USS Reuben James (FFG-57)
.jpg) The Reuben James at sea in 2002 |
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Order | March 22, 1982 |
| Keel laying | November 19, 1983 |
| Launch | February 8, 1985 |
| 1. Period of service |
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|
| Commissioning | March 22, 1986 |
| Decommissioning | 18th July 2013 |
| Technical specifications | |
| displacement |
4100 tons |
| length |
138.1 meters |
| width |
13.5 meters |
| Draft |
7.5 meters |
| crew |
17 officers, 198 sailors |
| drive |
1 propeller, driven by 2 gas turbines; 41,000 wave horsepower |
| speed |
29+ knots |
| Armament |
1 gun 76 mm, 2 torpedo launchers. Disarmed: 1 rocket launcher |
The USS Reuben James (FFG-57) was a guided missile frigate of the United States Navy and belongs to the Oliver Hazard Perry class .
technology
The Reuben James , like all ships of the Perry class, was initially designed primarily as an escort ship for defense against air and sea targets. For this purpose, she was equipped with an MK13 launcher for SM1 missiles for anti-aircraft missiles and Harpoon missiles for combating sea targets, which, however, was removed at the beginning of the 21st century.
The Reuben James still had a single 76 mm gun and two torpedo tubes that can be used against submarines for anti- naval targeting . In addition, the ship has a CIWS for defense against approaching anti-ship missiles . In addition, there were two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters on the Reuben James , which are suitable for combating surface targets and submarines and which can be equipped with Penguin anti-ship missiles and torpedoes .
Origin of name and insignia
Reuben James (1776-1838) was a Boatswain's Mate in the Navy. During the First Barbarian War he served on the USS Constellation ,among other things, when Tripolitan pirateswere able to capturethe largely undamaged USS Philadelphia , which ran aground in the port of Tripoli. The Philadelphia's crew- including their captain William Bainbridge - were captured, and there was a risk that the pirates would use the ship against the US Navy. To prevent this, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur and a group of volunteers, including Reuben James, entered the port of Tripoli on the night of February 16, 1804,to destroythe Philadelphia . As they boarded a battle ensued with the pirates guarding their prey, one of whom was on the verge of being Lt. Stab Decatur. However, this was prevented by the already wounded James, who fended off the saber with his hand, so that Decatur had the opportunity to draw his pistol and shoot the attacker. Reuben James survived the fight, recovered from his injuries, and served in the US Navy until 1836.
The FFG-57 was the third Navy ship that was named after Reuben James . Ships under this name were previously destroyers or, in the current case, a frigate. As the namesake, Reuben James symbolized the protective function of these ships for their fleet.
The coat of arms of the Reuben James is in the colors of the banner of the Barbarian Wars, white, blue and gold. On the insignia you can see a shield on which you can see a golden saber over a silver machete, which stands for the victory of the United States over the barbares. The four stars can also be found on the Barbarian Wars banner, but also refer to the USS Constellation on which James was stationed. The silhouette of a wall can be seen in the background, reminiscent of the heavily fortified port of Tripoli. The two eagle heads looking outwards represent the two SH-60B helicopters and their constant vigilance as the eyes of the ship. The crossed anchors above the shield can also be found on a Boatswain's Mate insignia, which was Reuben James' usage name. The inflamed arrowhead that can be seen above it symbolizes the power of the USS Reuben James . Under the sign you can find the ship's motto, Back with a Vengeance , in German about back with all your might . The border of the coat of arms consists of the name and identification of the ship in golden letters on a blue background, which in turn is bordered by a golden rope.
history
construction
The Reuben James was laid down on November 19, 1983 at Todd Pacific Shipyards in San Pedro , California and launched there on February 8, 1985. On March 22, 1986, the official commissioning took place under Commander John J. Kieley.
During the test drives, the ship was assigned to Surface Squadron One .
Calls
After the end of the test drives in June 1987, the Reuben James was assigned to the Destroyer Squadron 31 belonging to the Pacific Fleet and was initially in the port of Long Beach , California .
She took part in Operation Earnest Will, which began shortly thereafter and lasted until September 1988, to protect Kuwaiti oil tankers during the First Gulf War. During this operation, the Reuben James drove a total of 22 convoy escorts, ten of which she was the flagship of the respective association.
In August 1991 the ship was moved from Long Beach to Pearl Harbor , Hawaii .
From July 2002 to April 2003, the Reuben James was relocated to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom , in which she participated as part of the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group .
Between February and April 2004, Reuben James supported various anti-drug missions in the Eastern Pacific .
Between February and August 2006, the ship returned to the Persian Gulf and participated as part of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 in Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
During this mission, a Reuben James helicopter rescued two Kenyan sailors who were in distress. In 2010 the Reuben James was deployed in the Pacific to provide humanitarian aid to the Philippines and to enforce fishing rights with the United States Coast Guard . In June the frigate started the multinational exercise RIMPAC .
Whereabouts
On July 17, 2013, the ship was decommissioned and sunk in January 2016 during a sea target shooting with an SM-6 missile of the USS John Paul Jones .
Appearances in the media
In the film Hunt for Red October, based on the bestseller of the same name by Tom Clancy , the Reuben James is the ship that provides the Red October . In the film, the Reuben James is portrayed by the Gary and the Wadsworth , Peter Jason plays the commanding officer on the Reuben James .
The Reuben James also appears in the novel In the Storm by Tom Clancy : Ed Morris , one of the main characters, is transferred from the USS Pharris to the Reuben James after the Pharris was badly damaged in an attack.
Web links
- Official homepage of the ship
- Reuben James at navysite.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Section refers to fas.org
- ↑ Section based on http://www.navysite.de/ffg/FFG57.HTM#about
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento from March 22, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Section refers to reuben-james.navy.mil/history ( Memento from March 28, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
