USS Kauffman (FFG-59), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman (1887–1963) and his son, Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman (1911–1979), both experts in sub-surface naval missions.
 USS Kauffman (FFG-59), in 1986.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Kauffman |
| Namesake | |
| Awarded | 28 October 1982 |
| Builder | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine |
| Laid down | 8 April 1985 |
| Launched | 29 March 1986 |
| Sponsored by | Elizabeth Kauffman Bush |
| Commissioned | 28 February 1987 |
| Decommissioned | 18 September 2015 |
| Homeport | NS Norfolk, Virginia |
| Identification |
|
| Motto |
|
| Nickname(s) | Special K |
| Status | decommissioned |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate |
| Displacement | 4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load |
| Length | 453 feet (138 m), overall |
| Beam | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Draught | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| 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 |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys | AN/SLQ-32 |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters |
| Aviation facilities | |
Kauffman was laid down on 8 April 1985 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 29 March 1986; sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Kauffman Bush, the daughter of Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman and sister of Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman; and commissioned on 28 February 1987 at Bath, Maine.[1]
As of 2012, Kauffman was homeported at NS Norfolk, Virginia, and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 22.
Kauffman deployed for the final time on 8 January 2015. She was decommissioned on 18 September 2015. At the time of her decommission, she was one of only two Oliver Hazzard Perry-class ships remaining; the last Oliver Hazard Perry-class ship to be decommissioned was USS Simpson (FFG-56).[2]
History
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Note: the milestones are extracted from the official command histories and no other sources. The set of command histories available is not complete, resulting in the partial record following.[3]
1988[4]
- 6 January – 28 May: 4100 ton modifications by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.
- 12 August: a sailor died instantly when the Slewing Arm Davit broke from its mount and fell on him.
1989[5]
- 31 May – 10 November: Maiden deployment, Med 3–89
- 4–7 August: Port visit to Sevastopol, Soviet Union
- October: Sixth Fleet "Hook'em" Award for best ASW platform in Sixth Fleet AO in 1989
- 13 September – 3 October: NATO exercise Display Determination-89
1990[6]
- 9 January: presented with Battle 'E'
- 15 January – 15 March: ships restricted availability, #1A gas turbine engine and the Mk. 75 76mm gun mount are replaced
- 8–15 June: BALTOPS-90
- 27–30 June: Gdynia, Poland port visit
1991[7]
- 26 April – 26 October: deployment, MEF 2–91
- 4 June – 16 September: Middle East Force (MEF) operations in the Persian Gulf
1992[8]
- 6 January – 21 February: counter narcotic operations, Caribbean Sea
- towed a vessel that had lost propulsion 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
- rescued the crew from the stricken 237 feet (72 m) coastal freighter Ramsli just before she sank
- 2 August – 23 October: Ships Restricted Availability (Drydock), by Bath Iron Works Bath, Maine
- 15 September: presented with Battle 'E'
1993[9]
- 11 March – 8 September: deployed, Med 2–93
- 29 April – 18 June: Operation Deny Flight in the Adriatic Sea, Operation Maritime Guard
- 22 June – 17 August: Maritime Interdiction Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq, North Red Sea
- 7 November: provided assistance to the Argentine frigate ARA Granville (P-33) while in port at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico
- 9 November – 6 December: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
1994[10]
- 13 May – 3 June: Maritime Interception Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Haiti
- 6 June: Homeport shift from Newport, Rhode Island, to Norfolk, Virginia
- 1 July – 1 August: Operation Support Democracy, Haiti with 3 US Army OH-58 Kiowa helicopters
- 5–6 July: rescued 787 migrants from Haitian waters, transported to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
- 20–21 July: towed the Motor Vessel Valerie I from the south coast of Haiti to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
1996[11]
- 24 April: completion of an extended ships restricted availability period beginning September 1995, including installation of Mod 6 to the Mk 92 Guided Missile Fire Control System
- 8 July – 24 August: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
- 20 September: Commander John A. Kunert, USN relieves Commander David F. Britt, USN
- 10–31 December: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
1997[12]
- 1–17 January: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
- 4 March – 24 June: ships restricted availability (drydock) by Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
1998[13]
- 13 March – 11 September: deployed, Med (originally tasked to Middle East Force)
- 12 October – 11 December: planned restricted availability
1999[14]
- 15–18 September: sortied for Hurricane Dennis
2004[15]
- 15 July – 22 September: ships restricted availability, installed Mk 53 "Nulka" Decoy Launching System (DLS)
References
edit- ^ Frey, Courtney; Evans, Mark L. (1 October 2015). "Kauffman (FFG-59)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
- ^ "USS Kauffman to be Decommissioned". U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman Public Affairs. 17 September 2015. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "Kauffman (FFG-59) Command Operations Reports". Naval History and Heritage Command. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1988" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 31 March 1989. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1989" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 1 March 1990. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1990" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 1 January 1991. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1991" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 13 January 1992. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1992" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 30 March 1993. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1993" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 14 March 1994. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1994" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 13 March 1995. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1996" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 2 June 1997. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1997" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 10 February 1998. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1998" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 25 February 1999. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 1999" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 1 February 2000. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "USS Kauffman command history 2004" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Kauffman (FFG-59).
- USS Kauffman official website
- Photo gallery of USS Kauffman (FFG-59) at NavSource Naval History
- USS Kauffman @ navysite.de
- USS Kauffman FFG-59 @ MaritimeQuest