Mölders (D186)

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Museum ship Mölders

D186 Mölders was a guided missile destroyer of the Bundesmarine (West German Navy) and later the Deutsche Marine (Navy of reunited Germany). It was the second ship of the Lütjens class, a modification of the Charles F. Adams class.

On March 31965 Bath Iron Works got the order to build Mölders and her keel was laid down on April 12, 1966 with the hull number DDG-29. April 131967 Mölders was launched and christened for Luftwaffe Oberst (Colonel) Werner Mölders by his mother Anne-Marie Mölders. Mölders was commissioned on February 23, 1969 into the 1. Zerstörergeschwader (first destroyer squadron) based in Kiel.

During her 33 years in commission 14000 sailors served on her under 16 commanders, and she traveled 675,054.6 nautical miles. The Mölders was decommissioned May 282003 in Wilhelmshaven.

Unlike her sisters Lütjens and Rommel, Mölders was preserved and is now on display as museum ship in Wilhelmshaven (Marinemuseum), although ironically, she was never stationed in Wilhelmshaven during her active career.