The USS STERETT (DLG-31) was commissioned on 8 April 1967 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. Her keel was laid in this yard on 25 September 1962, and she was launched and christened here on 30 June 1964.
The initial crew consisted of 24 officers and 382 enlisted men, commanded by Captain Edward A. CHRISTOFFERSON, Jr., USN, 389440/1100 - 000891-80. About twenty per-cent of the crew started checking into the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in September/October of 1966, forming the Nucleus Crew, and the other eighty per-cent checked into the Fleet Training Center, San Diego forming the balance crew. The balance crew arrived in Puget Sound on 25 March, and the entire unit moved on-board that day. On hand for this occasion was Rear Admiral W. F. PETROVIC, Shipyard Commander, Mayor Glenn Jarsted, Mayor of Bremerton, and other civic dignitaries.
After commissioning, the ship remained in the shipyard, with the exception of two short at-sea periods until 16 June, when the ship was formally delivered to and accepted by the Navy. During this time she was completely fitted out with all their initial allowance of equipage items. The first at sea period was Builder's Trials (14-17 April) conducted by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard personnel to test the underway operating capabilities and limitations of all major systems on the ship. The second period was the Preliminary Acceptance Trials (16-18 May), conducted by the Sub Board of Inspection and Survey, San Francisco, to inspect all systems tested on Builder's Trials, and then recommended acceptance of the ship by the Navy.
Upon acceptance, the ship was assigned to Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet as flagship of Destroyer Squadron THREE, home ported in Long Beach, California.
From 20-24 June the ship conducted her first independent steaming exercises, culminating in a Dependents Day Cruise on 24 June. The ship then returned to the shipyard until 5 July. From 5-20 July, the ship conducted her first Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Accuracy Tests in Dabob Bay, Washington, Carr Inlet, Washington and the Nanoose Underwater Weapons Range, Canada. This consisted of acoustic trials, self-noise tests to determine best quiet ship conditions, and eventually ASROC and Torpedo firings. During this period, the STERETT compiled enough information on own ship characteristics to furnish all DLG-26 class ships with basic tactical data information for the first time.
On 21 July the ship departed Nanoose for San Francisco and onloading of missiles at NAD Concord in preparation for Missile Systems Qualification Tests in August.
The ship departed Concord on 24 July for San Diego, where we depermed on 26-27 July and then steamed to our new home port of Long Beach on 28 July. The entire month of August was spent within the Southern California Operating Areas conducting missile tests, of in our home port of Long Beach. The tests were completed on 28 August on the Pacific Missile Range with actual Terrier firings.
On 6 September the ship departed Long Beach for a four day R & R visit to Acapulco, Mexico. During this time, the STERETT represented the city of Beverly Hills, Acapulco's sister city, and exchanged gifts between the two cities.
On return from Acapulco, the STERETT participated in COMPTUEX wit the USS BELKNAP and other Pacific Fleet Units in an NTDS demonstration.
The STERETT then spent the next seven weeks attached to the Fleet Training Group, San Diego in her first period of extensive shakedown training, which included underway replenishment drills, gunnery shoots, missile and ASROC firings, extensive engineering and damage control drills, NBC Warfare Training, shore bombardment, electronics and communications drills and simulated battle problems.
Upon completion of the shakedown training on 1 December, the STERETT of-loaded all ammunition at Seal Beach on 4 December in preparation for returning to Puget sound Naval Shipyard in early January for Post Shakedown availability.
The STERETT remained in Long Beach the remainder of the month with the exception of the 18-20th, when she conducted her Final Acceptance Trials, again under the cognizance of the Sub Board of Inspection and Survey, San Francisco.
On 31 December, the STERETT officially became sponsors of the ex-USS LOS ANGELES Division of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet and Navy League Cadets, two groups of 11-16 year old boys, sponsored by the Navy League of America.
01 JAN - 07 APR 67 - Completion of construction period
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA
08 APR 67 - Commissioning, PSNS
09-13 APR 67 - Fitting out, PSNS
14-17 APR 67 - Builder’s Trials, Puget Sound
18 APR - 15 MAY 67 - Fitting out continued
16-18 MAY 67 - Preliminary Acceptance Trials, Puget Sound
19 MAY - 15 JUN 67 - Completed fitting out.
16 JUN 67 - STERETT accepted by USN
17 - 18 JUN 67 - Inport, PSNS
19 JUN 67 - Onloaded weapons at NAD Bangor, WA
20 - 23 JUN 67 - Independent ship exercise, Washington Coast
24 JUN 67 - Dependent’s cruise in Puget Sound
25 JUN 67 - Inport, PSNS
26 - 28 JUN 67 - ISE, Washington coast
29 JUN - 04 JUL 67 - Inport, PSNS
05 - 06 JUL 67 - Underway, ASW Weapons System
Accuracy Test (ASW-WSAT), Dabob Bay, WA
07 - 13 JUL 67 - Inport, PSNS
14 JUL 67 - Underway ASW-WSAT, Dabob Bay, WA
15 - 16 JUL 67 - Acoustic trials, Carr Inlet
17 JUL 67 - Enroute Nanoose Underwater Weapons Range, Canada
18 - 19 JUL 67 - STU Operations, Nanoose
20 JUL 67 - ASW-WSAT firings - 3 ASROC, 2 Torpedo - Nanoose
21 JUL 67 - Enroute, San Francisco, CA
22 - 23 JUL 67 - Inport, San Francisco, CA
24 JUL 67 - Onloaded missiles, NAD, Concord, CA
25 JUL 67 - Enroute, San Diego, CA
26 - 27 JUL 67 - Depermed, San Diego, CA
28 JUL 67 - Arrived Long Beach, CA
29 JUL - 01 AUG - Inport, Long Beach, CA
02 - 04 AUG - Missile Systems Qualifications Trials (SQT)
Southern CA (SOCAL) operating areas (OPAREAS)
05 - 08 AUG 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
09 - 11 AUG 67 - Missile SQT - SOCAL OPAREAS
12 - 13 AUG 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
14 - 16 AUG 67 - Missile SQT - SOCAL OPAREAS
17 - 20 AUG 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA - collimation
21 - 25 AUG 67 - Missile SQT - SOCAL OPAREAS
26 - 27 AUG 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
28 AUG 67 - ISE - SOCAL OPAREAS
29 AUG - Missile firing - Pacific Missile Range
30 AUG - 05 SEP - Inport, Long Beach, CA
06 - 09 SEP 67 - Enroute Acapulco, Mexico
10 - 13 SEP 67 - Inport, Acapulco, Mexico
14 - 16 SEP 67 - Enroute San Diego, CA
17 SEP 67 - Inport San Diego, CA
18 - 19 SEP 67 - SOCAL OPAREAS
20 - 27 SEP 67 - Inport, San Diego, CA
28 SEP - 01 OCT - SOCAL OPAREAS
02 OCT 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
03 OCT 67 - Onloaded Ammunition, Seal Beach, CA
04 - 15 OCT 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
16 OCT - 01 DEC 67 - Shakedown training, Fleet Training Group, San Diego
02 - 03 DEC 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
04 DEC 67 - Off-loaded ammunition at Seal Beach, CA
05 - 17 DEC 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA
18 - 20 DEC 67 - Final Acceptance Trials
21 - 31 DEC 67 - Inport, Long Beach, CA