USS Reeves (DLG-24)

Career
Ordered
Laid Down	1 July 1960
Launched	12 May 1962
Commissioned	15 May 1964
Decommissioned	12 November 1993
Stricken	12 November 1993
Fate	HULKEX 31 May 2001
General Characteristics
Displacement	4,650 tons (light) 5,670 tons (standard) 8,203 tons (full load)
Length	535 ft
Beam	53 ft
Draft	26 ft
Complement	413 32 officers 381 enlisted
Flag Accomodations	18 6 officers 12 enlisted
Mottos	The Only Cruiser in Town Reeves Ironmen
Aircraft
None	Helicopter landing area aft for VERTREPS with limited support facilities; no hanger
Armament
SAM	2x Mk 10 Mod 5 missile launchers, one forward and one aft, for RIM-67-B (SM2-ER) "Terrier" missles. Reeves carried a total of 88 Terriers in two magazines.
ASM	8x RGM-84A Harpoon missiles in two Mk 141 quad launchers
ASW	8x Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC) launcher in a Mk 16 Mod 7 box launcher
Torpedoes	6x Mk 46 torpedo in two Mk 32 12.75" triple tube launchers
Guns	2x 20mm/76 Mk 15 Vulcan Phalanx 6-barreled CIWS 2x twin 3" 76mm 50 cal anti-aircraft gun mounts 2x 40 mm saluting guns (fitted)
Countermeasures
EW	SLQ 32V Nixie towed torpedo decoy 4x Mk 36 Super RBOC 6-barreled Chaffroc
Electronics
Combat Information Processing	Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS)
Communication	OE-82 satellite communication antenna SSR-1 receiver 3x WSC-3 transceivers
Fire Control
SAM	4x Mk 76 Terrier FCS
ASW	Mk 114
Weapons Direction System	Mk 14 WDS
Propulsion
Main Engines	2x Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines; 85,000 shp; 2 shafts
Boilers	4x Foster-Wheeler 1,200 psi boilers
Speed	32.7 knots
Fuel	1,800 tons
Range	8,000 miles at 20 knots
Radar
3D Air Search Radar (Bearing, range and height)	AN/SPS-48E
2D Air Search Radar (Bearing and range)	AN/SPS-43
Surface Search	AN/SPS-10F
Fire Control	4x AN/SPG-55B
Navigation	CRP-2900 (Pathfinder)
Sonar
	SQQ 23 series bow-mounted

The second USS Reeves, named for Vice Adm. Joseph Mason "Bull" Reeves, was a Leahy-class cruiser built by the the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA.

Reeves began her history as a destroyer leader (DLG-24) when her keel was laid down on 1 July 1960. She was launched on 12 May 1962 and commissioned on 15 May 1964. Mrs. Joseph M. Reeves, Jr., daughter-in-law of Vice Adm. Reeves, was the ship's sponsor. Reeves was later reclassified as guided missile cruiser (CG-24) on 30 June 1975. On 12 November 1993, Reeves was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy Register at Pearl Harbor Naval Base. She is laid up in reserve at Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF), Pearl Harbor until 31 May 2001 when she was sunk as a target ship off the coast of Australia.

Reeves in the 1960s

Following an extended trial and shakedown period, REEVES, a guided missile frigate homeported at Long Beach, underwent availability and further training and, on 10 April 1965, departed California for her first tour with the 7th Fleet in the western Pacific. Deployed for just over 6 months, she operated primarily in support of Allied operations in the Republic of Vietnam, serving as an AAW picket, first with TG 77.3 built around aircraft carrier ORISKANY (CVA-34), then with TG 77.6 centered on aircraft carrier MIDWAY (CVA-41). Returning to Long Beach 3 November, she conducted local operations for the remainder of the year and into 1966. On 26 May, she got underway for Japan and a 2-year nonrotated tour with the 7th Fleet. Arriving at her new homeport, Yokosuka, 16 June, she departed again in July and on the 7th anchored at Danang, R.V.N. to begin another tour off that embattled coast. For the next 2 years, she regularly sailed south from Japan for air-sea rescue tours off Vietnam, compiling a total of 493 days underway, 312 of which were spent in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Rotated back to the United States in August 1968, REEVES operated out of Long Beach for the remainder of the year, participating in local operations and testing and evaluating radar systems. With the new year, 1969, however, REEVES was ordered to Bath, Maine, for overhaul and modernization. Arriving 31 March, she was placed out of commission, special, 10 April, and the extensive modification work was begun.

REEVES was recommissioned 29 August 1970 at Bath, Captain W. S. Mayer, USN, in command. She spent the period 10 September-19 November making the passage from Bath to her new home port, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The uncommonly long duration of the passage was due to frequent stops along the way at various places for additional work to be done and by a three-week refresher training period in the vicinity of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After arriving at Pearl Harbor, REEVES engaged in numerous exercises and operations in the area around Hawaii.

June 1971 found her steaming westward for deployment in the Gulf of Tonkin. REEVES returned to Pearl Harbor 20 December 1971 and remained in the Hawaii--west coast area until September 1972, participating in various operations and exercises, notably a Midshipman cruise in July. She departed Hawaii, 18 September, headed for her second WESTPAC deployment since recommissioning, arriving in Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, 14 days later. After six months in the western Pacific, stationed off the coast of Vietnam, REEVES sailed into port at Pearl Harbor 17 March 1973. She remained in the Hawaiian Islands into 1974. She was reclassified a guided missile cruiser CG-24, on 30 June 1975.

