Commissioned in 1958, USS Edson (DD-946) is a 418-foot Forrest Sherman-class destroyer built by the Bath Iron Works in Maine for the United States Navy. Named in honor of Major General Merritt "Red Mike" Edson, a legendary World War II Marine Corps hero, the vessel was engineered as part of the first class of U.S. destroyers built after the war. Designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare and fleet defense, the all-steel ship was originally equipped with three 5-inch/54 caliber rapid-fire gun mounts, multiple anti-aircraft guns, and antisubmarine torpedoes. Propelled by massive steam turbines generating 70,000 shaft horsepower, Edson could slice through open ocean waters at speeds exceeding 30 knots, earning a reputation as a highly versatile and deadly asset to the Pacific Fleet.
Throughout her 30 years of active duty, USS Edson saw significant combat action, particularly during the Vietnam War, where she frequently provided critical naval gunfire support to troops ashore and patrolled the Tonkin Gulf. Her exceptional performance during a 1964 deployment earned her the Navy Unit Commendation. Decommissioned in 1988, the distinguished destroyer spent several years as a popular exhibit at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City before being towed to the Saginaw River in Bay City, Michigan, in 2012. Today, managed by the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum, USS Edson stands preserved as a National Historic Landmark, serving as a floating educational museum that honors the legacy of Cold War-era naval veterans.
