USS John Hancock (DD-981)

USS John Hancock in 1983
History
United States
NameJohn Hancock
NamesakeJohn Hancock
Ordered15 January 1974
BuilderIngalls Shipbuilding
Laid down16 January 1976
Launched29 October 1977
Acquired12 February 1979
Commissioned10 March 1979
Decommissioned16 October 2000
Identification
MottoFirst for Freedom
FateScrapped, 28 April 2007
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeSpruance-class destroyer
Displacement8,040 long tons (8,170 t) full load
Length
Beam55 ft (17 m)
Draft29 ft (8.8 m)
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 80,000 shp (60 MW)
Speed32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement19 officers, 315 enlisted
Sensors &
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck and enclosed hangar for up to two medium-lift helicopters

USS John Hancock (DD-981), a Spruance-class destroyer, was the second ship of that name, and the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for Founding Father John Hancock (17371793), the President of the Continental Congress and first signer of the Declaration of Independence.