USS De Wert (FFG-45)

USS De Wert leaving Mayport in July 2013
History
Name:	De Wert
Namesake:	Hospitalman Richard De Wert
Awarded:	28 April 1980
Builder:	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down:	14 June 1982
Launched:	18 December 1982
Commissioned:	19 November 1983
Decommissioned:	4 April 2014
Struck:	4 April 2014
Identification:	Hull symbol:FFG-45 Code letters:NRDW
Motto:	"Daring, Dauntless, Defiant"
Status:	Stricken, to be disposed of
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate
Displacement:	4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length:	453 feet (138 m), overall
Beam:	45 feet (14 m)
Draft:	22 feet (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed:	over 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range:	5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h)
Complement:	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare & decoys:	AN/SLQ-32
Armament:	As built: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes 1 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 4 × .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. 1 × Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.
Aircraft carried:	2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters
Aviation facilities:	2 × Hangars RAST helicopter hauldown system

USS De Wert (FFG-45), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, was a ship of the United States Navy. She was named for Hospitalman Richard De Wert (1931–1951). De Wert posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 7th Marines during the Korean War.

De Wert was laid down on 14 June 1982 by the Bath Iron Works, in Bath, Maine; launched on 18 December 1982, sponsored by Rita C. Kennedy; and commissioned on 19 November 1983 at Bath, Commander Douglas Armstrong in command.

Comnander Destroyer Squadron Six conducted a Command Administration Inspection 24–26 August 1985. The ship got underway with an air detachment embarked 13 August through 7 September to participate in a Readiness Exercise (READEX 3-85), along with fifteen surface ships, two (2) submarines of the United States Atlantic Fleet and one unit of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The ship got underway on 2 October for its first major overseas deployment. De Wert joined the Sixth Fleet on 14 October and participated in Operation Display Determination 85, under the command of Commander Task Force 60 with 2 carriers, 16 warships, and 130 aircraft of the Sixth Fleet. This exercise proved to be predominately an anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare exercise.

On 16 February 2007, De Wert was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.

In 2011, De Wert earned all command excellence awards and was awarded the 2010 Battle E award.

On 11 October 2011, De Wert, along with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel RFA Fort Victoria, rescued the Italian vessel Montecristo after it was boarded by Somali pirates, while on joint anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.