USS Roark (FF-1053)

USS Roark (FF-1053), originally designated DE-1053, was a Knox class frigate named for William Marshall Roark. Roark was laid down on 2 February 1966 by the Todd Shipyards Corporation in Seattle, Washington; launched on 24 April 1967, sponsored by Mrs. William M. Roark and Mrs. Frank F. Roark; and commissioned on 22 November 1969, with Commander Wayne L. Beech in command.

Since completing shakedown in the spring of 1970, Roark a unit of DesRon 21, conducted training operations out of her homeport of San Diego, California, until the end of the year. With 1971 she began preparations for her first deployment with the 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific and departed from San Diego 7 January. After stopping at Pearl Harbor and refueling at Midway Island, Roark suffered a fire in her engine room. The damage was sufficient to require her return to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Almost two months later, in March, she was underway again for WestPac. She remained in the western Pacific until July, when she started for home, arriving in San Diego, California, on 10 August. For the remainder of 1971, Roark operated out of San Diego.

The new year, 1972, brought with it another deployment to the Far East. She departed San Diego on 8 February and arrived in Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, on 29 February. She operated in the Western Pacific, primarily in the Vietnam area until 15 August, when she pointed her bow homeward. Roark entered San Diego 30 August and remained in the vicinity for the duration of 1972 and the first eight months of 1973. She departed San Diego in August and arrived in Subic Bay on the 31st. After almost four months of deployment with the Seventh Fleet, Roark sailed into San Diego on 21 December 1973.

[1973-1987]

Roark transferred to the Naval Reserve in 1987 and was decommissioned 14 December 1991. She was disposed of by scrapping, dismantling beginning on 13 October 2004.

Honors and awards

Roark received three campaign stars for Vietnam War service.

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

• Combat Action Ribbon
• Navy "E" Ribbon (6)
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
• National Defense Service Medal (with one star)
• Vietnam Service Medal (with three stars)
• Humanitarian Service Ribbon
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
• Vietnam Campaign Medal

Sources

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
• Naval Vessel Rgister FF1053
• navsource.org
• navysite.de