USS Fife

## USS Fife (DD-961)

USS Fife

**USS *Fife* (DD-991)**, a *Spruance*-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Admiral James Fife, Jr. (1897–1975), a distinguished Submarine Force commander during World War II.

*Fife* was laid down on 6 March 1978 by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi; launched on 1 May 1979; and commissioned on 31 May 1980.

USS *Fife* was the 29th of the 30 *Spruance*-class destroyers. Between 27 June and 11 July 2002, *Fife* was the U.S. Task Group flagship for the Pacific Phase of the annual UNITAS exercise conducted with naval forces from five nations off the coast of Chile. The ship's five-month deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean for Counter-Drug Operations and the UNITAS exercise was the final deployment for the destroyer.

Last homeported in Everett, Wash., under the command of CDR Frank Ponds, *Fife* was decommissioned 28 February 2003, and stricken from the Navy List 6 April 2004. *Fife* was sunk as a target during a live-fire exercise on 23 August 2005 by USS *Russell* (DDG-59).

### Operational History

On 6 March 1978 at the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi the keel was laid for USS *Fife*, the 29th *Spruance*-class destroyer. Launched on 21 July 1979 and sponsored by Mrs. Nancy Fife Prior, daughter of the ship's namesake Admiral James Fife Jr., the ship was commissioned on 31 May 1980.

Designed for modern antisubmarine warfare and to replace the many retiring World War II-era ships, the *Spruance*-class destroyer was intended to operate as a multi-mission warship either independently or in company with amphibious or carrier task groups. Powered by gas turbine engines and armed with antisubmarine rockets (ASROC), Harpoon and Sea Sparrow missiles and two 5 in (130 mm)/54 guns, *Fife* possessed a technical superiority with her advanced SQS-53 sonar and third generation naval tactical data system (NTDS).

*Fife* was fitted out at Pascagoula, getting underway on 6 June 1980 heading for the west coast and her assignment to the Pacific Fleet. She arrived in San Diego, California, on 18 June following stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Rodman, Panama. Shakedown system trials and crew training proceeded through the summer when the destroyer's first tasking came suddenly at the end of August. Departing San Diego on 29 August, she quickly steamed north to Alaska to conduct two weeks of surveillance on a Soviet Task Force operating in American waters. Returning to San Diego on 22 September, *Fife* conducted final weapon system tests and exercises in preparation for her first overseas deployment.

Heading west from San Diego on 5 January 1982, *Fife* joined several other ships and sailed from Pearl Harbor via Guam to Subic Bay, Philippines. She conducted numerous ASW exercises with the 7th Fleet in the South China Sea before a liberty port in Manila. Exercise "Team Spirit" in South Korea preceded war-at-sea evolutions with three American aircraft carriers as part of "READIEX 82" in April. Another brief stop in Subic Bay in May for upkeep was followed by liberty visits to Hong Kong and Japan before returning to San Diego on 30 June.

On 20 July 1983 *The New York Times* reported that the *Fife* along with seven other vessels in the USS *Ranger* Battle Group left San Diego on Friday 15 July 1983 and were headed for the western Pacific when they were rerouted and ordered to steam for Central America to conduct training and flight operations in areas off the coasts of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras as part of major military exercises planned for that summer.

Besides the *Ranger*, the battle group is composed of the cruiser *Horne*, the guided missile destroyer *Lynde McCormick*, the destroyers *Fletcher* and *Fife*, the frigate *Marvin Shields*, the oiler *Wichita* and the support ship *Camden*.

