USS Nicholas ( FFG - 47 ) USS " Nicholas " ( FFG - 47 ) , an , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas , the first commanding officer of the United States Marines . A third - generation guided missile frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry class , she was laid down as Bath Iron Works hull number 388 on 27 September 1982 and launched 23 April 1983 . Sponsor at her commissioning there on 10 March 1984 was the same Mrs . Edward B . Tryon who sponsored DD 449 in 1942 . " Nicholas " was designed to provide in - depth protection for military and merchant shipping , amphibious task forces , and underway replenishment groups . Her 453 - foot ( loa ) hull displaces 4 , 100 tons and her gas turbine power develops for a single screw , giving a top speed of 29 plus knots . Since her commissioning , " Nicholas " has deployed to the Persian Gulf , Mediterranean and North Sea , as well as participating in maritime interdiction operations and various fleet exercises . During her first four years as a commissioned vessel , she earned three Battle Efficiency " E " awards , and the Battenberg Cup as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet . She earned the Top Ship award from Commander Battle Force Sixth Fleet during her first deployment to the Mediterranean . 1980s . During her first years , " Nicholas " was part of Destroyer Squadron Six in Charleston , South Carolina . her sister ships in DESRON SIX included and , which harkened back to the World War II s , , and . These ships had such distinguished records in World War II , especially in the Solomon Islands campaign , that Admiral Halsey ordered all three ships be present with at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay . In July 1987 , " Nicholas " , together with DESRON SIX sister ship , deployed with the Battleship Battlegroup to the Mediterranean . She was deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1988 during the Iran - Iraq War , where she participated in Operation Earnest Will , which was a mission to escort reflagged tanker ships . She earned her first Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal . 1990s . When hostilities with Iraq broke out during the Gulf War on 17 January 1991 , " Nicholas " was serving in the extreme Northern Persian Gulf as an advance Combat Search and Rescue platform , more than forward of the nearest allied warship . During the first few weeks of the war she attacked Iraqi positions off the coast of Kuwait , capturing the first of 23 Iraqi prisoners of war , sinking or damaging seven Iraqi patrol boats , destroying eight drifting mines and rescuing a downed USAF F - 16 pilot from the waters off the Kuwaiti coast . " Nicholas " also escorted the battleships " Missouri " and during naval gunfire support operations near Khafji off the coast of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait . In her 1993 six - month deployment , " Nicholas " conducted operations in the Red Sea , Mediterranean , Ionian Sea and Adriatic Sea . This deployment was in support of the United Nations sanctions against the governments of Iraq and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia . During these operations , she safely conducted over 170 boardings of merchant vessels to inspect for illegal cargo shipments . In 1995 , " Nicholas " deployed to the Adriatic and was assigned to the Standing NATO Force Atlantic , again operating in support of United Nations resolutions in Operation Sharp Guard . She intercepted over 120 vessels in enforcing sanctions against the Former Republic of Yugoslavia . In September 1995 " Nicholas " located and rescued Albanian citizens seeking clandestine entrance across the Adriatic into Italy . Their boat was found capsized after reportedly being run over by a ferry ship and catching on fire in the night . Many sustained injuries , burns and were severely dehydrated . The ship ' s SAR swimmer with the assistance of the deck crew rescued 16 survivors including a four - year - old girl and her mother . Three bodies of deceased members of the group were also recovered with assistance from helicopter operations . All survivors were given immediate medical attention , water and food and brought safely back to port for full recovery . 2000s . The 2001 deployment took " Nicholas " to the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf . While in the Mediterranean , she conducted numerous boardings in support of United Nations sanctions . On 11 September , " Nicholas " sortied on an emergency basis from Valletta , Malta and conducted sustained underway operations until returning to her home port of Norfolk , Virginia six months later . In 2003 the vessel became the first warship to enter Neum , Bosnia since 1917 , and the first U . S . warship ever . While there , " Nicholas " hosted the Bosnian Tri - Presidency and numerous government and military officials . " Nicholas " operated as the sole US warship in the Mediterranean for her six - month deployment and acted as a surrogate for the Argentina ship " Sarandi " , enhancing international relations and building new alliances . She participated in multiple exercises and operations and achieved historic distinction when she tracked and assisted in the interception of a merchant ship loaded with nuclear centrifuges bound for Libya . US Government officials directly linked the interception of this vessel to the abandonment of Libya ' s nuclear weapons program . The Nicholas deployed again in 2005 on a 3 - month cruise , making port calls in Spain , Denmark , France and Greece . In 2006 she deployed once more to the Persian Gulf , conducting patrols around the Iraqi oil terminals Kaot & Abot , alongside the USS McFaul , HMAS Balarat , and other coalition warships . In 2008 the Nicholas deployed once more as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group - 1 . 2010s . On 1 April 2010 , " Nicholas " came under fire from Somali pirates while deployed in the waters off of East Africa near the coast of Kenya and Somalia conducting anti - piracy operations . " Nicholas " seized five pirates , sank their skiff and captured a pirate mother ship . The pirates were tried in the U . S . and convicted of piracy , which carries a mandatory life sentence . Five Somali men were sentenced to life plus 80 years in prison for engaging in piracy and related offenses in last year ' s attack on a U . S . warship in the Indian Ocean . In November , a federal jury in Virginia convicted the Somali men – Mohammed Modin Hasan , Gabul Abdullahi Ali , Abdi Wali Dire , Abdi Mohammed Gurewardher and Abdi Mohammed Umar – of piracy , attack to plunder a vessel , act of violence against persons on a vessel , assault with a dangerous weapon , assault with a dangerous weapon on federal officers and employees , conspiracy to use firearms during a crime of violence , and multiple firearm counts , including the use of a rocket propelled grenade . Awards . " Nicholas " has earned the Combat Action Ribbon , Southwest Asia Service Medal ( with three bronze stars ) , Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal , the NATO Medal , Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Saudi Arabia ) , Kuwait Liberation Medal ( Kuwait ) , Armed Forces Service Medal , Sea Service Ribbon ( with seven bronze stars ) , Meritorious Unit Commendation , a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation ( with O for Law Enforcement ) , and six Battle Efficiency " E " awards as top ship in her squadron .