USS Sterett (CG-31)

USS "Sterett" (DLG/CG-31) was a "Belknap"-class destroyer leader / cruiser. She was the third ship to be named for Master Commandant Andrew Sterett (1778-1807), who served during the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Wars. She was launched as DLG-31, a frigate, and reclassified Cruiser (CG) on 30 June 1975.

The contract to construct "Sterett" was awarded on 20 September 1961. Her keel was laid down at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 25 September 1962. Launched 30 June 1964 and sponsored by Mrs. Phyllis Nitze, wife of Secretary of the Navy, Paul H. Nitze. Delivered 16 June 1967 and commissioned on 8 April 1967.

"Sterett" earned nine battle stars for her service along the coast of Vietnam. [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s18/sterett-iii.htm]

1967-1975

The third "Sterett" (DLG-31) is a member of a distinguished line of US Naval ships. The fourth "Sterett" (DDG-104) was christened on May 19, 2007 with commissioning scheduled for Commissioning in Baltimore - August 9, 2008. The third "Sterett" spent 1967 operating off the west coast undergoing various post-acceptance tests and trials after commissioning, participating in shakedown training, and generally preparing for her final acceptance trials. Arriving in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard again she underwent post-shakedown availability. With the exception of two short excursions, one for nuclear capable certification and the other for COMTUEX 8-68, "Sterett" remained in home port until 19 June, when she departed San Pedro Bay for her first WestPac tour. After stops at Pearl Harbor and Midway, she arrived in Yokosuka, Japan, on 5 July and began preparations for her first line period in the Tonkin Gulf.On the last day of July 1968, "Sterett" relieved guided missile frigate USS "Horne" (DLG-30) as PIRAZ unit. With destroyer USS "Rich" (DD-820) riding shotgun for her, she plied the waters off North Vietnam until relieved on 5 August. She moved on to duty as sea air rescue (SAR) ship and strike support ship (SSS), which she performed until 4 September. During her first crack at SAR, "Sterett" directed two successful rescues of pilots. The guided missile frigate continued alternating between PIRAZ, SAR, SSS, and in-port periods until mid-March 1969.In the results of the CRUDESPAC Battle Efficiency Competition announced in March, "Sterett" won the Green "E" for Operations, the White "E" for Missiles, the Red "E" for Engineering, and the Blue "E" for Supply. Congratulatory messages were received from COMSEVENTHFLT and COMCRUDESFLOT ELEVEN.The next at sea period began with ten days on the Sea of Japan PARPRO picket station. During this line period USAF 314th Air Division F-106 interceptors from Osan Air Base under "Sterett" positive control intercepted six Soviet "Badger" aircraft and one Soviet "Mail" seaplane on ASW patrol. When "Sterett" was relieved by USS "Richmond K. Turner" (CG-20) on 10 March, the turnover was shadowed by a Soviet "Petya" class PCE, hull number 857. The "Petya" had been on patrol at the Soviet Korean Straits station and followed the "Turner" to TU 71.0.4.The next day "Sterett", en route to the Gulf of Tonkin, sighted a fishing boat north of Taiwan flying the Republic of Korea ensign. The boat, later identified as BT 22210, was adrift with its engine inoperative and making frantic visual signals for assistance. "Sterett" immediately transferred food and fuel to the distressed craft, a vessel of some fifty feet with a crew of seven. "Sterett" sent urgent message requests for additional assistance to COMNAVFORKOREA, who eventually arranged a commercial tow for the crippled fishing vessel. Having rendered all appropriate assistance, "Sterett" proceeded through the Taiwan Straits to the Tonkin Gulf.

The Gulf of Tonkin DLG AAW pickets normally operate with a DD escort but during April, 1970 "Sterett" operated at a modified PIRAZ station 20NM from the North Vietnamese coast with the USS "Oklahoma City" (CLG-5), COMSEVENTHFLT embarked, as her escort. This was a plot to lure out a MiG from the the airbase at the Bai Thuong Airfield, which at that time was the base for three MiG-21 and three MiG-19 fighters. "Oklahoma City" had EMCON (EMission CONdition) set to simulate the normal DD escort and "Sterett" passed track information on hostile aircraft over North Vietnam to the Talos ship via the Navy RED secure voice (KY-8) net and the NTDS Link 14 teletype. Although this missile trap was well-conceived, there was no MiG activity over Bai Thuong during this period.

The guided missile frigate continued to shuttle back and forth between Yokosuka and the Tonkin Gulf for the first seven months of 1970. She alternated between PIRAZ duty and SAR/SSS duty, taking time out for a six-day stay at Hong Kong, an overnight layover in Keelung, Taiwan, and a two-day visit to EXPO '70 at Kobe, Japan. On 29 July, 1971 "Sterett" set sail from Yokosuka to return to the United States.After two years "Sterett" returned to CONUS and entered via San Diego Bay. "Sterett" spent all of 1971 either in port on, or operating off, the west coast.

On 7 January 1972, "Sterett" traveled on her second tour of duty off the Vietnamese coast. She departed for the Tonkin Gulf and remained on PIRAZ station when on 21 February, 1972 became the first Navy ship to direct the downing of a MiG-21 by Air Force CAP. During her second line period of the deployment, "Sterett" participated in the downing of two more MiGs (30 March) and brought down another with a salvo of Terrier missiles during the Dong Hoi engagement on 19 April. Later on that day, she launched a second salvo of Terriers at an unidentified target, probably a Styx surface-to-surface missile, destroying it in midair. After adding two more successful pilot rescues to her tally, she returned to Subic Bay on 22 May.Four months later she returned to San Diego and operated off the west coast for the rest of 1972.On 25 March, 1973 during transit, "Sterett"'s LAMPS helicopter crashed while ferrying the chaplain between ships for divine services. Fortunately, all crew members survived."Sterett" participated in one last tour of duty, after the cease fire negotiations, in Vietnam in 1973 that was uneventful. She ended 1973 by docking in San Diego in preparations for regular overhaul to begin in February, 1974."Sterett" was reclassified as guided missile cruiser CG-31 on 30 June 1975. [http://sterett.net/public/dlg-31hist.htm]

1984-1986

"Sterett" was involved in the search for the wreckage of KAL flight 007 in late 1983 and early 1984; along with the United States Coast Guard Cutter Munro. In the winter of 1985 "Sterett" departed her tropical homeport and transited once again to the North Pacific ocean to conduct surveillance on the newest soviet aircraft carrier upon its departure from Vladivostok, Russia. In February 1986 "Sterett" set sail for Manila Harbor from Subic Bay Naval Base for the possible evacuation of the Philippine presidential family during the People Power Revolution. They were eventually evacuated by the Air Force. "Sterett"'s homeport was Subic Bay Naval Station in the Philippines and was the only combatant home ported there.

In 1991, "Sterett" received a comprehensive overhaul including New Threat Upgrade (NTU), a major anti-aircraft warfare systems improvement. [http://sterett.net/Public/31Ship_tour/cic.htm]

After 27 years of service, "Sterett" was decommissioned on 24 March 1994. She was struck the same day to be scrapped. 29 July 2005, International Shipbreaking Limited of Brownsville, Texas was contracted to dismantle and recycle ex-"Sterett".

External links

* [http://sterett.net/public/index.htm USS Sterett Association - for all four ships named for Andrew Sterett]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG31.htm NVR CG-31]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/cg-31.htm GlobalSecurity.org]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1131/040131.htm NavSource - CG-31]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s18/sterett-iii.htm DANFS - Sterett #3]
* [http://www.hullnumber.com/CG-31 CG-31 Personnel Roster at HullNumber.com]