Commissioning
The USS McCloy was the lead ship and one of only two members of the Bronstein-class of destroyer escorts (re-designated frigates on June 30, 1975). She was named in honor of Lt. Commander John C. McCloy, who won the Medal of Honor twice, during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and at Vera Cruz, Mexico in 1915.
The order to build the McCloy, along with her sister ship USS Bronstein, was awarded to the Avondale Shipyard of Westwego, La., on June 13, 1960. Her keel was laid down on Sept. 15, 1961; she was launched on June 9, 1962. She was commissioned on Oct. 21, 1963, and joined the Atlantic Fleet with her homeport in Newport, R.I.
Underway
The McCloy was one of the first destroyer escorts to implement several major design changes. She was the first ship designed with a flight deck for a drone submarine helicopter and the first equipped with the new SQS-26 sonar. She also was one of the first ships to carry the anti-submarine rocket (ASROC) system. She would later be fitted with a Towed Array Sonar System (TASS).
According to her commissioning program, the McCloy was intended “to screen transoceanic convoys and to operate effectively against submarines.” In other words, she would become one of the Navy’s first dedicated anti-submarine warfare ships. Though known for being a less than stable platform and difficult to maneuver, the McCloy quickly developed a reputation for being one of the fleet’s premier trackers of Soviet submarines.
In June 1968, the McCloy took part in UNITAS IX, a multi-national exercise that included a circumnavigation of South America. After making numerous ports of call and conducting exercises with the navies of eight different nations, the McCloy returned to Atlantic late in the year.
On Oct. 31, 1983, the McCloy proved her prowess in tracking Soviet submarines in an odd way while monitoring a Victor-III class attack submarine. The Soviet submarine’s propeller had become tangled in the wire connect the TASS to the McCloy and tore it loose from the ship. The submarine, however, suffered damage to its propeller and was spotted dead in the water by a P-3 Orion aircraft the next day. The Victor was towed to Cuba for repairs; an investigation into the incident was concluded by a comment from Vice Admiral Joe Metcalf, the commander of the 2nd Fleet: “When McCloy gains contact, McCloy confirms contact.”
In the late 1980s, the McCloy worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard on anti-drug missions in the Caribbean Sea. In 1986, she assisted in the seizure of 50 tons of marijuana from the vessel Sea Wanderer.
Decommissioning
The McCloy was decommissioned on Dec. 14, 1990 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register three days later. She was sold to Mexico in 1993, where she was re-commissioned to serve as the Nicolas Bravo.
Characteristics of the USS McCloy
Class and type: Bronstein class frigate
Displacement: approx. 2,650 tons full load
Length: 371.4 ft (113.2 m)
Beam: 40.4 ft (12.3 m)
Draft: 23 ft (7.0 m)
Propulsion: 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers; 1 Westinghouse geared turbine; 35,000shp; 1 shaft Speed: 26 knots
Complement: 16 officers, 183 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems: AN/SPS-10 surface search radar
AN/SPS-40 air search radar
AN/SPG-35 Gun fire control radar
AN/SQS-26 bow-mounted sonar
AN/SQR-15 towed sonar array Armament: one Mk-16 missile launcher for ASROC missiles
two Mk-33 3-inch/50 caliber guns (one mount)
Mk-46 torpedoes from two Mk-32 triple tube mounts
Aircraft carried: None / QH-50 DASH
Career:
Name: McCloy (FF-1038)
Namesake: John C. McCloy
Ordered: June 13, 1960
Builder: Avondale Shipyard, Inc., Westwego, Louisiana
Laid down: September 15, 1961
Launched: June 9, 1962
Commissioned: October 21, 1963
Decommissioned: December 14, 1990
Reclassified: June 30, 1975
Struck: October 4, 1991
Fate: sold to Mexico, November 12, 1993 as Nicolás Bravo
Timeline:
June 1960: USS McCloy ordered
September 1961: USS McCloy’s keel laid down
June 1962: USS McCloy launched
October 1963: USS McCloy commissioned
October 1983: USS McCloy’s towed array sonar system becomes tangled in propeller of Soviet Victor-III class submarine
December 1990: USS McCloy decommissioned
Crewmembers of the USS McCloy:
An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS McCloy 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_1038
Ric Fox (served 1984—87): “The Caribbean was fun but keeping this ship working was a real challenge otherwise. Made some friends and wonder how you’re all doing.”
David Heckman (served 1984—87): “A lot of great memories.”
Anthony Rumley (served January 1984—April 1987): “Seems like another lifetime ago now. What an experience for an 18 year old to be part of tracking Soviet submarine activity in the Atlantic then drug runners in the Caribbean.”
Links:
http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=ff_1038
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_McCloy_(FF-1038)
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4442/is_200805/ai_n25418722/?tag=content;col1
