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USS Blakely (FF-1072)
Encyclopedia
The third USS Blakely (DE-1072/FF-1072) was a Knox-class
Knox class frigate
Knox class frigates were United States Navy warships, originally laid down as ocean escorts , but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the USN 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.A sub-class of the Knox class was built, commonly referred to as...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was reclassified as a frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
in 1975 along with her entire class. Her primary mission of ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
remained unchanged. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley
Johnston Blakeley also spelled Johnston Blakely was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. He is considered to be the most successful American naval officer of that period....
and Charles Adams Blakely
Charles Adams Blakely
Vice Admiral Charles Adams Blakely was the great grandnephew of Capt. Johnston Blakeley and an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and the interwar period....
. She was primarily stationed out of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Blakely was laid down on 8 June 1968 at Westwego, Louisiana
Westwego, Louisiana
Westwego is a city in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 10,763 at the 2000 census. It lies along the west bank of the Mississippi River.-Geography:...
by Avondale Shipyards. She was launched on 23 August 1969; sponsored by Mrs. Lila Blakely Morgan, daughter of the late Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Blakely and delivered to the Navy on 1 July at the Charleston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard
Charleston Naval Shipyard was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina and part of Naval Base Charleston...
. She was commissioned there on 18 July 1970, Comdr. Francis L. Carelli in command.
Operational history
Blakely spent the remainder of the year fitting out, conducting post-commissioning trials, and making her shakedown cruise. After a leave and upkeep period lasting from 12 December 1970 to 21 February 1971, she entered the Charleston Nava1 Shipyard on 22 February for post-shakedown availability. During that extended repair period, her Sea Sparrow basic point defense surface missile system launcher was installed. She completed post-shakedown repairs and modifications as well as final contract trials on 4 August. Between 4 and 11 August, the ocean escortOcean escort
Ocean Escort was a type of United States Navy warship.Ocean Escorts were an evolution of the World War II destroyer escort types. They were intended as convoy escorts and were designed for mobilization production in wartime or low-cost mass production in peacetime.Their hull classification symbol...
made a round-trip voyage to the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
Weapons Range for missile and gunfire qualification. The warship returned to Charleston on 11 August and, on the 23d got underway for a voyage—via Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
—to northern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. During that cruise, she visited ports in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. She returned to Charleston on 3 October and began normal duty as a unit of the 2d Fleet. Her 2d Fleet service occupied her during the remainder of 1971 and 11 months of 1972. During that time, Blakely conducted type training, individual ship’s drills, and fleet exercises aIong the eastern seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and in the West Indies
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
On 1 December 1972, the ocean escort got underway from Charleston bound for the western Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Steaming via the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
in Hawaii, she arrived at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
in the Philippines on 7 January 1973. Five days later, the warship departed Subic Bay for the Vietnamese combat zone. Her tour of duty
Tour of duty
In the Navy, a tour of duty is a period of time spent performing operational duties at sea, including combat, performing patrol or fleet duties, or assigned to service in a foreign country....
in the Far East came at the very end of American participation in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
; and, as a consequence, she served only once in the combat zone. That service took place on the northern sea-air rescue station in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
. Blakely concluded that assignment and arrived at Kaohsiung, Talwan, on 5 February. Following a fortnight there, she got underway on the 19th to return to Charleston. After calls at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Yokosuka in Japan, San Diego, and Panama, she arrived back at Charleston on 23 March.
After post-deployment standdown, the warship resumed normal operations out of Charleston. That duty continued until 27 June when she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
for a restricted availability. Over the next five months, she underwent two major modifications. Her main propulsion plant was converted to use Navy distillate fuel, and the light airborne multipurpose system (LAMPS) was installed. She completed the restricted availability on 28 November and spent the remainder of the year preparing for refresher training. On 12 January 1974, Blakely departed Charleston for refresher training in the West Indies. That training—including missile shoots, torpedo launchings, and gunfire support drills—lasted until 7 March at which time she returned to Charleston.
After a series of inspections and examinations, both in port and underway, the warship resumed normal 2d Fleet duty on 29 April when she got underway to participate in LantReadEx (Atlantic Fleet Readiness Exercise) 3-74. Blakely returned to Charleston from the readiness exercise on 8 May and began preparations for her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet
United States 6th Fleet
The Sixth Fleet is the United States Navy's operational unit and staff of United States Naval Forces Europe. The fleet once had its headquarters in Gaeta, Italy, commanded by a Vice Admiral. However, beginning in 2004, the Sixth Fleet staff was combined with United States Naval Forces Europe staff,...
in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. On 14 June, the ocean escort stood out of Charleston on her way to the Mediterranean. She arrived in Rota, Spain
Rota, Spain
-External references:*, official website * On-line since 1999! News, premiere information, pictures, weather, etc. Into Spanish, English... ****- External links :...
