Last West Coast Frigate USS Gary Decommissioned Before Sale to Taiwan

USNI ^ | 7/27/15 | LaGrone

[pabianice]

The last Oliver Hazard Perry frigate on the West Coast was decommissioned after more than 30 years in service in a Thursday ceremony at Naval Station San Diego, Calif. Former and current crew from the USS Gary (FFG-51) gathered at the yard for the ceremony.

“These are the boys of Gary,” said second commanding officer, retired Capt. Dallas Bethea, during remarks at the ceremony. “These are the boys, the men, who were integral in the success of the ship. They took a ship that was nothing in the shipyard and created a warship. It wasn’t me, my predecessor or successor; it was the boys of Gary. That is the heart and soul of the ship, the men who serve aboard her.

Following the ceremony, the ship will now be readied for sale to Taiwan, along with three other Perrys.

The Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2013 — signed by President Obama in December — approves the sale of up to four frigates to Taiwan.

Along with Gary, the act identified USS Taylor (FFG-50), USS Gary (FFG-51), USS Carr (FFG-52) and USS Elrod (FFG-55) as the ships approved for sale to Taiwan.

[pabianice]

One of the last "Gary Hart-class" ships.

[rlmorel]

Those of you who served on them, what did you think of them?

[Paulie]

Farewell USS Gary. And we thank the boys/men who made it great.

[ryan71]

The Navy should have designed a new frigate based on OHP. Instead, they went with LCS. Bad idea.

[Old Sarge]

Pretty soon, the only ships on active service will be the Obama-class Party Barge.

[al baby]

WTF we dont keep a ready reserve fleet anymore?

[GMMC0987]

My last cruise on the USS Robison (DDG-12), we were frequently accompanied by the USS George Philip (FFG-12). (We referred to her as the Boy George.)

Since the Robi was seventeen years older and steam powered, the guys on the Boy George (gas turbines) kept speculating on when the Robi would breakdown.

We used to refer to the newer gas turbine ship crews as quiche eaters.

We completed the entire cruise without incident however, pulling into San Diego at the end of the cruise the Boy George lost power and had to be towed in.

Pretty embarrassing when the pier is full of friends and family there to welcome you home.

[brivette]

I was on a nuc submarine. I’m a former navy nuc.

[vette6387]

“WTF we dont keep a ready reserve fleet anymore?”

Well, there was a large “reserve fleet” moored in the Sacramento River just upstream from the Benicia Bridge that took up residence after WWII. Probably 40 ships, mostly Llibertys and Victorys. They are all gone now. Even the Glomar Explorer ( the Howard Hughes ship that recovered the Russian nuclear sub) is gone. But this stuff would have been just cannon fodder if put into service today, so it’s nice to have it all gone cause it was an eyesore.

[Rodamala]

I am still laughing at the term "Quiche-eaters". Conjures up the imagery associated with the term "Pillow-biters".

My old man was an ET on the Warrington back in the early 60s. His step-brother signed on around the same time and was a snipe on the same ship.

[al baby]

So when the USS Iowa was there that was an eyesore ?

[reed13k]

FFG-60 Rodney M. Davis. My first ship after I commissioned. I thought they actually did quite a bit for their crew size - carried 2 lamps (not often enough to actually do that), had a passive tail, Mk48 torps, CIWS, 75MM gun, Single rail launcher for Surface to air missles or harpoons. Only real drawbacks were the SAMs were too short range for proper screening and the radar suite was limited. Gas turbine engines were solid.

Course when VLS and phased array radars came out the writing was on the wall.

[rlmorel]

Haahahahahah!

Okay, you made me spit on my screen...the “Boy George”...hehehehehehe

As Robin Williams once said, yes, we really do want to hurt you!

The Adams class was pretty good, wasn’t it?

(anyway, thanks for your service)

[rlmorel]

Good summary...did they not always deploy with LAMPS on board? I thought they would always have them, but...maybe they only deployed them depending on the nature of the deployment?

[rlmorel]

I think I know what he means...but I can’t see a gray ship as being an eyesore.

I know some people see them and see the powdery, gray, oxidizing paint and rust running down the side, but I see a ship that was once manned by men. I just can’t see them as hulks, which basically, some of them are.

And the Iowa...agreed. I saw the USS Iowa tied up next to the Saratoga at Coddington Cove at the Naval Base in Newport RI...both of them looked like old, grey ghosts...but beautiful to me.

[rlmorel]

Whenever I see one of our vessels being sold to another country, I have to remember a story my mom related to me a couple of years ago...

My dad was on the USS Rooks (DD-804) in Korea, and she was a ship that was sold to South Korea...

He reported to her as a LTJG in June 1951 at San Diego, CA, they went via the Panama Canal to Newport, RI, where they operated up and down the East coast until April 1952, when they went BACK down to the Panama Canal and on to Korea where he spent four or five months operating in and around Korea. They went into the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal, and back to Newport, RI in April 1953.

During that deployment, he had proposed to my mom in a letter, and the wedding date was set for May 9th, 1953. When my dad's ship came in just a couple of weeks before the wedding, and he was able to finally get off and head up to Massachusetts for the wedding that was to take place in the next few days, he realized he had forgotten his dress shoes and the marriage license in his rack after he arrived home.

He drove all the way back to the ship in Newport got his shoes and license, but when he got back up the Massachusetts, he couldn't find the wedding license. He went back down again and went aboard the ship where he scoured the compartment and his rack, to no avail. Crestfallen, he had to go back without the license, but the office was closed for the weekend and he was unable to get another one. Someone he knew pulled a few strings, got the guy to come back in and he got a license, so the wedding went ahead as planned.

In the early Eighties, my mother got a call from South Korea (I think, but not sure) and the guy said they were breaking up a ship for scrap, and they had found a wedding license with her and my dad's name on it. They were breaking up the USS Rooks, and when they were tearing the compartment apart, they found it in a bulkhead. Apparently what had happened, was my dad had got the certificate, put it on his rack, raised the mattress up to get the shoes underneath, and when he did, the license must have slid down a minuscule gap into the bottom of a dark bulkhead where it lay for 30 years until they tore it down. They offered to send it to her, but I think my parents had been going through some tough times at that point, and the last thing on her mind was a piece of paper from her past, so I don't think she had them send it!

[al baby]

Great picture Gearing class? I was a sea cadet in the 70’s I spent about a week on the Higbee DD 806 JimR was on that same ship in the 60’s loved it thanks for the post;

[al baby]

Amazing story may i share it with names redacted ?

[al baby]

I was crestfallen when i foud out they sunk the higbee as a target of the coast of cal near me

[rlmorel]

No problem, al baby! Isn’t that a coincidence...same ship Jim Rob was on!

Those were great ships, I am told...very capable for their day.