USS Rentz

## USS Rentz (FFG-46)

USS Rentz

**USS *Rentz* (FFG-46)** was a United States Navy *Oliver Hazard Perry*-class guided missile frigate. She was named for George S. Rentz, a World War II Navy Chaplain, posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions following the loss of USS *Houston* in the Battle of Sunda Strait. He was the only Navy chaplain to be so honored during World War II.

### History

*Rentz* had her keel laid on 18 September 1982 at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California. She was launched 16 July 1983, sponsored by Mrs. Jean R. Lansing, daughter of Chaplain Rentz, and commissioned at Naval Station Long Beach on 30 June 1984. In attendance were Jean Lansing and survivors of *Houston*.

In December 1985, *Rentz* moved from Long Beach, California to San Diego, California. Following initial shakedown cruises and operations, *Rentz* was assigned to the USS *Ranger* Carrier Strike Group (CSG). On 5 November 1986, *Rentz* was part of a historic visit to Qingdao, China, the first US Naval visit to China since 1949. *Rentz* was accompanied by cruiser USS *Reeves* and destroyer USS *Oldendorf*. The visit was officially hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Previously, USS *Dixie* was the last ship to moor in China, departing in 1949 when the communists forced the Americans to leave the Chinese mainland.

In July 1987, *Rentz* was sent to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Earnest Will. Her primary duties consisted of escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. *Rentz* provided missile security escort for the North Persian Gulf Battlegroup destroyers during their transit in and out of the Straits of Hormuz en route to operation "Nimble Archer", involving naval gun bombardment and SEAL Team take over of an abandoned oil rig being used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to stage attacks on Persian Gulf shipping. *Rentz* has been deployed to the Persian Gulf numerous times since 1987.

On 28 November 2009 while the ship was moored in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates as part of the USS *Nimitz* CSG, a crewman was killed while performing repairs to the ship. According to the Navy, a 3rd Class Petty Officer was electrocuted while working in an auxiliary machinery space. In response to the mishap, the Navy ordered the entire fleet to inspect ship electrical enclosures.

In December 2013, *Rentz* intercepted a small drug smuggling vessel in the United States Fourth Fleet area of responsibility as part of an anti-drug trafficking operation, Operation Martillo. The vessel contained approximately 313 kilograms of Cocaine worth an estimated $10.4 million. This was the fourth successful such intercept, bringing the total amount of cocaine seized by *Rentz* to approximately 3,000 kilograms.

### Fate

*Rentz* was sunk as part of the 2016 SINKEX exercise *Valiant Shield*. The exercise was led by aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW 5).

> "Live fire from ships and aircraft participating in Valiant Shield 2016 sank the decommissioned USS Rentz (FFG 46) in waters 30,000 feet deep and 117 nautical miles northeast of Guam Sept. 13 . . . The ship sank in five hours after sustaining 22 missile hits, finally succumbing to hellfire missiles shots by the “Golden Falcons” of HSC-12."
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