USS Coontz (DLG-9/DDG-40) was a destroyer leader/frigate in the United States Navy. She was named after Admiral Robert Coontz, the US Navy's second chief of naval operations. Commissioned in 1960, she spent the early part of her career in the Pacific Ocean, participating in four tours of duty during the Vietnam War. In the early 1970s she transferred to the east coast and spent the remainder of her service years in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Persian Gulf. She assisted in saving after that ship was hit by Iraqi missiles. In 1975, as part of the Navy's reclassification process, all ships of her class were reclassified as guided missile destroyers (DDG). Coontz was decommissioned in 1989, and sold for scrap five years later. Her transom nameplate was salvaged and donated to the city of Hannibal, Missouri, birthplace of Admiral Coontz. Construction and commissioning Coontzs keel was laid at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in March 1957, 39 years after Admiral Coontz left his post as the shipyard's commander. The first guided-missile frigate to be built on the West Coast, and the second ship to bear the name of the Navy's second chief of naval operations, Coontz was christened by Mrs. Robert J. Coontz, wife of the admiral's grandson, on 6 December 1958. Coontz was commissioned on 15 July 1960 and completed post-shakedown training in April 1961. Coontz was commissioned 6 months ahead of Farragut, the lead ship of the class, some references refer to the class as Coontz-class frigates/destroyers. Coontz then became a unit of the Cruiser-Destroyer Force U.S. Pacific Fleet and joined the First Fleet as flagship of Destroyer Division 152, home port in San Diego, California. Commander, Destroyer Squadron 15 flew his flag in Coontz from 4 May to 12 July 1961. DLG-9 Coontz departed from San Diego on 10 August 1961 and joined the Seventh Fleet as a unit of the fast carrier task force. Remaining with the Seventh Fleet for more than seven months, Coontz steamed and visited ports in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, B.C.C, Australia and American Samoa. While conducting training exercises to maintain full combat readiness, Coontz received the coveted "E" award for excellence in missilery. Coontz returned to the United States on 23 March 1962 to rejoin the U.S. First Fleet and became the flagship of the Commander, Destroyer Squadron 17 in April 1962. On the second anniversary of her awards