page_title: HMS Plymouth (F126)
section_title: Falklands War
hierarchical_section_title: HMS Plymouth (F126) / Operational history / Falklands War
caption_attribution_description: Argentine Air Force IAI Dagger at Jujuy Airport during Operativo Blasón manouvers
context_page_description: HMS Plymouth was a Royal Navy Rothesay-class frigate. In 1982, Plymouth was one of the first Royal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic during the Falklands War.
context_section_description: Plymouth, then commanded by Captain David Pentreath, was one of the first Royal Navy ships to arrive in the South Atlantic following the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Together with Antrim, Brilliant and Endurance, she took part in the recapture of South Georgia during Operation Paraquet. On 25 April, her Wasp helicopter took part in an attack on the Argentinian submarine Santa Fe, which had previously been badly damaged by a depth charge attack from Antrim′s Wessex, claiming one hit on the waterline with an AS12 missile. After the crippled Santa Fe had sailed back into Grytviken harbour and was abandoned by her crew, a scratch force of Royal Marines, SAS and SBS troops was landed to capture the settlement. Along with Antrim, Plymouth provided naval gunfire support for this force, both ships firing a total of 235 shells, until the Argentinian troops raised the white flag. Later that day Plymouth sailed with Endurance to Leith Harbour, which was still held by the Argentines. The next day the garrison commander, Lieutenant commander Alfredo Astiz, signed the surrender in Plymouth's wardroom.
  On 1 May, Plymouth rejoined the task force and on the night of 20-21 May, she was part of the escort for the amphibious assault force entering San Carlos Water, being the first British vessel to sail into the bay. On 21 May the Argentine Air Force began a series of air attacks against the landing force. Plymouth provided assistance to the frigate Argonaut, the first ship to suffer damage in "Bomb Alley". For the next nine days she carried out air defense duties by day while by night undertaking escort and patrol missions and supporting ground troops with her 4.5-inch (114 mm) guns. She was then dispatched to the carrier battle group, located some 150 miles east of the Falklands. On 30 May, the group came under attack by Exocet missile but no damage was incurred and on 1 June Plymouth returned to San Carlos Water.
  On 8 June, the ship was alone in Falkland Sound, returning from a naval gunfire mission, when she was attacked by five Dagger fighter-bombers of Grupo 6 of the Argentine Air Force. Despite Plymouth firing her 20 mm guns and a Seacat missile, the aicraft dropped  eight Mk 82 500 lb bombs, five of which struck home, and fired their 30mm cannons. One Dagger was unable to release its payload due to a mechanical failure, and another suffered light damage from shrapnel. According to other sources Plymouth was hit by four 1000 lb bombs. All of the bombs failed to explode, but caused extensive damage: one hit the flight deck, detonating a depth charge and starting a fire, one went straight through her funnel and two more destroyed her Limbo anti-submarine mortar. Internal flooding caused the ship to take a six degree list. Five men were injured in the attack, and were rapidly evacuated by helicopter. The fire took 90 minutes to extinguish with assistance from  Avenger, and repairs were carried out through the night and the next day, restoring some of her capabilities. Plymouth then withdrew to a repair area, where naval personnel on board the oil rig support vessel MV Stena Seaspread assisted in returning her to fighting order. She returned to shore bombarment duties on 14 June, when Argentine forces in the Falklands finally surrendered.
  After hostilities had ended Plymouth was the first British warship to enter Port Stanley harbour on 17 June. After assisting in establishing naval control of the harbour she returned briefly to San Carlos before leaving the south Atlantic on 21 June in company with Glamorgan. She returned to Rosyth Dockyard on 14 July for a full repair and a refit. During the course of the war she fired 909 4.5 inch shells and nine Seacat missiles.
caption: An FAA Dagger.
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