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USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764/DDE-764)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764/DDE-764)

USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764) was laid down by Bethlehem Steel Co., Shipbuilding Division, San Francisco, Calif., 26 March 1944; launched 5 October 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Lloyd Thomas, widow of Lieutenant (jg.) Thomas; and commissioned 21 March 1947, Comdr. J. I. Cone in command.

After shakedown off San Diego and a training cruise in Hawaiian waters, USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764) departed the west coast 16 January 1948 for a round-the-world training and good will voyage. During the rest of 1948, the destroyer trained reservists and conducted local operations off southern California. In 1949, after conversion to a hunter-killer type destroyer at San Francisco Navy Yard, USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764) joined the Atlantic Fleet at Newport, R.I., in October and steamed north with 2d Fleet for cold weather exercises in the Arctic. Returning home for the holidays, the destroyer operated between Bermuda and Puerto Rico during the first two months of 1950. She was redesignated DDE-764 on 4 March 1950.

After rigorous operations with the 6th Fleet and calls at Sardinia, Sicily, and Golfo Juan, France, USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764) and her sister destroyers departed Gibraltar 1 November to escort USS Midway (CVB-41) home. They arrived Norfolk 9 November and the destroyers made Newport the next day. From March to December 1961, USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764) underwent a FRAM II conversion, a rehabilitation and modernization program designed to add years of service to destroyers built shortly after World War II. After leaving New York Naval Shipyard USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764) commenced six weeks of refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. Redesignated DD-764 on 30 June 1962, the destroyer operated along the east coast until departing 7 September 1962 for a 6-month tour to the Mediterranean and Middle East. 

On 1 March 1967 USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764), with the rest of Destroyer Squadron 10, departed Newport for another cruise to the Mediterranean. During this deployment, the Six Day War broke out between Israel and her Arab neighbors. The 6th Fleet, including USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764), sailed in the eastern Mediterranean to deter Soviet activity and keep hostilities localized. Following a port visit to Bangkok, Thailand, for the holidays, USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764) served on the gunline, on search and rescue station and at Yankee Station escorting aircraft carriers until 15 February 1971 when she turned for home, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 26 February. After leave and upkeep, and local operations off Hawaii, the destroyer got underway 8 October for surveillance operations of Soviet activities in the Bering Sea above the Arctic Circle, returning back to Pearl Harbor on 12 November.

After a service inspection carried out in March 1972, USS Lloyd Thomas (DDE-764) was slated for disposal as part of the massive draw down of old naval forces in the early 1970s. Decommissioned at Pearl Harbor on 12 October 1972, the destroyer was struck from the Navy List and transferred to the Republic of Tawan that same day.

For a complete history of USS Lloyd Thomas (DD-764/DDE-764) please see its DANFS page.