USS Thorn (DD-988), a Spruance-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant Jonathan Thorn (1779–1811), who took part in Decatur's expedition to destroy the captured frigate Philadelphia in 1804.
Construction and career
Thorn was laid down on 29 August 1977 by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.; launched on 22 November 1978 <!--; sponsored by SPONSOR--> (Thorn was christened on 3 February 1979 by Mrs. Patricia Ansley); and commissioned on 16 February 1980<!-- at COMMLOC, RANK CAPTAIN in command-->.
Thorn was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on 25 August 2004.
Thorn was sunk as a test/target at 08:50 on 22 July 2006 off the United States East Coast.
Gallery
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File:USS Thorn (DD-988) underway, circa the 1980s (NH 106906).jpg|USS Thorn in the 1980s
File:USS Thorn (DD-988) and USS William V. Pratt (DDG-44) underway in the Atlantic Ocean, in 1981.jpg|USS Thorn and USS William V. Pratt in the Atlantic Ocean in 1981
File:A port bow view of the destroyer USS THORN (DD 988) navigating an inland waterway during Exercise UNITAS XXV - DPLA - 0b484df8753f6fcf4d008c04c6d21a44.jpeg|USS Thorn on 1 October 1984
File:US Navy 030905-N-5471P-002 USS Thorn (DD 988) sails in the Atlantic Ocean as it conducts work ups before an upcoming scheduled six-month deployment.jpg|USS Thorn in the Atlantic Ocean on 5 September 2003
File:US Navy 030905-N-5471P-008 Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) ships perform divisional tactics while underway in the Atlantic Ocean.jpg| USS Thorn, USS Cole, ARA Sarandí and USS Gonzalez in the Atlantic Ocean on 5 September 2003
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