History of the USS Blakely (DE/FF-1072)

USS Blakely (DE/FF-1072): History, Patrols, Crews

Commissioning

The USS Blakely was a member of the Knox class of escort destroyers (and later, frigates). She was named in honor of Capts. Johnston Blakely and Charles Adams Blakely.

The order to build the Blakely was awarded to the Avondale Shipyards of Westwego, La., on June 22, 1964. Her keel was laid on June 8, 1968; she was launched on Aug. 23, 1969. She was commissioned on July 18, 1970, with Commander Francis L. Carelli in command.

Underway

The Blakely was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and was based at Charleston, S.C. Still, her first primary deployment was to the Western Pacific. After passing through the Panama Canal and stopping at Pearl Harbor, she arrived in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam on Jan. 12, 1973. It would be her only deployment to the war zone and lasted less than a month, with the Blakely arriving at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Feb. 5.

In 1974, the Blakely made her first deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Joining the 6th Fleet in late June, the Blakely spent nearly six months in the region. In July, she helped evacuate American citizens from the island of Cyprus after fighting between Greece and Turkey broke out.

In January 1981, the Blakely deployed to the Persian Gulf region as a show of force against the newly formed Islamic Republic of Iran, who was holding U.S. hostages at the American Embassy in Tehran. By the time the Blakely transited the Suez Canal on Jan. 31, the hostages were free, but the Blakely continued on to join the Middle East Force. For four months, she patrolled the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf.

For the remainder of her career, the Blakely continued to patrol the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Her primary mission of anti-submarine warfare remained unchanged.

Decommissioning

The Blakely was decommissioned on Nov. 15, 1991 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on Jan. 11, 1995. She was scrapped on Sept. 30, 2000.
Characteristics of the USS Blakely (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:

July 22, 1964: USS Blakely ordered
Builder: Avondale Shipyard, Westwego, Louisiana
Laid down: June 3, 1968
Launched: Aug. 23, 1969
Acquired: July 2, 1970
Commissioned: July 18, 1970
Decommissioned: Nov. 15,1991
Struck: Jan. 11, 1995
Motto: Nunquam Non Paratus; Never Unprepared
Fate: Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, Sept. 30, 2000

Timeline:

July 1964: USS Blakely ordered
June 1968: Keel of USS Blakely laid
August 1969: USS Blakely launched
July 1970: USS Blakely commissioned
1973: USS Blakely serves in the Gulf of Tonkin
November 1991: USS Blakely decommissioned

Crewmembers of the USS Blakely:

An unofficial list of crew members that served on the USS Blakely 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/crewlist/commandlist.php?commandid=553

Shake Shakesnider (served December 1988—December 1991): “THE BLAKELY WAS MY FIRST SHIP, I GOT THERE A SEAMAN AND LEFT TM3. I MADE LIFE LONG FRIENDS WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO I STILL STAY IN CONTACT WITH TODAY. THE BLAKELY IS A PART MY LIFE I WILL NEVER FORGET.”
Jeff Elliott (served June 1989—September 1991): “Wow what a great time I had on this ship. I wish i could remember everyone. I do remember Groover, Thrift and FCCM Miller. Would be nice to hear from you all. Decommed the ship right after I had to transfer. I did get part of bridgewing, thanks.”
Thomas Conn (served February 1989—October 1989): “Should have named her FFF1072 for the Finest Feeding Frigate in the Navy. Loved those midrats.. Great duty , enjoyed serving onboard her. Was transfered off and to the Military Sealift Command at NavWepSta, Charleston Oct 1989”

Links:

http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/destroyerspostwwii.htm
http://navysite.de/crewlist/commandlist.php?commandid=553
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Blakely_(FF-1072)
http://navysite.de/ff/ff1072.htm

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