USS Gyatt: The Original “Gyatt” That Set Navy Hearts Racing As The World’s First Guided Missile Destroyer

When you hear the expression “Gyatt,” most Gen Z folks might immediately think of the slang term all over social media. It’s often exclaimed when someone sees a, uhm, person who catches their eye—basically, a zoomer’s way to say, “Wow!” or “Goddamnit!”

But before “Gyatt” became a trending hashtag on TikTok, there was the USS Gyatt. This naval legend might not have been known for setting hearts aflutter with its looks, but it sure made waves (literally) for being the first guided missile destroyer in the world.

So, let’s dive into the story of how this ship put the “G” in “Gyatt” way before it became popular in today’s youth slang.

The USS Gyatt: A Game Changer on the High Seas

The USS Gyatt (DD-712/DLG-1/DDG-712) didn’t start out as the kind of ship you’d swipe right on. It was a Gearing-class destroyer, commissioned in 1945 toward the end of World War II.

In its early years, the Gyatt was a typical destroyer, doing the things destroyers did—patrolling, escorting, and supporting operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

However, in 1956, this relatively unassuming warship would undergo a transformation that would make it a true standout.

The US Navy decided it was time to upgrade some of its existing ships with a new kind of technology: guided missiles. And that’s where the USS Gyatt stepped into the spotlight.

It was converted into the world’s first guided missile destroyer, earning the new designation of DLG-1.

The ship was outfitted with the RIM-2 Terrier surface-to-air missile system, a cutting-edge weapon at the time.

The idea was to give the Navy better anti-aircraft capabilities, transforming the Gyatt into a trailblazer for future naval warfare.

In a way, you could say the Gyatt went from a regular “destroyer next door” to the Navy’s equivalent of an influencer—setting trends and changing the game.

From “Old School” to Missile Cool

The transformation of the Gyatt was more than just slapping on a few missiles and calling it a day.

The conversion required significant changes to the ship’s structure to accommodate the missile launchers and their control systems. It was a bold move at a time when guided missile technology was still in its infancy.

The Gyatt’s new capabilities allowed it to intercept aircraft at a distance, providing a layer of defense that was much needed in an era of evolving aerial threats.

Imagine being one of the crew members who got to see this transformation firsthand. You’d be going from working on a traditional destroyer, with its classic guns and torpedoes, to handling some of the Navy’s most advanced technology.

It was the naval equivalent of upgrading from a flip phone to the latest smartphone—game-changing and futuristic.

And did I mention that it even had a role in the early days of the US space program? In 1960 and 1961, Gyatt was stationed as a recovery ship for Project Mercury, tasked with retrieving nose-cones that fell back to Earth after launch. This was during a time when Cold War tensions were heating up, and soon after, the Gyatt joined the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, serving as a stabilizing American presence in the region.

When her overseas duties wrapped up, she returned to operate out of Charleston, South Carolina, continuing her versatile service.

After its conversion, the Gyatt was tasked with testing and demonstrating its new missile system, often taking part in exercises with other US and NATO forces.

It quickly became clear that the age of missile-based naval warfare was upon us, and the Gyatt was at the forefront.

Not Just a Pretty Bow (Or Stern)

The USS Gyatt’s time in the spotlight wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. While it was pioneering a new era of naval warfare, the ship had to deal with the usual challenges of military service.

There were maintenance issues, the constant need for updates, and the everyday wear and tear that comes with being a workhorse of the Fleet. But through it all, the Gyatt maintained its role as a critical asset.

In 1962, the ship was reclassified back to a conventional destroyer, regaining its original hull number, DD-712. By then, newer and more advanced guided missile destroyers were entering the Fleet, and the Gyatt was no longer the only missile game in town.

Still, it had paved the way for these successors, serving as a testbed and proof of concept for what was to come.

The Gyatt’s Legacy: More Than Just a Hashtag

Although the USS Gyatt was decommissioned in 1969 and eventually scrapped, its legacy lived on in the ships that followed.

The concept of guided missile destroyers, which started with the Gyatt, became a staple of modern naval warfare.

Today’s guided missile destroyers, like the Arleigh Burke-class, are direct descendants of that original trendsetter.

So, while Gen Z might have redefined “gyatt” to mean something completely different, the original Gyatt had its own kind of “wow factor.”

It was a vessel that set the pace for future naval innovation, showing that even an older ship could get a cutting-edge makeover and become something extraordinary.

It may not have had the kind of aesthetic appeal that gets likes and follows, but in the world of naval history, the USS Gyatt was absolutely worth the double-take.

The Takeaway: Trendsetting with a Twist

The story of the USS Gyatt is more than just a history lesson—it’s a reminder of how the Navy continues to adapt and innovate.

While the slang term “gyatt” might be a recent creation that just happens to share a name with this historic ship, the parallels are hard to ignore. The destroyer wasn’t about catching someone’s eye on social media, but it did turn heads in its own right by being the first to launch the Navy into the age of guided missiles.

So, while Gen Z may have given “gyatt” a whole new meaning, the original Gyatt was setting trends on the high seas long before the term took off. Its legacy isn’t about the slang, but about showing that even an older ship can get a futuristic upgrade and help shape the future of naval warfare.

It may not have had the kind of viral appeal that gets likes and shares, but in the realm of military innovation, the USS Gyatt was definitely a head-turner.