I got curious today to learn the fate of my old home, the USS Elliot (DD-967). The last I knew, it was fated to become a target in a SINKEX. That SINKEX occured this past June, during Operation Talisman Sabre 2005, a joint exercise between the U.S. and Australian militaries.
According to this Australian notice to mariners, the Elliot was sunk off the eastern Australian coast at 25 degrees south, 155 degrees east. Here’s a picture of what the Elliot might have looked like when it was taking a hit. Standley was the other ship sunk during this SINKEX.
Its sad to see Elliot go, but at least I know where she’s parked. Should the ship be resting in shallow enough water, perhaps I could someday go dive her.
[Update]: Whoops. That picture is from November 2004. It’s not the Elliot nor the Standley, but the ex-USS Hayler. I should have known by the choppy, cold-looking waters that it wasn’t the Coral Sea. 🙂