ARA Almirante Domecq Garcia (D23)

ARA Almirante Domecq Garcia (D23) was a Fletcher-class destroyer which served with the Argentine Navy from 1971 to 1983.

USS Braine (DD-630), South Pacific, 1944.
History
United States
Name:	Braine
Namesake:	Daniel L. Braine
Builder:	Bath Iron Works
Laid down:	12 October 1942
Launched:	7 March 1943
Commissioned:	11 May 1943
Decommissioned:	17 August 1971
Stricken:	17 August 1971
Motto:	Combat Ready
Fate:	transferred to Argentina, 17 August 1971
Argentina
Name:	Almirante Domecq Garcia
Commissioned:	17 August 1971
Decommissioned:	30 November 1982
Stricken:	30 November 1982
Fate:	Sunk as a target, 7 October 1983
General characteristics
Class and type:	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,050 tons
Length:	376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam:	39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
Draft:	17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Propulsion:	60,000 shp (45,000 kW); 2 propellers
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range:	6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:	329
Armament:	5 × 5 in./38 guns (127 mm), 4 × 40 mm AA guns, 4 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks

Almirante Domecq Garcia was acquired from the United States Navy, with which she had served as USS Braine since her commissioning on 11 May 1943. She participated both in World War II and the Cold War for the United States.

The Argentine Navy took possession of ex-Braine on 17 August 1971, and renamed her Almirante Domecq Garcia, after Admiral Manuel Domecq Garcia. She was commissioned at Treasure Island, California, in a ceremony attended by Admiral Garcia's daughter, Mrs. Eugenia Domecq Garcia de Forn. Commander Mario Eduaro Olmas assumed command and raised the flag of the Republic of Argentina.

After minor repairs, the ship left California in October 1971, reaching El Callao in November. She arrived at the Naval Base of Puerto Belgrano and joined the sea fleet on 21 November 1971.

On 30 November 1982 the ship's flag was lowered. She had sailed 123,000 miles (198,000 km) under the flag of the Republic of Argentina. She was sunk as a target on 7 October 1983 off Mar del Plata by the combined action of an Exocet MM-38 missile launched by the corvette ARA Drummond and a torpedo fired from the submarine ARA San Luis.[1]