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USS Macdonough (DDG-39)
Encyclopedia
USS MacDonough (DLG-8/DDG-39) named for Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Thomas Macdonough
Thomas MacDonough
Thomas Macdonough was an early-19th-century American naval officer noted for his roles in the first Barbary War, and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Sr. who lived close to Middleton, Delaware. Being the sixth child born, he came from a large family of ten...
was the 4th ship of 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...
to be named for him.
The fourth Macdonough was projected as DL-8, but redesignated DLG-8 prior to keel laying by the Fore River Shipyard, Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, 16 April 1958; launched 9 July 1959, sponsored by Mrs. Agnes Macdonough Wilson, great-granddaughter of Commodore Thomas Macdonough; and commissioned 4 November 1961, Comdr. Wm. G. Hurley in command.
The guided-missile frigate Macdonough, having undergone an extended shakedown and training period, reported to her home port at Charleston, S.C., 23 September 1962 and assumed duties as flagship for Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 6, U.S. Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
. A month later she joined other units of the U.S. 2nd Fleet in enforcing the Cuban quarantine, remaining with that force until it was dissolved on Thanksgiving Day. The first 3 months of 1963 were spent firing missiles off the coast of Florida under the auspices of the Operational Test and Evaluation Force. She returned to Charleston in March and operated in the Charleston-Norfolk area until departing on her first U.S. 6th Fleet deployment 4 June.
The frigate cruised the Mediterranean until the following fall, taking part in scheduled fleet exercises and training operations. Upon her return to the East Coast, 26 October, she resumed operations in the Charleston area. With the new year, 1964, Macdonough steamed south to Puerto Rico for training exercises with the 2nd Fleet. During these exercises; she participated in an Atlantic Fleet live-firing antiair warfare exercise, which included missile firing at drone aircraft. The ship returne d to Charleston for 2 weeks in February, and then put out to sea again for carrier exercises off the East Coast followed by helicopter evaluation tests in the Atlantic.
Macdonough's second Mediterranean deployment, 10 July to 22 December 1964, was followed by a 6-month overhaul at the Charleston Naval Shipyard. Coastal operations out of home port occupied the frigate until mid-September 1965, when she proceeded to the Atlantic Fleet Missile Range and then to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, for training exercises. Having returned to her Charleston home port in early November, Macdonough prepared for another Mediterranean deployment, departing Charleston at the end of the month. Macdonough served as flagship for the recovery effort of the Palomares Incident during the third Mediterranean deployment.
On 8 April 1966, Macdonough returned to South Carolina and once again resumed operations and fleet and squadron exercises along the southern east coast and in the Caribbean. During the summer a midshipman training cruise took the frigate to several east coast ports and to the Caribbean. After participating in "LANTFLEX 66," and AAW
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
/ASW/amphibious exercise, she returned to Charleston 16 December.
After conducting further exercises off the east coast, Macdonough prepared once again for overseas movement; and, on 2 May 1967, she departed Charleston for her fourth Mediterranean cruise. She conducted summer midshipmen training, visited various Mediterranean ports and participate in several joint exercises with ships of Allied navies, returning to South Carolina 28 October.
Macdonough continued operating with the 2nd Fleet until May 1968 when she again deployed to the Mediterranean, returning to her home port in September. She remained off the east coast into 1969.