USS Dewey (DDG-45)

USS Dewey (DDG-45)
Career (US)
Name:	USS Dewey (DLG-14/DDG-45)
Namesake:	George Dewey
Builder:	Bath Iron Works
Laid down:	10 August 1957
Launched:	30 November 1958
Acquired:	2 December 1959
Commissioned:	7 December 1959
Decommissioned:	31 August 1990
Struck:	20 November 1992
Motto:	The First and Finest
Fate:	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping 15 April 1994
General characteristics
Class and type:	Farragut-class guided missile destroyer
Displacement:	5,800 tons
Length:	512.5 ft (156.2 m)
Beam:	52 ft (16 m)
Draught:	25 ft (7.6 m)
Propulsion:	4 1200psi boilers, 2 geared turbines
Speed:	36.5 knots
Range:	4500nm @ 20 Knots
Complement:	377 (21 officers + 356 enlisted)
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-48C air-search radar, AN/SPS-49 air-search radar, AN/SPG-55B fire control radar, AN/SPG-53F gun fire control radar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	AN/SLQ-32
Armament:	one Mk 42 5-inch/54 (127mm/54) caliber gun, Mark 46 torpedoes from two Mk-32 triple mounts, one Mk 16 ASROC Missile Launcher, one Mk 10 Mod.0 Missile Launcher for RIM-2 Terrier / Standard (ER) Missiles, two Mk 141 Harpoon missile launchers

USS Dewey (DLG-14/DDG-45) was a Farragut class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named to honor George Dewey, the United States' only Admiral of the Navy.^[1] She was the third of four ships whose namesake was Admiral Dewey.^[2] The ship's motto was The First and Finest.

Construction and design

Dewey was laid down 10 August 1957, by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.^[1] She was launched 30 November 1958 and sponsored by Mrs. K. St. George, United States Representative from New York State.^[1] Dewey was commissioned 7 December 1959, Commander Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., in command.^[1] Dewey was the ninth Farragut class destroyer (formerly known as the Coontz class).^[3]

Commander Zumwalt later, in 1970, became the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations.^[3]

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.^[4] Other navies used the term "frigate" for destroyer-sized ships specialized in anti-submarine warfare; the U.S. Navy used this term for fast-carrier anti-aircraft warfare ships.^[4] The DLGs succeeded the missile-less DLs.^[4]

Service

USS Dewey (DLG-14) off Oahu, 1968.

For the first sixth months of 1960, the USS Dewey was engaged in training operations off the New England coast, the Virginia Capes, and in the Caribbean, preparing Dewey for her role in the Atlantic Fleet.^[3] She was decommissioned 21 November 1969, and recommissioned 31 March 1971.^[5] On 30 June 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.^[3]

Decommissioning

Dewey was decommissioned 31 August 1990 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 20 November 1992. Dewey was sold to J&L Metals, Wilmington, NC on 15 April 1994 for $255,459.43 and was scrapped shortly afterwards.

References

• This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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