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USS Dewey (DDG-45)
Encyclopedia
USS Dewey (DLG-14/DDG-45) was a ship in the United States Naval Service. She was named to honor George Dewey
, the United States' only Admiral of the Navy
. She was the third of four ships whose namesake was Admiral Dewey. The ship's motto was The First and Finest.
, Bath
, Maine
. She was launched 30 November 1958 and sponsored by Mrs. K. St. George, United States Representative from New York State. Dewey was commissioned 7 December 1959, Commander Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
, in command. Dewey was the ninth Farragut class destroyer
(formerly known as the Coontz class).
Commander Zumwalt later, in 1970, became the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations
.
The design of the Farragut class destroyers was closer in size to a World War II
cruiser rather than a destroyer
; this type was originally termed "frigate" by the U.S. Navy
. Other navies used the term "frigate" for destoyer-sized ships specialized in anti-submarine warfare
; the U.S. Navy used this term for fast-carrier anti-aircraft warfare
ships. The DLGs succeeded the missile-less DLs.
coast, the Virginia Capes
, and in the Caribbean
, preparing Dewey for her role in the Atlantic Fleet
. She was decommissioned November 21, 1969, and recommissioned March 31, 1971. On June 30, 1975, the USS Dewey, then commissioned as a guided missile frigate, hull number DLG-14, was reclassified as a guided missile destroyer
, receiving hull number DDG-45.
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
, the United States' only Admiral of the Navy
Admiral of the Navy (United States)
Admiral of the Navy is a rank in the United States Navy that has only been held once in history, by George Dewey. In recognition of his victory at Manila Bay in 1898, Congress authorized a single officer to hold the rank of Admiral, and promoted Dewey to this rank in March 1899...
. She was the third of four ships whose namesake was Admiral Dewey. The ship's motto was The First and Finest.
Construction and design
Dewey was laid down 10 August 1957, by Bath Iron WorksBath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, Bath
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. She was launched 30 November 1958 and sponsored by Mrs. K. St. George, United States Representative from New York State. Dewey was commissioned 7 December 1959, Commander Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. was an American naval officer and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in U.S. military history, especially during the Vietnam War. A highly-decorated war veteran,...
, in command. Dewey was the ninth Farragut class destroyer
Farragut class destroyer
Two classes of destroyer of the United States Navy are known as the Farragut class:*Farragut class destroyer is a class of 8 ships launched in 1934–1935...
(formerly known as the Coontz class).
Commander Zumwalt later, in 1970, became the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
.
The design of the Farragut class destroyers was closer in size to a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
cruiser rather than a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
; this type was originally termed "frigate" by the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Other navies used the term "frigate" for destoyer-sized ships specialized in anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
; the U.S. Navy used this term for fast-carrier anti-aircraft warfare
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
ships. The DLGs succeeded the missile-less DLs.
Service
For the first sixth months of 1960, the USS Dewey was engaged in training operations off the New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
coast, the Virginia Capes
Virginia Capes
The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....
, and in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, preparing Dewey for her role in the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. She was decommissioned November 21, 1969, and recommissioned March 31, 1971. On June 30, 1975, the USS Dewey, then commissioned as a guided missile frigate, hull number DLG-14, was reclassified as a guided missile destroyer
Guided missile destroyer
A guided missile destroyer is a destroyer designed to launch guided missiles. Many are also equipped to carry out anti-submarine, anti-air, and anti-surface operations. In the U.S...
, receiving hull number DDG-45.