History of the USS Glover (FF-1098)

USS Glover (FF-1098): History, Patrols, Crews

Commissioning

The USS Glover, (FF-1098: frigate), was named for General John Glover, a Revolutionary War general. Glover was part of the United States Navy’s Garcia class of frigates and was originally intended to be a testing and research vessel. Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, earned the contract in June of 1961 and laid down her keel on July 29, 1963. Glover launched on April 17, 1965. She was commissioned as AGDE-1 on November 13, 1965, carrying two hundred thirty-one enlisted men and sixteen officers.

Underway

Glover”s primary mission was to test antisubmarine weapons, tactics and technology. For example, her engine screw had a shorter diameter and a shroud surrounding it to reduce its sonar signature. Since her main objective was to evaluate new equipment, she seldom saw active duty for her first few years in service.

As Glover began to take part in more naval exercises, she moved her homeport from Newport, Rhode Island, to Norfolk, Virginia in 1974. In June of 1975, her designation was changed from AGDE-1 to AGFF-1. She began her first deployment to the Middle East in March of 1978 and returned to Norfolk on September 1. She began another Middle East deployment in September of 1979. The next month, her designation was changed from AGFF-1 to FF-1098.

In 1980, Glover was among the first ships in the US Navy to have women serve on board. Four fourth-year female midshipmen and one female Navy lieutenant served on board for two months, paving the way for women to serve on ships throughout the Navy today. That August, Glover started to undergo an overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. After her successful overhaul, she participated in the exercise READEX 3-82 and deployed for the Mediterranean in November of 1982.

Glover carried out numerous Special Operations (SPECOPS) off the coast of Central America in for three months starting in August of 1983. She also participated in numerous exercises through the 1980s, including Ocean Venture 84, READEX 1-85 and Solid Shield 85. Late in 1986, Glover took part in anti-drug trafficking activities in the Caribbean. The following spring, she deployed to the North Atlantic and made stops in Canada, England, Scotland, Norway and West Germany.

After Glover returned to Norfolk, she sailed for the naval shipyards in Charleston, South Carolina, for the installation of a new sonar system. Once the installation was completed, she spent several weeks conducting sea trials and testing out the new equipment. From there, she steamed to Boston for a lengthy overhaul. Almost a year later, she sailed down the US east coast, and then made for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for more sea trials and refresher training. At the start of May 1990, she was redesignated and made a part of the USNS fleet and moved her homeport to Groton, Connecticut.

Decommissioning

Glover was decommissioned on December 20, 1988 and stricken from the Naval Register on November 14, 1993 as part of the phase-out of the Garcia-class frigates. She was sold for scrap April 15, 1994.

Characteristics of the USS Glover (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Class and type: Garcia-class frigate
Displacement:     2,624 tons (light)
3,400 tons full
Length: 414 ft 6 in (126.3 m)
Beam: 44 ft 1 in (13.4 m)
Draft: 24 ft 6 in (7.5 m)
Propulsion: 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers, 1 steam turbine, 35,000 shp, single screw
Speed:     27 knots
Range:     4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 20 knots (40 km/h)
Complement: 16 officers, 231 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems: AN/SPS-40 air search radar
AN/SPS-10 surface search radar
AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar
Armament: 2 x 5"/38 Mk 30(2x1)
1 8-tube ASROC Mk16 launcher (16 missiles)
6 x 12.75 in (324mm) Mk 32 (2x3) torpedo tubes, Mk 46 torpedoes
2 x MK 37 torpedo tubes (fixed, stern) (removed later)
Aircraft carried:     Gyrodyne QH-50 (planned) / SH-2 LAMP

Career:

Namesake: John Glover, a Revolutionary War general
Ordered: 28 June 1961
Builder: Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine
Laid down: 29 July 1963
Launched: 17 April 1965
Commissioned: 13 November 1965
Decommissioned: 15 June 1990
Struck: 20 November 1992
Fate: Sold for scrap

Timeline:

July 1963 – USS Glover keel laid down
April 1965 – USS Glover launched
November 1965 – USS Glover commissioned
Early 1974 – USS Glover moved homeport from Newport, Rhode Island, to Norfolk, Virginia
July 1975 – USS Glover redesignated from AGDE-1 to AGFF-1
March 1978 – USS Glover deployed to Middle East
September 1979 – USS Glover deployed to Middle East
October 1979 – USS Glover redesignated from AGFF-1 to FF-1098
Early 1980 – USS Glover was among the first ships to allow women to serve on board
August 1980 – USS Glover underwent overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard
November 1982 – USS Glover deployed to Middle East
August 1983 – USS Glover started three months of Special Operations near Central America
Early 1985 – USS Glover took part in exercises READEX 1-85 and Solid Shield 85
June 1990 – USS Glover decommissioned
November 1992 – USS Glover stricken from Naval Vessel Register

Crewmembers of the USS Glover:

An unofficial list of crewmembers that served on the USS Glover 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_1098

Marty Whalen: (Served from July 1966 - May 1968) “Life onboard the Glover was a lot better once I became a cook. Being on the deck force was not one of my fond memories of the Navy. I was just up in Boston on a cruise ship this last Oct. we were docked rigth next to the large drydock #3.”

Arthur L. Overbay: (Served from April 1969 – March 1972) “In the three years that I was aboard, we spent all three winters in the shipyards, in Charlestown,Mass. My three years abourd were great and I miss all of the men that I served with.”

Marc Bolinger: (Served from March 1977 – December 1981) “The pirate crew, the black sheep of destroyer squadrons 10/2. Some memorable moments, being kicked off the gun-line in Purto Rico, and ask to leave several liberty ports!”

David Shaieb: (Served July 1980 – July 1985) “I still think of some of you guys. Glad to have been part of the brotherhood. I'm still in (reserves) and wish I could get the Glover back and sail that old tin can one more time...BTTW.”

Brian Medes: (Served September 1985 – August 1987) “Good times and bad. Great fun, caught the tail end of Great Lakes cruise. Great fun on Northern Europe cruise and in the Caribean. Would love to return to Kiel someday, never drank so much in all my life!“

Links:
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/destroyerspostwwii.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Glover_(FF-1098)
http://navysite.de/crew.php?action=ship&ship=FF_1098
http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/06021098.htm

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