USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29)

For the John C. Butler-class destroyer escort, see USS Groves (DE-543).
USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) in the Atlantic Ocean in 2008
Career (US)
Namesake: Ensign Stephen W. Groves (1917–1942)
Awarded: 23 January 1978
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: 16 September 1980
Launched: 4 April 1981
Commissioned: 17 April 1982
Decommissioned: 24 February 2012
Homeport: Mayport Naval Station
Identification: Hull symbol:FFG-29
Motto: Dirigo (I Direct)
Nickname: Stevie G
Status: Inactive, out of commission
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate
Displacement:4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length:453 feet (138 m), overall
Beam:45 feet (14 m)
Draft:22 feet (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
2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
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 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:As built:
Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.
Aircraft carried:2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters

USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29), twenty-first ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates, was named for Ensign Stephen W. Groves (1917–1942), a naval aviator who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at the Battle of Midway during World War II.

Background

Ordered from Bath Iron Works on 23 January 1978 as part of the FY78 program, Stephen W. Groves was laid down on 16 September 1980, launched on 4 April 1981, and commissioned on 17 April 1982, Commander Philip A. Bozzelli commanding.

Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) is the first ship of that name in the U.S. Navy. A previous ship named for Ensign Groves, destroyer escort USS Groves (DE-543) was canceled in 1944 prior to completion. Assigned to Destroyer Squadron 14 and home-ported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, She was decommissioned on 24 February 2012.

History

On 28 August 2005, she sailed from her then-home port of Pascagoula, Mississippi, along with sister ship John L. Hall (FFG-32) under threat from Hurricane Katrina; Naval Station Pascagoula is now closed as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Deployed to the Indian Ocean, on 10 May 2011 she met the Somali pirate longliner Jih Chun Tsai 68 after being ordered to intercept the hijacked Taiwanese fishing vessel. Receiving fire from the longliner, the Stephen W. Groves engaged her in a single ship action that saw the pirate vessel sunk with 3 pirates killed, 2 wounded, and one Taiwanese hostage killed. 19 Somali pirates and two Chinese hostages were taken on board. The rescued Chinese crew were repatriated to China and their families. [2]

The Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) as seen at sunset in Key West on 22 July 2007.

She was also on station in the Desert Shield era when the USS Stark was struck by two missiles from an Iraqi fighter jet, and assisted the Stark in her return to Mayport, Fl.

References

  1. ↑ "USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29)". Navsource.org. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/articles/2011/082.html

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.

External links

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