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USS Cone (DD-866)
Encyclopedia
USS Cone (DD-866), was a Gearing-class
destroyer
of the United States Navy
, named for Rear Admiral Hutch Ingham Cone USN (1871–1941).
Cone was laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Staten Island
in New York
on 30 November 1944, launched on 10 May 1945 by Mrs. H. I. Cone and commissioned on 18 August 1945.
Cone alternated operations along the east coast and in the Caribbean
with the 2nd Fleet with deployments with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, and participated in Sea Dragon
and Market Time operations, patrolled on search and rescue duties and carried out Naval Gunfire Support
missions during the Vietnam War
.
Continuing training and service activities along the east coast and in the Caribbean when not deployed, Cone served her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1948, joining the United Nations Palestine Patrol for a time. She returned to the Mediterranean in 1949, and later that year crossed the Arctic Circle on maneuvers. East coast and Caribbean operations and another 6th Fleet tour occupied Cone in 1950. Her 1951 Mediterranean cruise was highlighted by a visit by Winston Churchill at Venice on 9 September, and. by Cone's transportation of the United States and British Ambassadors to Greece on a diplomatic call on the monasteries of Mount Athos. She served again in the Mediterranean in 1952, and on 28 August 1953, cleared Newport for a cruise around the world, sailing by way of Panama, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Yokosuka to join TF 77 on patrol off Korea, and continuing home with calls at Hong Kong, Bahrein, Port Said, Naples, Villefranche, and Lisbon, returning to Norfolk 9 April 1954.
From September to November 1954, Cone sailed to join other NATO navies in antisubmarine training off Ireland and in Operation "Blackjack," then called briefly at Mediterranean ports. Nineteen fifty-five found her concentrating on air defense exercises and acting as planeguard for carriers. In 1956, she joined in NATO exercises in the Mediterranean, returning home in June. Alerted during the Suez Crisis
, she joined a task force which sailed to the eastern Atlantic to stand by, then called at Lisbon and returned home when its services were not needed. In 1958 and 1959-60 Cone served with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean; through the remainder of the 1960s, she conducted exercises in the Caribbean, operated locally from her new home port, Charleston, S.C., and visited northern European waters during NATO maneuvers.
1981-1982, the Cone's two twin mount guns went through a complete overhaul, with assistance from Charleston's SIMA, and of course some select parts from the decommed destroyer Laffey, which is moored at Patriot's Point museum facilities in Charleston. note; (the Laffey was the experimental ship used in the movie Philadelphia experiment). Gunnersmates Eastwood and Larson brought the deteriorating condition of the gunmounts back to original status, both in cosmetic, and operational capabilities. When pulling in to Savanah, Georgia, it was thought that a gun salute would be appropriate as the ship passed the waterfront with the crowds all standing in the majesty of the old cotton warehouses converted into shops, restaurants, bars, etc., and of course it was St. Patty's day 1982, so Gunnersmate Eastwood painted a large 3 leafed clover on the forward gunmount on both sides. There was also smoke grenades (green smoke) that were put in the boilers to make the stacks look like they were steaming green smoke, but something tragic happen, when the guns went off, from the decks it looked like the people were just going crazy like at a rock concert, so, lt cmdr. Hard weapons div head had us fire another round, same reaction from the crowd, then all of a sudden the gun capt. said silence. Well, what we found out later was the percussion from the guns were echoing off the tall forest on the other side of the river, and giving a double wammy to the glass in the renovated 3-4 stories high cotton warehouses, the people cheering and and enjoying the festivities, were people scammering for their lives, and many with nowhere to go but in the drink (Savanah river), because shards of glass was dropping on them from above.
on 1 October 1982, transferred to Pakistan
and renamed Alamgir. Alamgir's first crew included Cdr A U Khan (CO) later Commodore, Lcdr Aqeel Farooqi (XO), Cdr Ubaid (LO), Lt M Bashir Chaudhry (EO)later Commodore and Lcdr Shahid Latif (SO) later Rear Admiral. She was commissioned at Charleston, USA on 1st Oct 1982. She was decommissioned on 4 December 1998 and scrapped.
Gearing class destroyer
The Gearing class was a group of 98 destroyers built for the US Navy during and shortly after World War II. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the immediately preceding Allen M. Sumner class...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of 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...
, named for Rear Admiral Hutch Ingham Cone USN (1871–1941).
Cone was laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 30 November 1944, launched on 10 May 1945 by Mrs. H. I. Cone and commissioned on 18 August 1945.
