USS Thomas C . Hart ( FF - 1092 ) The USS " Thomas C . Hart " ( FF - 1092 ) was a , named for Admiral and Senator Thomas C . Hart . " Thomas C . Hart " ( DE - 1092 ) was laid down on 8 October 1971 at Westwego , La . , by Avondale Shipyards , Inc . ; launched on 12 August 1972 ; sponsored by Mrs . Reginald Bragonier , eldest granddaughter of Admiral Thomas C . Hart ; and commissioned on 28 July 1973 , Lt . Comdr . Ronald J . Forst in command . Initial cruises . The last combatant ship commissioned at the Boston Naval Shipyard , " Thomas C , Hart " conducted sea trials off the east coast before being homeported in Norfolk , Va . Following shakedown at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , she returned to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 1 February 1974 , where she underwent a major structural conversion , altering her after superstructure to accommodate the new Light Airborne Multi - purpose System ( LAMPS ) facilities . She then steamed out for post - repair trials off the Virginia Capes . Deploying to the Caribbean , " Thomas C . Hart " conducted weapons systems tests and antisubmarine exercises and , upon completion of these duties , called at Port - au - Prince , Haiti , before returning to Guantanamo Bay for further training . After naval gunfire support qualification at Roosevelt Roads , she cruised to Bermuda for a three - day visit . She left Port Royal Bay on 3 September , having to do a " quick step " to avoid the tropical storm which later became Hurricane Delores , and arrived at Norfolk on 5 September . In October , following type training in the Narragansett Bay area , the ship qualified for a certificate for unrestricted operations . With Capt . W . R . Smedburg IV , Commander , Destroyer Squadron 10 , and his staff embarked , " Thomas C . Hart " got underway on 18 November for Composite Task Unit Exercise 4 - 75 and nine days of intensive exercises . The following month , the ship passed her Nuclear Weapons Acceptance Inspection on 11 December and thus became a nuclear - qualified ship . Deployment . The early months of 1975 were spent in preparation for " Thomas C . Hart " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s first Mediterranean deployment . This deployment , which lasted from 16 June to 22 December , consisted primarily of operations with and other escorts while making a number of port visits in company with . On 1 July 1975 , the ship was reclassified as FF - 1092 . " Thomas C . Hart " spent the first six months of 1976 engaging in two major fleet exercises in preparation for her four and one - half month , unsupported participation in Unitas XVII later in the year . The first exercise , " Safepass , " lasted from 6 to 26 March and involved complex NATO fleet operations out of Halifax , Nova Scotia . The second exercise , " Solid Shield , " occurred during the period 13 to 18 May and involved operations off the coast of the Carolinas in support of a full amphibious landing on Onslow Beach . Following an intensive month - long preparation period in June , " Thomas C . Hart " commenced Unitas XVII on 9 July . During the next 18 weeks , the ship circumnavigated the South American continent and operated with host ships from Brazil , Uruguay , Argentina , Chile , Peru , Colombia , and Venezuela . The frigate returned to her home port of Norfolk on 21 November and spent the remainder of the year in post - deployment stand down and holiday leave period . Early 1977 found " Thomas C . Hart " experiencing a period of maintenance , alteration , and testing . Of most significance was the installation of the Harpoon system , a highly sophisticated surface warfare missile which greatly extended " Thomas C . Hart " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s reach against surface contacts . Most of September was spent in Norfolk preparing for the ship ' s second Mediterranean deployment . She departed CONUS on 27 September and engaged in seven months of operations with the 6th Fleet before returning to Norfolk again on 26 April 1978 . Ports of call included Rota , Spain ; Alexandria , Egypt ; Istanbul , Turkey ; Piraeus , Greece ; Venice , Gaeta , and Naples , Italy ; and — finally — Majorca ; Valencia , and Rota , Spain . Following post - deployment stand down , " Thomas C . Hart " engaged in CORTRAMID 78 , an underway training period for midshipmen , which lasted from mid - June through early July . In late September 1978 , " Thomas C . Hart " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s home port was shifted to Philadelphia in anticipation of the commencement of her first regular overhaul since commissioning . " Thomas C . Hart " entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for this purpose on 26 October , and she remained there into 1979 .