Commissioned in 1983, the Curts honors Rear Admiral Maurice 'Germany' Curts, who commanded destroyer forces at the Battle of Kula Gulf in 1943 and went on to serve as Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Force Pacific. An aggressive, technically demanding leader, Curts embodied the surface warrior's creed throughout his career in both World War II and the early Cold War. The Curts was decommissioned in 2001.