The former USS Rodney M. Davis was deliberately sunk in the Pacific during a controlled naval exercise, marking the end of its long service.
Commissioned in 1982 during the Cold War, the ship protected carrier groups and honored Rodney Maxwell Davis. After decades of missions, it was retired and used in a SINKEX—a planned operation to test weapons and improve future ship design.
Before sinking, it was cleaned of harmful materials. It was then struck by an AGM-84 Harpoon, allowing engineers to study real combat impact and refine naval technology.
Though emotional for former crew, the ship’s final mission helped train forces and advance maritime defense. Now resting on the ocean floor, it also serves as an artificial reef.
Its legacy lives on both in the sea and in the knowledge gained to protect future sailors.