1979–1985
''Leftwich'' sailed from Pascagoula, MS the morning following the commissioning on 26 August 1979, en route via the Panama Canal for her homeport, Naval Station San Diego, from which she operated until March 1985. On sailing, Hurricane David was threatening to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico, so shipping traffic on the transit to the Panama Canal was unusually light. Hurricane David did strike the Gulf coast, and was followed shortly after by Hurricane Frederic, which caused many ships at Ingalls Shipbuilding and Drydock to sortie into the hurricane. The ''Leftwich'' made one of the fastest transits on record of the Panama Canal, making the passage without having to anchor. On sailing north in the Pacific Ocean, ''Leftwich'' found herself behind 1979 Pacific hurricane season, Hurricane Guillermo, which tracked along the western coast of Mexico, and then turned westward out into the Pacific, allowing the ship to arrive at her new homeport on schedule. While following the storm, ''Leftwich'' experienced waves. In the few months after arrival in San Diego, CA, ''Leftwich'' conducted "Shakedown" training under the guidance of Fleet Training Group, Pacific, in the San Diego Operations Area (OPAREA). In January 1980, ''Leftwich'' returned to Litton Industries at Pascagoula, MS for Warranty repairs and a Post-Shakedown Availability, which included the installation of the NATO RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, Sea Sparrow and Harpoon (missile), Harpoon missile system. On 29 November 1982 she collided with the submarine USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN-610), USS ''Thomas A. Edison'' (SSBN-610) approximately east of U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Subic Bay, Philippines. Both ships were conducting war games. ''Thomas A. Edison'' was at periscope depth when the collision occurred. Both ships suffered damage and returned to Subic Bay. ''Edison'' suffered damage to her Sail (submarine), sail, Diving plane, sail planes, and sonar dome. ''Leftwich'' suffered damage to her sonar dome, sonar dome "banjo" strut, and forward fuel storage tanks located in the forward hull. Two months later, ''Thomas A. Edison'' made a surface transit to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for decommissioning without the damage having been repaired. In 1984, ''Leftwich'' suffered hull and sonar window damage due to high-speed operations in heavy seas during fleet exercises on her deployment to Indian Ocean/Western Pacific (WESTPAC 1984).1985–1998
On 1 April 1985 ''Leftwich'' arrived at her new homeport of Pearl Harbor#Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This remained her homeport for the rest of her career. Leftwich, under the command of RADM (then Commander) Daniel Bowler, participated in Operation Nimble Archer on 19 October 1987. This was a response to Iran's 16 October 1987 attack on the MV Sea Isle City, a reflagged Kuwaiti oil tanker at anchor off Kuwait, with a Silkworm missile. ''Leftwich'' with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 3 Detachment 5 embarked, arrived at Naval Station Pearl Harbor homeport. In 1990–91, under the command of Commander Patrick Garrett in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the destroyer conducted more than 200 merchant ship interceptions and one boarding. She was one of the first ships to fire BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles during the conflict, and was the first combatant to conduct a wartime reload of Tomahawks for continued operations. With embarked helicopters and SEALs, she captured the first Iraqi territory repatriated in the war (an island off the coast of the al-Faw waterway), multiple enemy prisoners of war, and conducted 16 combat search and rescue cases. For her efforts in the Persian Gulf, The Leftwich and her crew were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and the Combat Action Ribbon. During her career, ''Leftwich'' made eight deployments in the Western Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. She participated in Operation Nimble Archer, Operation Desert Shield (Gulf War), Desert Shield, and Desert Storm as well as operations in support of UN sanctions against Iraq. ''Leftwich'' was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 March 1998. She was sunk as a target on 1 August 2003 at in the Pacific Ocean. Awards, Medals, and Commendations for ship and/or crew: (needs more help) Sept 87 – Nov 87, Jan 97 – Mar 97, Apr 97 Three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, Jan 91 – Feb 91 Combat Action Ribbon, Jan 91 – Feb 91 Navy Unit Commendation, Jul 81- Sept 81 Navy Expeditionary Medal, Jan 88 – Jun 89 & Jan 91 – Dec 92 Two Battle Effectiveness Awards, National Defense Service Medal, Dec 90 – Mar 91 Southwest Asia Service Medal, 8 Sea Service Ribbons, Dec 97 – Dec 98 Chief of Naval Operations Letter of Commendation, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) 1990? Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon (drug interdiction ops, relieved the Ingersoll)Gallery
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