*Fife's* second overseas deployment began with "READIEX 83-4." Departing with the USS *Ranger* battlegroup on 15 July for the Persian Gulf, she alternated carrier escort duties with surveillance operations in the Gulf of Aden. While operating with the *Ranger* on 17 November, the Soviet guided missile frigate *Razyashchiy* approached the warships in what the US ships saw as a violation of international agreements for preventing collisions at sea. *Fife* suffered only minor damage from the resulting collision with *Razyashchiy*. In December, *Fife* sailed south for a port visit in Mombassa, Kenya. While there, a cyclone passing over Agalega in the Mauritius Islands caused massive destruction. *Fife*, along with her SH-2 Seasprite helicopter, provided aid transferring food and water ashore. The Fife crew and the Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron, Light 37, Detachment 3 were awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for their service in aid to the Agalaga inhabitants. During the return trip north, *Fife* intercepted the Soviet aircraft carrier *Novorossiysk* and performed a brief period of surveillance before rendezvousing again with the *Ranger* battlegroup. Relieved by the USS *Midway* battlegroup in January, the warships turned for home, arriving in San Diego on 29 February 1984.

The following sixteen months were spent preparing for her next overseas deployment, with the warship's time split between local training operations, a series of overhaul periods at Long Beach (where she received new propeller blades, weapons, and electronics), and various propulsion plant inspections and pre-deployment refresher exercises. Following a Harpoon firing exercise in June 1985, the destroyer sailed for the Far East on 24 July. Following a brief stop in Subic Bay, the destroyer continued west through the Strait of Malacca to the Indian Ocean and an exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy.

The warship suffered its first mishap on 1 September when a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter (BuNo 151918) lost power on take-off, struck the NATO Sea Sparrow missile mount, leaving the stricken helicopter hanging over the ship's starboard side.

CH-46D crash on USS *Fife* on 1 September 1985.

*Fife's* damage control teams quickly lashed the CH-46 Sea Knight in place and all 16 personnel were rescued without serious injury. The CH-46 Sea Knight was assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11 (HC-11) Det. 6 aboard the combat stores ship USS *Mars* (AFS-1).

After pulling into Singapore to crane off the damaged helicopter, the warship sailed west to Diego Garcia to receive a new Seasparrow mount. In late September, *Fife* steamed in the vicinity of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden to conduct surveillance operations against the Soviet Navy, a mission carried out again in the Red Sea during October. After port calls to Mombassa, Kenya, and Victoria, Seychelles, *Fife* sailed for home on 13 November, arriving in San Diego on 21 December.

The fast pace of operations did not end upon her return. *Fife* immediately began a hectic series of training evolutions, department inspections, and pre-overhaul preparations. These included the exercise "Kernel Blitz" in April 1986, propulsion exams in May and June and a command inspection in August.

The destroyer then entered Southwest Marine Shipyard for an extensive overhaul, commencing 29 September. During the yard work – which was interrupted in mid-February 1987 by bomb threats made by disgruntled shipyard workers – *Fife* received numerous mission-expanding upgrades. The AN/SQ-89 sonar suite and the new LAMPS III helicopter system extended *Fife's* ASW capabilities. The Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) turned *Fife* into a Tomahawk cruise missile strike platform. Two Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) point defense weapons upgraded her self-defenses, and engineering plant and firefighting system modifications improved her overall war fighting capabilities. Following almost thirteen months of work, the destroyer carried out sea trials in November before returning to San Diego on 14 December.

In 1988, as part of a forward deployment strategy, *Fife* changed homeports from San Diego to Yokosuka, Japan, arriving there on 31 August. During the first few months as the crew settled into their new home *Fife* made several short excursions, including an ASW operation in October and port visits to Subic Bay and Hong Kong in November and December 1988.

After a period in dry dock in Yokosuka to repair a crack in her sonar dome, *Fife* put to sea in March 1989 for surveillance operations against Soviet warships operating out of Vladivostok. On 26 June, while sailing in the South China Sea, *Fife* spotted a distressed boat of Vietnamese refugees. Fifty-one refugees were rescued from the sinking vessel and provided with medical assistance and other care before being delivered to a United Nations refugee organization in Thailand a week later. The warship conducted a second cruise in the region in July, during which time she rescued another boat of refugees – this time 151 Vietnamese – before conducting exercises with Thai and Australian Navy ships.

