Commissioning
The USS Downes was a member of the Knox class of escort destroyers (and later, frigates). She was named in honor of Capt. John Downes, a captain in the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812.
The order to build the Downes was awarded to the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. of Seattle on July 22, 1964. Her keel was laid down on Sept. 5, 1968; she was launched on Dec. 13, 1969. She was commissioned on Aug. 28, 1971.
Underway
After a shakedown cruise, the Downes joined the ranks of the Pacific Fleet. During its two decades of service, the Downes served a number of roles, including escort duty and anti-submarine warfare operations across the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf.
During her career, the Downes would win two Meritorious Unit Commendations, in 1976 and 1986. The Downes also received two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards, in 1991 and 1992, for her service in the Persian Gulf in support of U.S. forces and enforcement of United Nations embargoes against Iraq in the wake of Operation Desert Storm. The Downes also won two Battle Efficiency “E”s for outstanding combat preparedness in 1977 and 1986.
Though it was commissioned as a destroyer escort, the Downes retired from U.S. service as a frigate. The Downes, along with all other members of the Knox class, was re-classified as a frigate on June 30, 1975. Its designation was then changed from DE-1070 to FF-1070.
Decommissioning
The Downes was decommissioned on June 5, 1992. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on Jan. 11, 1995 and was sunk as part of a fleet exercise on Aug. 15, 2003.
Characteristics of the USS Downes (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Class and type: Knox-class frigate
Displacement: 3,305 tons (4,295 full load)
Length: 438 ft (134 m)
Beam: 46 ft 9 in (14.2 m)
Draught: 24 ft 9 in (7.5 m)
Propulsion: 2 × CE 1200psi boilers
1 Westinghouse geared turbine
1 shaft, 35,000 SHP (26 MW)
Speed: over 27 knots
Range: 4,500 nautical miles @ 20 knots
Complement: 18 officers, 267 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems: AN/SPS-40 Air Search Radar
AN/SPS-67 Surface Search Radar
AN/SQS-26 Sonar
AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system
Mk68 Gun Fire Control System
Electronic warfare and decoys: AN/SLQ-32 Electronics Warfare System
Armament: one Mk-16 8 cell missile launcher for ASROC and Harpoon missiles
one Mk-42 5-inch/54 caliber gun
Mark 46 torpedoes from four single tube launchers)
one Mk-25 BPDMS launcher for Sea Sparrow missiles, later replaced by Phalanx CIWS Aircraft carried: one SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I) helicopter
Career:
Ordered: July 22, 1964
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington
Laid down: Sept. 5, 1968
Launched: Dec. 12, 1969
Acquired: June 29, 1971
Commissioned: Aug. 28, 1971
Decommissioned: Feb. 14, 1992
Struck: Jan. 11, 1995
Motto: Ready Now N
ickname: Finest, Fastest, Fairest Frigate in the Fleet
Fate: Aug. 15,2003; Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise
Timeline:
July 1964: USS Downes ordered
September 1968: Keel of USS Downes laid
December 1969: USS Downes launched
August 1971: USS Downes commissioned
June 1975: USS Downes re-classified as frigate FF-1070
1991: USS Downes serves in Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Storm
February 1992: USS Downes decommissioned
Crewmembers of the USS Downes:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Downes can be found on the unofficial navy website at: http://navysite.de. This list is compiled by former crewmembers that voluntarily register. Some quoted comments from former crewmembers are listed below; many more are available on the source website at the following Web address:
http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=FF_1070
James Gomez (served December 1973-September 1976): “What a crew. The best years of my life. I looked up the ship out of curiosity and was stricken to see it had been sunk! The memories live on though.
Joe Spay (served 1973-75): “Oxnard, California says it all. We spent a lot of time there testing new systems. Any other radiomen, signalmen, or ET’s remember those days. Cleaned the same passageway EVERY day, whether it needed it or not.”
Michael Shipman (served April 1973-December 1976): “Greatest crew in the world. Hated to see the ship go down as a target. She was too good for that.”
Don Taylor (April 1973-Dcember 1976): “After the first gulf war I statred thinking about what ever happened to the Downes, Not a good ending but at least we know all those hours testing missiles were for a reason. And of course who could ever forget Port Hueneme.”
Links:
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/mesothelioma/veterans/navy-destroyers-post-ww2/
http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=FF_1070
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Downes_(FF-1070)
http://navysite.de/ff/ff1070.htm
