This is a great looking US NAVY – USS Samuel Gompers (AD–37) challenge coin. Coin has reeded edges and is about 1 9/16″ in diameter. Front side of coin is printed and colorized while the rear side is raised lettering and gold plated. Coin is contained in an acrylic air tight holder.USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37) was a destroyer tender, the first of her class, and designed to be a floating repair shop for ships of the U S Navy either in port or at sea. It was named for Samuel Gompers, a distinguished American labor leader during the late nineteenth century. Samuel Gompers was laid down on 9 July 1964 by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington; launched on 14 May 1966; sponsored by Mrs. Joseph Holmes; and commissioned on 1 July 1967. On 2 October 1995 Samuel Gompers arrived in Norfolk, Virginia in preparation for decommissioning ceremonies, which took place 27 October. The ship had completed 28 years of active service by then, being awarded the Vietnam Service, Southwest Asia, Navy Expeditionary, and Humanitarian Service medals; Navy Unit and Joint Meritorious Unit commendations; Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy; and five Battle “E” Ribbons.On 22 July 2003, Samuel Gompers was sunk in the Atlantic as part of a fleet training exercise (SINKEX). USS Samuel Gompers departed Portsmouth at 08:30 on 18 July 2003 under tow of USNS Apache en route to her SINKEX position. Three ships were sent to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina: destroyer tender USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37), fleet tug USS Seneca (ATF-91) and submarine tender USS Dixon (AS-37).Of the three ships, Samuel Gompers was the last to be sunk, and slipped beneath the waves at 00:06 on 22 July 2003. The first Harpoon missile to strike Samuel Gompers was from USS Cole, designation: Cole 4. Reports indicate it took 16 Harpoon missiles (400 lbs each) and over 40,000 pounds of ordnance to sink Samuel Gompers. When the Harpoons finished, a squadron of bombers dropped 2,000-pound bombs on her to sink her. Samuel Gompers is reported to lie at 31° 17′ N 073° 51′ W. *COMBINED SHIPPING AVAILABLE* For combined shipping place all items in cart then purchase all items together from cart for 1 combined shipping charge…