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USS Bradley (FF-1041)
Encyclopedia
USS Bradley (FF-1041) was the second of ten 2,620-ton Garcia-class
destroyer escort ships, later reclassified as frigate
s, in the United States Navy
. She was named for Captain Willis Winter Bradley, Jr.
. She was later sold into the Brazilian Navy
as Pernambuco (D 30).
on 17 January 1963, launched on 26 March 1964, and commissioned on 15 May 1965. Her first deployment to the Western Pacific between July and December 1966 included four months of gunfire support along the coast of South Vietnam
and carrier escort duty in the Gulf of Tonkin
. In February 1967 Bradley received the prototype destroyer installation of the Sea Sparrow
Basic Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS). After intensive trials between May and September, the system was removed in September.
Bradley commenced her second deployment to Southeast Asia in December 1967 but was diverted to the Sea of Japan in response to the North Korean capture of USS Pueblo
. In March she resumed carrier escort and gunfire support duties off South Vietnam. After a final tour on the gun line in June, during which she fired 3,247 rounds in 10 days from her two 5"/38 guns, she returned to San Diego, California
in July 1968. Her first regular overhaul between October 1968 and May 1969 featured a major upgrade to her SQS-26 sonar and extensive work on her two temperamental pressure-fired boilers. Bradley's third deployment featured a gun line tour in January 1970, surveillance of the Soviet Navy
's worldwide "Okean" exercise in April, and more carrier escort and gunfire support duty lasting into June. During the next five years Bradley conducted three additional deployments to Southeast Asia, interrupted by a second regular overhaul in 1971-72.
In June 1975 Bradley began a year-long overhaul which included the enlargement of her helicopter hangar. In July 1975 she was reclassified from escort ship (DE) to frigate (FF). After trials in mid 1976, Bradley conducted two more deployments, each of which included lengthy operations in the Indian Ocean
, before entering the shipyard in mid-1979 for another one year overhaul. Repeating this pattern, she conducted another two deployments, this time ranging between Korea
and Malaysia, before starting another year-long overhaul in mid-1983, primarily to remedy boiler problems. The ship made one more Western Pacific deployment between mid-1986 and January 1987 and a Northern Pacific cruise in May-June 1988 before decommissioning on 30 September 1988.
at San Diego and became the destroyer Pernambuco (D 30). She was stricken from the U. S. Navy and sold outright to Brazil in January 2001. She remained active in the Brazilian Navy
into her 39th year afloat, having participated at sea in seven exercises between early 2001 and early 2003. On 11 March 2004, she was decommissioned and placed in reserve.
Garcia class frigate
Garcia class frigates were United States Navy warships. These frigates were originally ocean escorts bearing the hull classification DE or DEG until 1975...
destroyer escort ships, later reclassified as frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was named for Captain Willis Winter Bradley, Jr.
Willis W. Bradley
Willis Winter Bradley Jr. was a Naval officer, a recipient of the Medal of Honor and a U.S. Representative from California.-Biography:...
. She was later sold into the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
as Pernambuco (D 30).
As Bradley
Bradley was laid down at San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
on 17 January 1963, launched on 26 March 1964, and commissioned on 15 May 1965. Her first deployment to the Western Pacific between July and December 1966 included four months of gunfire support along the coast of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
and carrier escort duty in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
. In February 1967 Bradley received the prototype destroyer installation of the Sea Sparrow
AIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
Basic Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS). After intensive trials between May and September, the system was removed in September.
Bradley commenced her second deployment to Southeast Asia in December 1967 but was diverted to the Sea of Japan in response to the North Korean capture of USS Pueblo
USS Pueblo (AGER-2)
USS Pueblo is an American ELINT and SIGINT Banner-class technical research ship which was boarded and captured by North Korean forces on January 23, 1968, in what is known as the Pueblo incident or alternatively as the Pueblo crisis or the Pueblo affair. Occurring less than a week after President...
. In March she resumed carrier escort and gunfire support duties off South Vietnam. After a final tour on the gun line in June, during which she fired 3,247 rounds in 10 days from her two 5"/38 guns, she returned to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in July 1968. Her first regular overhaul between October 1968 and May 1969 featured a major upgrade to her SQS-26 sonar and extensive work on her two temperamental pressure-fired boilers. Bradley's third deployment featured a gun line tour in January 1970, surveillance of the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
's worldwide "Okean" exercise in April, and more carrier escort and gunfire support duty lasting into June. During the next five years Bradley conducted three additional deployments to Southeast Asia, interrupted by a second regular overhaul in 1971-72.
In June 1975 Bradley began a year-long overhaul which included the enlargement of her helicopter hangar. In July 1975 she was reclassified from escort ship (DE) to frigate (FF). After trials in mid 1976, Bradley conducted two more deployments, each of which included lengthy operations in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, before entering the shipyard in mid-1979 for another one year overhaul. Repeating this pattern, she conducted another two deployments, this time ranging between Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Malaysia, before starting another year-long overhaul in mid-1983, primarily to remedy boiler problems. The ship made one more Western Pacific deployment between mid-1986 and January 1987 and a Northern Pacific cruise in May-June 1988 before decommissioning on 30 September 1988.
As Pernambuco
In September 1989 Bradley was leased to BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
at San Diego and became the destroyer Pernambuco (D 30). She was stricken from the U. S. Navy and sold outright to Brazil in January 2001. She remained active in the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
into her 39th year afloat, having participated at sea in seven exercises between early 2001 and early 2003. On 11 March 2004, she was decommissioned and placed in reserve.
External links
- The USS Bradley Association
- Destroyers Online: The USS Bradley. Contains ship's statistics, a list of crew members, etc.