JOHN YOUNG DD 973

Ship Name and Designation History

This section lists the names and designations that the ship had during its lifetime. The list is in chronological order.

Spruance Class Destroyer Keel Laid February 17 1975 - Launched January 6 1976 Christened February 7 1976 USS JOHN YOUNG DD-973 Commissioned May 20 1978 - Decommissioned Ceremony September 19 2002 Decommissioned September 30 2002 Struck from Naval Register November 6 2002 Sunk April 13 2004 as target in "SINKEX 2004"

Naval Covers

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1. USS John Young DD-973 Covers Page 1    (1978-99)

 

Postmarks

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A postmark should not be included unless accompanied by a close-up image and/or an image of a cover showing that postmark. Date ranges MUST be based ONLY ON COVERS IN THE MUSEUM and are expected to change as more covers are added.
 
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Postmark Type --- Killer Bar Text	Postmark Date	Thumbnail Link To Postmark Image	Thumbnail Link To Cover Image

 

Locy Type FDC 2-1(n+)(USS)

1978-05-20

First Day in Commission

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (USS)

1986-08-21

Note:

 

Locy Type 2-1(n+) (D1,USS,USN)

1999-02-22

Note:

 

Locy Type 9-1n+u (USS; "CDD-973")

1991-08-01

Note:

 

Locy Type 11-2n+ (USS,FPO AP 96686)

2002-10-01

Arrival at Bremerton WA after Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type 11-2n+ (USS,FPO AP 96686) Locy Type 12-2cn+ (USS,FPO AP 96686)

2002-10-01

Arrival at Bremerton WA after Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type 12-2cn+ (USS,FPO AP 96686)

2002-10-01

Arrival at Bremerton WA after Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Locy Type 11-2n+ (USS,FPO AP 96686)

2002-10-01

Arrival at Bremerton WA after Decommissioning, cachet by Tom Armstrong

 

Other Information

NAMESAKE - John Young (1740-1781)
Young was a captain in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War, commander of the SARATOGA which was lost at sea. He began his seafaring career at an early age in the colonial merchant marine and, at the start of the American Revolution, was commissioned 23rd on the list of Captains in the Continental Navy. On September 20 1776, the Continental Congress directed Young to take the Sloop-of-War INDEPENDENCE to Martinique to protect American mercantile shipping in the West Indies. On July 5 1777, Young was ordered to Nantes, France, and subsequently arrived at Lorient with two prizes. On February 17 1778, while in French waters, he sailed through the French Fleet, saluting that nation's government with a 13-gun salute. In return he received a nine-gun salute, one of the earliest salutes rendered by the French government to the fledgling American government. Young returned to America in the spring of 1778 and successively commanded two Pennsylvania Privateers, BUCKSKIN and IMPERTINENT, before he was given command of the Sloop-of-War SARATOGA - then fitting out at Philadelphia--in May 1780. Young took her to sea on August 13 1780 and, in the course of the ship's first cruise, captured one prize before she returned to port for repairs and alterations. Subsequent cruises were more successful, as Young commanded on three more sweeps at sea in which he took a total of eight more prizes. Young proved himself a daring and resourceful commander. On one occasion, he took SARATOGA between two British ships and captured both. Largely as a result of his dedication and emphasis on training, SARATOGA compiled a distinguished, but altogether brief, record before her untimely and unexplained loss. SARATOGA set sail from Cap Francais, in what is now the Dominican Republic, on March 15 1781. After taking a prize three days later, the Sloop-of-War became separated from her later that day when a strong gale swept through the area, the high winds nearly swamping the prize commanded by Midshipman Penfield. After the storm passed by, SARATOGA was nowhere to be seen, having vanished without a trace

The United States Navy named two ships, USS Young (DD-312), and USS John Young (DD-973) in his honor

 

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