From June 1985 to December 1986 Reeves deployed to the Western Pacific. In March 1986 she conducted a Team Spirit exercise and in September 1986 was involved in special operations off the coast of Vladivostok. From 5 to 11 November 1986 she made a historic port visit to Qingdao, China which was the first USN visit since 1949. May 1987 found her involved with yet another Team Spirit exercise. Reeves deployed to the Persian Gulf July to December 1987 during which she participated in the first of nine Earnest Will tanker reflagging operations beginning 23 July. In March 1988 she was involved again with the Team Spirit exercise.

On 26 June, Reeves and DD-991 Fife rescued 92 Vietmanese refugees about 320 miles southwest of the Philippines.

On 30 October 1989 an F/A-18 aircraft from USS Midway (CV 41) mistakenly dropped a 500-pound bomb on the deck of Reeves during training exercises, creating a five-foot hole in the bow, sparking a small fires, and injuring five sailors.

REEVES was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy Register on 12 November 1993 at Pearl Harbor. She is laid up in reserve at NISMF, Pearl Harbor.

REEVES earned three battle stars for Vietnam service.

Reclassification of USS Reeves from DLG to CG

The Leahy-class were "double-end" guided missile guided missile destroyer leaders (DLG), which as with other similar ships were reclassified as guide missile cruisers (CG). The class was given an AAW upgrade during the late-1960's and early 1970's, with Terrier launchers modified to fire Terrier or Standard SM-1ER missiles. The 3"/50 guns were replaced by Harpoon missile launcher, the Terrier launchers were upgraded to fire the Standard SM-2ER missile, and 2 Phalanx CIWS were added. All were upgraded under the late-1980's New Threat Upgrade (NTU) program, which included combat system capability improvements to the ship's Air Search Radars (SPS-48E and SPS-49), Fire Control Radars (SPG-55B), and Combat Direction System (CDS). These improvements provided an accurate means of coordinating the engagment of multiple air targets with SM-2 Extended Range missiles. During the NTU overhaul, all spaces were renovated, berthing and food service areas were refurbished, and the engineering plant was fully overhauled.

Role of Reeves

Modern guided missle cruisers, such as Reeves, performed primarily in a Battle Force role. These ships were multi-mission (AAW - anti-air warefare, ASW - anti-surface warefare, ASUW - anti-submarine warefare) surface combatants capable of supporting carrier or battleship battle groups, amphibious forces, or of operating independently and as flagships of surface action groups. Due to their extensive combat capability, these ships were designated as Battle Force Capable (BFC) units.

Fate of Reeves

Reeves was decommissioned on 12 November 1993, stored at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF), Pearl Harbor, HI. She was ultimately sunk as a target ship on 31 May 2001 off the coast of Australia as part of a joint naval exercise between the U.S. and Australia. Her final resting place is 026° 26’ 53.0” South 155° 24’ 27.0” East where she lies at a depth of 2,541 fathoms. Following are two press releases issued in conjunction with the sinking of Reeves.

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TANDEM THRUST 2001
PACC 162/01 Tuesday, 22 May 2001

"HULKEX" Element of Exercise Rescheduled

ROCKHAMPTON. The HULKEX element of Tandem Thrust 2001 exercise originally scheduled to take place May 21 has been rescheduled for May 31. HULKEX is the sinking of a decommissioned U.S. Navy cruiser (the Former USS Reeves) as part of combined aerial and surface bombardment training.

Bad weather and high seas delayed the safe and timely delivery of the vessel to its pre-established and environmentally approved target location 175 miles off the coast of Australia.

"Since the safety of our personnel is our number one priority we decided not to rush through this valuable training," said Vice Admiral James Metzger, USN, Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet and Commander, Combined Task Force for Tandem Thrust 2001. "However, to ensure our training objectives can be met, we have rescheduled the event."

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Defence MEDIA RELEASE
31/05/2001 Departmental 176/01

JETS SEND SHIP TO WATERY GRAVE

A de-commissioned US Navy war ship was sent to its final resting place today off the coast of Queensland through the precise strike capability of the Royal Australian Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft.

The ex-USS Reeves was sent to its watery grave approximately 170 nautical miles east of Fraser Island in 12,000 ft of water. The sinking of the Leahy Class guided missile cruiser was the final military activity in the month-long, combined Australian and United States Exercise Tandem Thrust.

The Hulk Exercise (HULKEX) involved Australian and US air and naval units, though the sinking was credited largely to the four RAAF jets.

"We achieved two direct hits with Mk-82 500lbs bombs, leaving a six foot gaping hole in the starboard side of the hulk," said RAAF Flight Lieutenant Jason Gamlin, who was the lead pilot on the mission.

Just 30 minutes later the 6000-tonne hulk sank below the surface at approximately 12:30pm AEST. The HULKEX was a fitting finale to Exercise Tandem Thrust 2001, providing significant military training value to Australian and US naval and air forces.

The exercise involved aircraft from both the US and Australian Air Forces and ships from the US Navy, firing a variety of guns, bombs and missiles at the hulk in order to test their performance in a simulated battle environment.

The sinking was the culmination of months of planning, including careful environmental analysis through Australian and US environmental certification procedures. The hulk spent several months berthed in Newcastle, New South Wales, where it was stripped of all weapons and cleaned of hazardous substances, then assessed by Environment Australia to confirm suitability for disposal at sea.

The sunken hulk will become a new home for a variety of aquatic life.

External Links

• USS Reeves webpage