USS Roark

USS Roark (FF-1053), originally designated DE-1053, was a Knox-class frigate named for William Marshall Roark, Distinguished Flying Cross recipient and first American killed in the Vietnam War to have a ship named for them.[1] Roark was laid down on 2 February 1966 by the Todd Shipyards Corporation in Seattle, Washington; launched on 24 April 1967, sponsored by Mrs. William M. Roark, widow and Mrs. Frank F. Roark, mother of namesake; and commissioned on 22 November 1969, with Commander Wayne L. Beech in command.

USS Roark (FF-1053)
History
United States
Name: USS Roark
Namesake: William Marshall Roark
Ordered: 22 July 1964
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington
Laid down: 2 February 1966
Launched: 27 April 1967
Sponsored by:
  • Mrs. William M. Roark
  • Mrs. Frank F. Roark
Acquired: 14 November 1969
Commissioned: 22 November 1969
Decommissioned: 14 December 1991
Reclassified: As FF, 30 June 1975
Stricken: 11 January 1995
Homeport: San Diego, California
Motto: Victory thru Service
Fate: Scrapped, 2004
General characteristics
Class and type: Knox-class frigate
Displacement: 3,011 tons (4,100 full load)
Length:
  • 415 ft (126 m) waterline
  • 438 ft (134 m) overall
Beam: 47 ft (14 m)
Draft: 24.75 ft (7.54 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × CE 1200psi boilers
  • 1 Westinghouse geared turbine
  • 1 shaft, 35,000 shp (26,000 kW)
Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range: 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi)
Complement: 15 officers, 230 men
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • AN/SPS-10 surface search
  • AN/SPS-40 air search
  • AN/SQS-26CX sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 AN/SLQ-32 Electronics Warfare System
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I) helicopter

History
Roark in the South Pacific during "SouthPac 79", February 1979.

Since completing shakedown in the spring of 1970, Roark a unit of DesRon 21, conducted training operations out of her homeport of San Diego, California, until the end of the year. With 1971 she began preparations for her first deployment with the 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific and departed from San Diego 7 January. After stopping at Pearl Harbor and refueling at Midway Island, Roark suffered a fire in her engine room. The damage was sufficient to require her return to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Almost two months later, in March, she was underway again for WestPac. She remained in the western Pacific until July, when she started for home, arriving in San Diego, California, on 10 August. For the remainder of 1971, Roark operated out of San Diego.

The new year, 1972, brought with it another deployment to the Far East. She departed San Diego on 8 February and arrived in Subic Bay, Philippines, on 29 February. She operated in the Western Pacific, primarily in the Vietnam area until 15 August, when she pointed her bow homeward. Roark entered San Diego 30 August and remained in the vicinity for the duration of 1972 and the first eight months of 1973. She departed San Diego in August and arrived in Subic Bay on 31 August. After almost four months of deployment with the 7th Fleet, Roark sailed into San Diego on 21 December 1973.

[1973-1987]

Roark transferred to the Naval Reserve in 1987 and was decommissioned 14 December 1991. She was disposed of by scrapping, dismantling beginning on 13 October 2004.

Honors and awards

Roark received three campaign stars for Vietnam War service.

Awards, citations and campaign ribbons

According to Navsource.org:

References
  1. "William Marshall Roark". MilitaryTimes.com. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.