John W. Littrell, Derek Strahan, Werner L. Stunkel, John K. Maloney, A.D. Niemoller, James T. Flynn , Jr., Steve Levine, Bill Vickrey, Dan Rausch, James Corley, Yves Grangeon, Patrick, Greg Lof, J. E. Pflanz, Helmut Heisler, Eugenio Orsini, Jerry Potosky, Adam Smigielski, Gary Landrum, Sarasso Giovanni, Howard J Koch, David M. Retzki, Bob Harmer, Rick B arton, Chris Jones, Rick Chiasson, Dwayne Nutting, Charles Cawood, Mark Robinson, Chris Cavas, Joe Zieba, Lars Eriksson, Stephen Harvey, Frank Chan, David DeVoss, Czéh György, Rick Lundin, James E. Smith, David Nilsen, Wells Doty, Tom Perkins, Vladimir Be glov, Basil Tripsas, Bob Crawford, Lcdr Robert Dussinger, Phil DeBecker, Russ Frevele, Peter Johnson, Bill Rhodes, Barry Gerrard, Ako Gergely, Peter Corbett, Ricardo Graça Matias, Peter Baker, georges wdonwicki, Gunter Krebs, Jocelyn Larue, James Harrison , Michele D'Urzo, Matthew Franko, Mike Potter, Ronald C. EHlert, Chris Woodyard, Scott Olson, Anthony Vella, Mark Karolus, Wolfgang Hopf, James Topping, Javier Hueso, Jouko K. Lehmusto, Mike Madd, Bill Blackmer, Scott Odell, Blake Doty, Jamin, Carsten Lar sen, Joseph "Chuck" Daly III, Christoph Hartmann, Arthur J. Cappabianca.


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