Cone alternated operations along the east coast and in the Caribbean
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...
with the 2nd Fleet with deployments with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean, and participated in Sea Dragon
Operation Sea Dragon (Vietnam War)
Operation Sea Dragon occurred during the Vietnam War and was a series of American led naval operations beginning in 1966 to interdict sea lines of communications and supply going south from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, and to destroy land targets with naval gunfire, as well give CIA agents in...
and Market Time operations, patrolled on search and rescue duties and carried out 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...
missions during 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...
.
History
Cone's first cruise, between 12 February and 9 April 1946, was a visit to Portsmouth, England. After a week at Newport, R.I., she sailed again on an extensive goodwill tour to ports of both northern and southern Europe, welcoming visitors at each city, returning to Newport 24 October. She operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean from her home port, Norfolk, until the summer of 1947, when she carried midshipmen on a training cruise to northern Europe.Continuing training and service activities along the east coast and in the Caribbean when not deployed, Cone served her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1948, joining the United Nations Palestine Patrol for a time. She returned to the Mediterranean in 1949, and later that year crossed the Arctic Circle on maneuvers. East coast and Caribbean operations and another 6th Fleet tour occupied Cone in 1950. Her 1951 Mediterranean cruise was highlighted by a visit by Winston Churchill at Venice on 9 September, and. by Cone's transportation of the United States and British Ambassadors to Greece on a diplomatic call on the monasteries of Mount Athos. She served again in the Mediterranean in 1952, and on 28 August 1953, cleared Newport for a cruise around the world, sailing by way of Panama, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Yokosuka to join TF 77 on patrol off Korea, and continuing home with calls at Hong Kong, Bahrein, Port Said, Naples, Villefranche, and Lisbon, returning to Norfolk 9 April 1954.
From September to November 1954, Cone sailed to join other NATO navies in antisubmarine training off Ireland and in Operation "Blackjack," then called briefly at Mediterranean ports. Nineteen fifty-five found her concentrating on air defense exercises and acting as planeguard for carriers. In 1956, she joined in NATO exercises in the Mediterranean, returning home in June. Alerted during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, she joined a task force which sailed to the eastern Atlantic to stand by, then called at Lisbon and returned home when its services were not needed. In 1958 and 1959-60 Cone served with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean; through the remainder of the 1960s, she conducted exercises in the Caribbean, operated locally from her new home port, Charleston, S.C., and visited northern European waters during NATO maneuvers.
- [1960-1982]
1981-1982, the Cone's two twin mount guns went through a complete overhaul, with assistance from Charleston's SIMA, and of course some select parts from the decommed destroyer Laffey, which is moored at Patriot's Point museum facilities in Charleston. note; (the Laffey was the experimental ship used in the movie Philadelphia experiment). Gunnersmates Eastwood and Larson brought the deteriorating condition of the gunmounts back to original status, both in cosmetic, and operational capabilities. When pulling in to Savanah, Georgia, it was thought that a gun salute would be appropriate as the ship passed the waterfront with the crowds all standing in the majesty of the old cotton warehouses converted into shops, restaurants, bars, etc., and of course it was St. Patty's day 1982, so Gunnersmate Eastwood painted a large 3 leafed clover on the forward gunmount on both sides. There was also smoke grenades (green smoke) that were put in the boilers to make the stacks look like they were steaming green smoke, but something tragic happen, when the guns went off, from the decks it looked like the people were just going crazy like at a rock concert, so, lt cmdr. Hard weapons div head had us fire another round, same reaction from the crowd, then all of a sudden the gun capt. said silence. Well, what we found out later was the percussion from the guns were echoing off the tall forest on the other side of the river, and giving a double wammy to the glass in the renovated 3-4 stories high cotton warehouses, the people cheering and and enjoying the festivities, were people scammering for their lives, and many with nowhere to go but in the drink (Savanah river), because shards of glass was dropping on them from above.
Decommissioning and transfer
Cone was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel RegisterNaval 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 1 October 1982, transferred to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and renamed Alamgir. Alamgir's first crew included Cdr A U Khan (CO) later Commodore, Lcdr Aqeel Farooqi (XO), Cdr Ubaid (LO), Lt M Bashir Chaudhry (EO)later Commodore and Lcdr Shahid Latif (SO) later Rear Admiral. She was commissioned at Charleston, USA on 1st Oct 1982. She was decommissioned on 4 December 1998 and scrapped.