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November 19, 1966 β January 11, 1995
USS Knox (FF-1052)
Scale 1/200
Credit: Museum of Military Models, Clyde, Texas. Private Collection of Warren D. Harkins.
ON VIEW
General Characteristics
Class & Type: Knox-class frigate
Displacement:
3,020 long tons (3,070 t) (standard)
4,065 long tons (4,130 t) (full load)
Length:
415 ft (126 m) lwl
438 ft (134 m) loa
Beam 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Draft 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
Installed Power:
2 Γ CE 1,200 psi (8,300 kPa) boilers
35,000 shp (26,000 kW)
Propulsion:
1 Γ Westinghouse geared turbine
1 Γ shaft
Speed: over 27 kn (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range: 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement: 16 officers, 211 men
Sensors & Processing Systems:
AN/SPS-10 surface search
AN/SPS-40 air search
AN/SQS-26CX sonar
AN/SQS-35 IVDS towed array sonar
Electronic Warfare & decoys:
AN/SLQ-32 Electronics Warfare System
Armament:
1 Γ 5 in (127 mm)/54 caliber Mark 42 gun
1 Γ 8-tube ASROC + Harpoon launcher
1 Γ 8-cell RIM-7 Sea Sparrow launcher
Aircraft Carried:
1 Γ DASH drone helicopter
1 Γ SH-2 LAMPS I helicopter (refit)
Description
USS Knox (DE/FF-1052) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer escorts in the United States Navy. Knox was named after Commodore Dudley Wright Knox, and was the second US Navy ship named Knox. In 1975, she was redesignated a frigate. She served from 1969 to 1992 and was sunk as a target in 2007.
The U.S. Navy frigate USS Knox (FF-1052) underway off the coast of Luzon, Philippines, on 9 December 1981.
Ownership & Province
-
Namesake: Commodore Dudley Wright Knox
Awarded: July 22, 1964
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington
Laid Down: October 5, 1965
Launched: November 19, 1966
Sponsored By: Mrs. Peter A. Sturtevant
Acquired: March 28, 1969
Commissioned: April 12, 1969
Decommissioned: February 14, 1992
Reclassified: June 30, 1975
Stricken: January 11, 1995
Identification:
Hull symbol: DE-1052
Hull symbol: FF-1052
Code letters: NAAS
Motto: First and Finest
Fate: Sunk as target, August 7, 2007
Idetification
Honors & Awards
History & Related Content
Design
The Knox-class design was derived from the Brooke-class frigate modified to extend range and without a long-range missile system. The ship had an overall length of 438 ft (133.5 m), a beam of 47 ft (14.3 m) and a draft of 25 ft (7.6 m). It displaced 4,065 long tons (4,130 t) at full load. Its crew consisted of 16 officers and 211 enlisted men.
The ship was equipped with one Westinghouse geared steam turbine that drove the single propeller shaft. The turbine was designed to produce 35,000 shp (26,000 kW), using steam provided by two C-E boilers, to reach the designed speed of 27 kn (50 km/h; 31 mph). The Knox class had a range of 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at a speed of 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph).
The Knox-class ship was armed with a single 5-inch (127 mm)/54 caliber Mark 42 gun. It mounted an eight-round ASROC launcher between the 5-inch gun and the bridge. Its close-range anti-submarine defense was provided by two twin 12.75-inch (324 mm) Mk 32 torpedo tubes. The ship was equipped with a torpedo-carrying DASH drone helicopter; its telescoping hangar and landing pad were positioned amidships aft of the mack. Beginning in the 1970s, the DASH was replaced by a SH-2 Seasprite LAMPS I helicopter and the hangar and landing deck were accordingly enlarged. Most ships had an eight-cell BPDMS missile launcher added in the early 1970s.
Construction
She was laid down on 5 October 1965, by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington; launched on 19 November 1966; sponsored by Mrs. Peter A. Sturtevant, the granddaughter of Commodore Knox; and was commissioned on 12 April 1969, with Commander William A. Lamm in command.
Service History
Knox performed search and rescue operations and provided evacuation, blockade, and surveillance support, when necessary, for the Pacific Fleet. In April 1975, Knox participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Knox was redesignated a frigate on 30 June 1975 as FF-1052.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
With β1β Battle Star
Humanitarian Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
with "1" Battle Star
Meritorious Unit Commendation
With β2β Battle Stars
Navy Expeditionary Medal
NAAS
Disposition
Decommissioned on 14 February 1992, Knox was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 January 1995. NAVSEA temporarily placed Knox on the donation hold list but removed her from the list around 2003. Knox was sunk as a target off Guam, during "Exercise Valiant Shield" (2007) on 7 August 2007.
In Popular Culture
Knox appears in the original Hawaii Five-O season 8 episode "Murder: Eyes Only".
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
With β1β Battle Star