, on the 24th and relieved . On the 26th, she began operations with the 6th Fleet. In addition to the usual exercises and port visits, she took part in evacuation operations conducted at Cyprus in July after strife broke out between the Turkish and Greek factions on that island. In August, she resumed the usual 6th Fleet duty and remained so occupied until relieved by at Gibraltar on 23 November. Two days later, the warship shaped a course back to the United States. Blakely arrived back in Charleston on 5 December and began a combination post deployment and holiday standdown.
Redesignation
She remained in port through the end of the first month of 1975. The warship got underway for the first time in 1975 on 18 February to conduct independent ship’s exercises, to take part in carrier qualifications with , and to undergo an operational readiness inspection. The ocean escort returned to Charleston on 25 February and, thereafter, resumed normal operations from that base. Blakely remained so occupied until 2 June when she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for a restricted availability followed immediately by a regular overhaul. On 30 June 1975, Blakely was redesignated a frigate, and her hull numberHull number
Hull number is a serial identification number given to a boat or ship. A lower number implies an older vessel. The precise usage varies by country and type....
became FF 1072. The repair period lasted until the third month of 1976. She completed overhaul on 30 March 1976 and embarked upon post-overhaul trials and refresher training. Those tasks took her on an extended cruise in the West Indies, and she did not return to Charleston until 7 July. Operations out of Charleston-including a series of inspections and examinations-carried her through the year. In December, she also began preparations for another Mediterranean deployment.
On the morning of 15 January 1977, Blakely left Charleston and began her voyage to Europe. On 24 January, she arrived in Leixoes, Portugal, where she relieved . For the next six months, she ranged the length and breadth of the “middle sea.” In addition to the customary port calls, she participated in a series of national and multinational training exercises. She ended her tour of duty with the 6th Fleet on 20 July at Rota, Spain, where she was relieved by . Blakely departed Rota on the 22d and arrived in Charleston on 1 August. After a month of leave and upkeep and a tender availability, the frigate resumed 2d Fleet operations on 11 September.
For the remainder of 1977, she performed normal duty along the east coast and in the West Indies. In mid-February 1978, the warship began preparations for another assignment to the Mediterranean. On 4 April, Blakely stood out of Charleston to join a Europe-bound task force built around . She arrived in Rota on 14 April and relieved Blandy. On the 17th, she entered the Mediterranean proper and began her actual duty with the 6th Fleet. That service—which included a number of multinational training exercises as well as the usual port visits—took up her time for the next six months. On 11 October, Blakely returned to Rota where she was relieved by . Four days later, the frigate put to sea for the return voyage to Charleston where she arrived on the 26th. Post-deployment leave and upkeep as well as two Destroyer Squadron
DESRON
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...
(DesRon) 4 inspections kept her in port until the beginning of December. She got underway on the 4th and conducted training missions along the southeastern coast of the United States until the 15th. On that day, she returned to Charleston and commenced holiday standdown.
She opened 1979 moored at pierside in her home port. Late in January, Blakely resumed operations with the 2d Fleet. For the next five months, she put to sea repeatedly—usually to participate in helicopter deck landing qualifications but also to conduct naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
training and other single-ship exercises. On 29 May, the frigate departed Charleston for Boston, Mass. She arrived at her destination on 31 May; and, the following day, Boston became her new home port. On 4 June, the warship entered the drydock for a repair and modification period. On 4 October, she came out of the dock but remained in Boston well into 1980 completing repairs.
She completed the overhaul on 21 April 1980 and departed Boston to return to Charleston. That same day also brought an official change of home port, from Boston back to Charleston. She arrived at her familiar old base on the 24th and resumed operations along the east coast and in the West Indies. She remained so occupied for the rest of the year. The beginning of 1981 found her in port in Charleston preparing for an overseas movement. On 12 January 1981, Blakely got underway in company with bound ultimately for duty with the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
Force in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. She arrived in Rota on 23 January and, the next day, began crossing the Mediterranean. On the 31st, the warship transited the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and joined the Middle East Force. For almost four months, she cruised the waters of the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
, and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
helping to display the keen interest of the United States in establishing peace and order in that perennially troubled area of the world.
On 18 May, relieved her, and Blakely began the long voyage back to Charleston. She retransited the Suez Canal on 26 May and proceeded to Malaga, Spain
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, where she stopped over from 1 to 7 June. After additional stops at Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. It includes 44,403 residents in the urban area, and approximately 20,113 inhabitants in the three central parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro,...
in the Azores and at Bermuda, the frigate arrived in Charleston on 18 June. Following the normal leave and upkeep period, she resumed 2d Fleet operations on 21 July.
The ship was decommissioned on 15 November 1991 and struck from the Navy list
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 11 January 1995. She was disposed of by scrapping on 30 September 2000.