USS Rentz (FFG-46)

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Career (US)
USS Rentz (FFG-46)
Laid down:	September 18, 1982
Launched:	July 16, 1983
Commissioned:	June 30, 1984
Status:	Active in service as of 2007.
Homeport:	San Diego, California
General Characteristics
Displacement:	4,100 tons (4,170 t) full load
Length:	453 ft (138.1 m), overall
Beam:	45 ft (13.7 m)
Draught:	22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller
Speed:	29+ knots (54+ km/h)
Range:	5,000 nm (9,300 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement:	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare and decoys:	AN/SLQ-32
Armament:	One OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun one Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for \|Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) two Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes one Vulcan Phalanx CIWS; four .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns.
Aircraft carried:	2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters
Motto:	Dread Nought
Nickname:	Igno (as in Igno-Rentz - a pun for ignorance)

1 History
2 About the Ship's Crest
3 Portrait of Chaplain Rentz
4 External links

[edit] History

USS Rentz (FFG-46) was the 40th ship to be constructed in the Oliver Hazard Perry-class of guided missile frigates of the United States Navy. The only United States combatant vessel to ever be named after a priest, the Rentz was named after World War II Navy Chaplain George S. Rentz (1882–1942). Chaplain Rentz was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for selfless bravery following the loss of USS Houston (CA-30) in the Battle of Sunda Strait. He was the only Navy chaplain to be so honored during World War II.

The keel of the Rentz was laid on September 18, 1982 at Todd Pacific Shipyards in San Pedro, California. She was launched July 16, 1983, and commissioned at Naval Station Long Beach on June 30, 1984. In attendance were survivors of the Houston, as well as Chaplain Rentz's surviving daughter.

In December, 1985, Rentz moved from Long Beach, California to its current (2006) location in San Diego, California. Following initial shakedown cruises and operations, Rentz was assigned to the USS Ranger aircraft carrier group. As part of that group, the ship regularly cruised the Southern California Operations Area off the coast of San Clemente Island with a pair of fuzzy dice dangling above the ship's computerized helm. During "breakaways" after underway replenishment (UNREP) at sea, Rentz blasted the Beach Boys song "Little Deuce Coupe" as its inaugural "UNREP breakaway song."

On November 5, 1986, Rentz was part of an historic visit to Qingdao (Tsing Tao; 青岛) China—the first US Naval visit to China since 1949. Rentz was accompanied by two other ships, the Reeves (DLG-24) and Oldendorf (DD-972). The visit was officially hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). ("After 37-year absence, U.S. vessels visit China," New York Times Nov. 6, 1986, Sec. A, p. 3)

In July 1987, Rentz was sent to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Earnest Will. Her primary duties consisted of escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Rentz has been deployed to the Gulf numerous times since 1987.

By 2005, Rentz was captained by Commander Dominic DeScisciolo and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 21 in San Diego.

Interesting events in Rentz's history include the rescue of a downed helicopter crew in the Persian Gulf (August 16, 1997), interception of cocaine smugglers off of the Southern California coast (April 11, 2002), and the rescue of 90 Ecuadorians on a disabled vessel (June 18, 2005).

Rentz has won awards for "outstanding food service" in the Pacific Fleet (1997 Ney Award winner "Small Afloat" and 2000 runner-up same category). Rentz also received the Mobility Energy Efficiency award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2003.

The 453-foot-long, 4100-ton Rentz is typical of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of ships with a kaleidoscopic history of various duties. Despite the proliferation of high technology on these relatively small crewed vessels (without an air detachment, app. 200 usually aboard) duty aboard these ships harkens back to previous eras of surface combatant vessels. These "Chevy Vegas of the seas" are the most likely types of vessels to be on the short end of such little known nautical rules as "The Law of Gross Tonnage."

[edit] About the Ship's Crest

The colors blue and gold are traditionally associated with the U.S. Navy. The vertical trident represents the sea god Neptune. The crossed missiles indicate the type of ship "Fast Frigate with Guided Missiles." The cross on the shield symbolizes the ship's namesake, Chaplain Rentz. The motto "Dread Nought" tells all to have no fear for the ship is watched over by higher powers.