Continuing west, *Fife* sailed to the Persian Gulf and arrived there on 19 September. The warship steamed back east in October and, after a port visit to Fremantle, Australia, she sailed north for Yokosuka. An attempted coup in the Philippines diverted *Fife* in early December, however, and she stood by for possible contingency operations until the crisis abated. *Fife* returned to Yokosuka on 11 December.

*Fife* began preparations for another Persian Gulf deployment after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. In addition to pre-deployment workups, *Fife* successfully passed her Cruise Missile Tactical Qualifications, On 2 October, *Fife* sailed in company with the USS *Midway* Battle Group Alpha to the Persian Gulf, arriving there on 2 November. During Operation Desert Shield, *Fife* helped enforce trade sanctions against Iraq as part of the Maritime Interception Force.

In mid-January 1991, *Fife* moved to the Persian Gulf in preparation for launching Tomahawks as the U.N. deadline for an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait approached. On 17 January, *Fife* launched all 61 missiles against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm; After the last strike was carried out on 31 January, she rendezvoused with the USS *Tripoli* and Amphibious Task Group 151.11, spending the next few weeks participating in minesweeping and feint operations in the northern Gulf off Kuwait. *Fife* provided some assistance to *Tripoli* and USS *Princeton* after they suffered mine hits in February. Departing the Persian Gulf on 9 March, the destroyer stopped at Pattaya Beach, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Subic Bay, before returning to Yokosuka on 17 April.

Departing Japan again on 15 April 1992, *Fife* made liberty stops at Bali, Indonesia, Singapore, and Phukett, before arriving at Muscat, Oman, on 19 May. After transiting the Straits of Hormuz on 24 May, the warship came under control of the newly established Central Command in the Persian Gulf and helped enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq. In company with the *Independence* battle group, *Fife* sailed for home on 17 September and, following stops at Pattaya Beach and Hong Kong, arrived in Yokosuka on 13 October.

In October, *Fife* entered Dry Dock 5 at Yokosuka for regular system maintenance and repair.

Work was complete in February 1994. After successful sea trials in early April, *Fife* got underway on 13 April for an extended post-overhaul cruise into the southern Pacific waters. In May, the destroyer sailed on to Thailand, where she participated in Exercise "Cobra Gold" before returning to Yokosuka on 1 June.

On 4 July 1995 the destroyer USS *Fife* conducted a five-day port visit to Vladivostok, Russia, during which it celebrate both America's Independence Day and the city's 135th anniversary.

Underway again on 22 August 1995, *Fife* transited the Straits of Malacca on 30 August and, after catching up to the *Independence* Battle Group, arrived in Bahrain on 9 September. In a reprise of her last visit, *Fife* assumed the duties of Ready Strike Platform in the northern Persian Gulf and carried out Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) as required. As part of the latter duties, *Fife's* Visit, Boarding, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) team uncovered thousands of contraband automobile tires and batteries hidden in the Indian-flagged tramp *Al Shakeel*. This was the largest seizure in months and caused a shift in focus toward smaller ships and dhows previously overlooked. Although the *Independence* BG departed the area in October, *Fife* remained on station owing to a shortage of strike platforms in the region. Departing the region on 13 November, *Fife* steamed for home and arrived in Yokosuka on 7 December, following stops at Phukett and Singapore.

On 6 June, during RIMPAC '96, *Fife* helped protect *Independence* during the numerous war-at-sea exercises and attacks by "enemy" surface action groups and submarines. At one point, the Japanese warship *Yuugiri* accidentally shot down an A-6 Intruder from *Independence* during a live-fire CIWS exercise. *Fife* closed the area to help rescue both aviators and recover wreckage for analysis. The ship's crew ended the operation with a port visit in Pearl Harbor, a rare stateside visit for forward deployed naval forces.

During a Bible Study session with crewmembers on 15 December 1996, Captain Tamayo fell into a coma and died while being transported to the Yokosuka Naval Hospital emergency room via the Fife's HSL-51 Detachment TWO helicopter. Hospital Corpsman Chief (HMC) David Taylor and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Second Class (AW2) Sean Kugler performed CPR on Captain Tamayo both prior to and for the entirety of the 45-minute flight. Unfortunately, Captain Tamayo succumbed to what was later reported to be a brain aneurysm.

