On June 16, 1958, at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, the keel was laid for the first destroyer planned and built as a guided missile ship for the United States Navy. This was the birth of USS CHARLES F. ADAMS (DDG-2), first of 21 ships in her class.

Eventually the US Navy added 2 more Adams Class DDG ships for the US Fleet bringing the total to 23. After initial deployment and several overseas good will tours, three other nations saw the benefit of the Adams Class DDG and purchased ships for the Australian, German and Greek Navy.