_port_side.jpg) USSSimpson in April 2007 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Namesake | Rear AdmiralRodger W. Simpson |
| Awarded | 22 March 1982 |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works,Bath, Maine |
| Laid down | 27 February 1984 |
| Launched | 31 August 1984 |
| Sponsored by | Mrs. Grace Fowles-Simpson |
| Acquired | 13 September 1985 |
| Commissioned | 21 September 1985 |
| Decommissioned | 29 September 2015 |
| Homeport | N.S. Mayport, Florida |
| Identification |
|
| Motto |
|
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Oliver Hazard Perry-classfrigate |
| Displacement | 4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load |
| Length | 453 ft (138 m) |
| Beam | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Draft | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | over 29 knots (54 km/h) |
| Range | 5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h) |
| Complement | 15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus air detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 ×SH-60B LAMPS III helicopter |
| Aviation facilities | |
USSSimpson (FFG-56) is anOliver Hazard Perry-classguided missile frigate of theUnited States Navy, named forRear AdmiralRodger W. Simpson.
Simpson was laid down atBath Iron Works,Bath, Maine, on 27 February 1984, launched on 31 August 1984 sponsored by Mrs. Grace Fowles-Simpson[1] widow of Rodger W. Simpson andcommissioned on 21 September 1985[2] inNewport, Rhode Island. The ship was delivered 13 September 1985. Bath Iron Works plans called for delivery to occur 9 August 1985, but that date slipped due to an extended strike at BIW that began 30 June 1985.[3]Simpson was homeported atNaval Station Newport until switching toNaval Station Norfolk on 31 March 1994.Simpson moved toNaval Station Mayport in July 2001.[4]
On 28 January 1986, theNASAJohn F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launchedSpace Shuttle missionSTS-51L utilizing the orbiter vehicleChallenger at 1138 EST. Escaping propellant combustion products from thesolid rocket booster ignited the Challenger's liquid fuel and oxidiser tank, and 73 seconds after launch a massive explosiondestroyedChallenger, killing all seven astronauts on board.Simpson took part in the ensuingsearch and rescue effort, and subsequently received theCoast Guard Unit Commendation withOperational "O" for her participation.[5]
Beginning January 1988,Simpson's first overseas deployment was to thePersian Gulf as part ofOperation Earnest Will, to escort reflaggedKuwaiti oil tankers during theIran–Iraq War. On 18 April 1988,Simpson took part inOperation Praying Mantis, the U.S. response to the mining of the frigateSamuel B. Roberts, which had hit an Iranian M-08mine on 14 April 1988.
On 18 April,Simpson, along withWainwright andBagley, destroyedIranian naval and intelligence facilities on theoil platform Sirri in the Persian Gulf. Later that day, the ships encountered the IranianKaman-class (La Combattante II type) missile patrol boatJoshan, which launched aHarpoon missile at the US vessels.Simpson immediately returned missile fire, strikingJoshan in her superstructure.Joshan was then sunk by combined gunfire.Simpson was awarded theJoint Meritorious Unit Award and theCombat Action Ribbon for this operation, and theArmed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the deployment.
20 February 1990,Simpson rescued 22 crew members fromSurf City, a reflagged Kuwaiti tanker carrying $9 million innaphtha and gas oil.Surf City was transiting near the Iranian island ofAbu Musa when it exploded, killing two and forcing the crew to abandon ship. According to Central Command,Simpson was not escorting the tanker, but was monitoring its progress from 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) away and responded immediately to rescue the crew.[6] The fire was so intense that US ships could not approach it andSurf City burned for two weeks. At the time, the fire was feared to be the result of an attack or a mine, but theNTSB later determined it to be an accident.[7]
In March 1992, duringSimpson's third deployment,Simpson andNormandy escortedAmerica and two supply ships into the Persian Gulf. At the time, Iraq was refusing to comply with UN weapons inspection and the ships departed the Persian Gulf in early April after inspections resumed.[8][9]
In August 1993 onSimpson's fourth deployment she was again assigned to escortCarrier Group Six withAmerica. During the deploymentSimpson participated inOperation Deny Flight andOperation Provide Promise in theAdriatic Sea and supportedOperation Continue Hope offSomalia.Simpson returned to homeport in February 1994.[10][11]
In May 1994,Simpson was one of the ships enforcing United Nations sanctions onHaiti.[12]
Simpson deployed to the Caribbean Sea forcounter drug operations in late 1994 and again in February 1995.[10]
In November 1995,Simpson deployed to the Mediterranean joining theUnited States Sixth Fleet NATO'sStanding Naval Force Atlantic.Simpson operated in theAdriatic Sea enforcing UN arms embargo against Croatia andBosnia-Herzegovina and participating inOperation Sharp Guard.Simpson returned to Norfolk 8 May 1996.[10]
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Capt. Gerald F. DeConto,Simpson's commanding officer from September 1998 to April 2000, was killed atthe Pentagon during theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.[13]
In July 2002,Simpson responded toMalpelo Island to medevac a wounded Colombian Marine who had received three gunshot wounds.[14]
Simpson deployed withHelicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light)(HSL) 44, Det. 10 as part of NATO'sStanding Naval Forces Atlantic on 22 September 2004 returning 20 December 2004.Simpson visited New York City 12 October 2004 during this deployment.[15]Simpson'sMk 13 missile launcher was removed sometime in 2005 prior to her next deployment.
On 3 January 2006,Simpson deployed withHSL-42, Det. 9, joiningStanding NRF Maritime Group 1 and participated in a number of international naval exercises in theNorth Sea,Norwegian Sea and EasternMediterranean Sea returning to Mayport 24 June 2006.[16]
On 5 October 2007,Simpson deployed withHSL-46, Det. 7 andU.S. Coast GuardLaw Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 405, to the eastern Pacific for counter narcotics operations returning April 2008. During the deploymentSimpson captured 16 metric tons of cocaine. On 29 November 2007,Simpson interdicted a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) capable of carrying 5–8 metric tons of cocaine. The sub was sunk by its crew, but the crew was captured and turned over toColombia.[17][18]
On 17 January 2012,Simpson deployed to theSixth Fleet Area of Responsibility, participating inAfrica Partnership Station 2012, andOperation Active Endeavor. Ports of call includedFunchal,Rota,Casablanca,Dakar,Lagos,Accra,Mindelo,Souda Bay,Sicily,Naples andPraia. She returned to Naval Station Mayport on 17 July 2012.
On 18 September 2013,Simpson deployed once more to the United States Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility. Ports of call includedPonta Delgada, Sicily,Bari,Athens,Valletta, Souda Bay and Casablanca. She returned to Naval Station Mayport on 20 March 2014.Simpson's final homeport was Naval Station Mayport, Florida, with assignment to Destroyer Squadron 14.[17][19]Simpson was part of the Active Naval Reserve Force, Category A from 2002 until her decommissioning in September 2015.[20] She was the finalOliver Hazard Perry-class frigate in service in the United States Navy.[21][22] The ship is set to be put up for foreign military sale.[23]
WhenSimpson was decommissioned, it meant the last United States ship still in active service to have sunk an enemy vessel was the 217-year-oldUSSConstitution.[24][25]
This article includes information collected from theNaval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in thepublic domain. The entry can be foundhere. This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be foundhere.
Media related toUSS Simpson (FFG-56) at Wikimedia Commons
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