*Fife* returned to Japan in July and departed Japan on 24 February 1997 for her next deployment, this time sailing south for exercises off Australia. After a stop in Guam to refuel, the ship arrived in the Coral Sea on 14 March. There, she joined Australian and other US ships for Exercise "Tandem Thrust '97" – a joint surface warfare evolution. *Fife* then visited Hobart, Melbourne, and Esperance during a half-circumnavigation of Australia before stopping in Bali for three days of liberty. She moved on to Jakarta, Indonesia, in late April before steaming to Thailand for Exercise "Cobra Gold '97." After a final ASW exercise with the Japanese Navy in June, the warship moored at Yokosuka on 16 July.

Following the ASW Exercise "Sharem 108-2" off Japan in late January 1998, *Fife* sailed south to Darwin, Australia. Arriving there on 18 February, she participated in the anniversary ceremony of the bombing of Darwin during World War II. After returning home in March, *Fife's* crew then loaded Tomahawk missiles for transit to Hawaii for maintenance. Her crew also prepared for a shift of homeport from Yokosuka to Everett, Washington. Departing Japan on 9 April, the warship stopped at Pearl Harbor to swap out missiles before steaming to Everett and mooring there on 5 May. After settling into her new homeport, the warship made preparations for her next deployment.

Embarking Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 49 (HSL 49) with an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter and a Coast Guard boarding team, *Fife* steamed south to the coast of Mexico on 5 October. There, she tracked suspect vessels and conducted boardings in support of counter-narcotic operations. The warship also coordinated patrols by P-3 Orion and C-130 Hercules aircraft, which helped Mexican counter-narcotic aircraft to force down a suspect aircraft and capture half a ton of cocaine. *Fife* returned to Everett on 18 December.

After her return, *Fife* moved to Bremerton, Washington for restricted availability on 13 October, a period that would last until 10 January 2000. Two weeks later she sailed south to San Diego for pre-deployment training operations. Those were interrupted by search-and-rescue efforts following the crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 on 31 January 2000. Departing Everett on 31 March1, *Fife* sailed west to the Persian Gulf via Pearl Harbor and Townsville and Darwin, Australia. She transited the Strait of Hormuz on 19 May and began sanction enforcement operations three days later. The warship departed the Gulf on 2 August and, after stops in Phukett, Singapore, and Hong Kong, she returned once again to Everett on 29 September.

*Fife* spent the remainder of the year preparing for her upcoming shipyard availability and started 2001 in Todd Shipyard Seattle, where, among other work, she received an upgrade to the Advanced Tomahawk Weapon Control System. She completed her training cycle on 23 October, right after a change of command when *Fife's* final commanding officer, Commander Fernandez L. Ponds was instated. *Fife* then headed south on a six-week surge to South America, where she seized 600 pounds of cocaine before returning to homeport on 14 December.

After splitting the winter between Everett and San Diego, *Fife* geared up for her final deployment. On 20 May 2002, *Fife* departed from Everett and headed south for six months off the coast of Central and South America. Taking along HSL 47 Detachment 3, as well as a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment (LEDET), *Fife* began the deployment with a few weeks of counter-narcotics operations, during which time she located a vessel loaded with illegal migrants from Ecuador. The vessel was intercepted and escorted to Guatemala where it was turned over to authorities. In July, *Fife* embarked Commander, Destroyer Squadron 14, and served as the US Flagship in the Chilean-sponsored UNITAS 43-02 Pacific Phase exercises. A month of training and exercises with five different Central and South American navies culminated in a full-scale three-day war-at-sea exercise.

Upon the conclusion of the UNITAS exercises, *Fife* participated with the submarine forces of Peru in the Silent Force Exercise (SIFOREX). Through sixteen ASW exercises, *Fife* demonstrated her ASW prowess, and was not "sunk" by the enemy forces.