USS Reasoner (FF-1063)


USS Reasoner (FF-1063)
Career (US)
Ordered: July 22, 1964
Builder: Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington
Laid down: January 6, 1969
Launched: August 1, 1970
Acquired: June 22, 1971
Commissioned: July 31, 1971
Decommissioned: August 28, 1993
Motto: Fidelity
Fate: Sold to Turkey, renamed Kocatepe
General characteristics
Displacement: 3,011 tons (3,877 full load)
Length: 438 ft (134 m)
Beam: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Draught: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
Propulsion: 2 - 1200 psi boilers; 1 geared turbine, 1 shaft; 35,000 shaft horsepower
Speed: over 27 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 with Phalanx CIWS)
Aircraft carried: one SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I) helicopter

USS Reasoner (FF-1063) was a Knox class frigate of the US Navy. Reasoner, originally (DE-1063), was laid down 6 January 1969 by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle, Washington and launched 1 August 1970; cosponsored by Mrs. James C. Curry and Mrs. Robert Svinger. Reasoner was commissioned 31 July 1971, Cmdr. Francisco Velazquez-Suarez, USN, commanding. Reasoner was decommissioned on August 28, 1993, and subsequently leased to Turkey, where the ship was recommissioned as Kocatepe. On February 22, 2002, she was finally purchased by Turkey.

Namesake

Frank Stanley Reasoner was born 16 September 1937 in Spokane, Washington. Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1955, he reached the rank of sergeant prior to entering the United States Military Academy in 1958. At West Point, he won four consecutive brigade boxing championships. Graduated in June 1962, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

Arriving in Vietnam in April 1965, 1st Lt. Frank Reasoner died in action near Danang, Vietnam, 12 July, when he led a five-man reconnaissance patrol into enemy-controlled territory. He killed two enemy soldiers, and destroyed an automatic weapons position, but died while aiding a wounded Marine. For his bravery in battle and his concern for the wounded, Frank Reasoner was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The ship was featured in the music video for The Village People single In the Navy.

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