.gif)
USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964)
Encyclopedia
USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964), named for Vice Admiral Paul F. Foster USN (1889–1972), was a built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding
Division of Litton Industries
at Pascagoula, Mississippi
. She commissioned on February 21, 1976.
.
Operating out of San Diego, California
, Foster became the first Spruance-class destroyer to deploy to the Western Pacific in March 1978. The ship deployed again in 1979 and 1982, serving in the Indian Ocean
and Western Pacific.
Foster joined Destroyer Squadron Nine and moved to its new home port of Long Beach, California, in August 1983. She became the Navy's first "all electric destroyer" after major modifications at Long Beach Naval Shipyard
, which included the addition of a fourth ship's service gas turbine generator.
On August 29, 1984, Foster began its fourth Western Pacific deployment as Destroyer Squadron Nine's flagship
, with then DESRON NINE Commodore, T.O. GABRIEL and his staff embarked aboard, leading a five-ship surface action group and participating in several major allied fleet exercises.
During a fifth deployment beginning in August 1986 with DESRON NINE as part of the Battle Group
, Foster was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
for her performance in Operation Kernel Potlatch in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
.
From July 1987 through July 1988, Foster completed a regular overhaul at Northwest Marine Iron Works in Portland, Oregon
. During the overhaul the ship received over 55 major ship alterations, including installation of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System
for Tomahawk cruise missiles
, the AN/SQQ-89 Anti-Submarine Warfare Detection System, and facilities to employ the Navy's most sophisticated submarine helicopter, the LAMPS MkIII.
Foster departed on its sixth Western Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment on 24 February 1989 in company with the Battle Group. Conducting North Arabian Sea
operations, the ship was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
.
On December 8, 1990, Foster departed Long Beach on its seventh overseas deployment to the Persian Gulf
in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The first ship to fire Tomahawk missiles against Iraqi targets, she was instrumental in the liberation of Kuwait
and in winning the campaign. Deploying for the eighth time on July 20, 1992, she returned to the Arabian Sea, where she operated in support of Persian Gulf Operations-Southern Watch
while participating in numerous bilateral exercises with Persian Gulf Nations.
During the ship's ninth deployment, Foster again served with Carl Vinson Battle Group and was the first ship on the scene to provide assistance to a burning ocean going tug, Glorious City, putting out the fire and saving its crew of seven.
Upon returning from deployment on October 20, 1994, Foster entered into a regular overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard where several of the latest technological weapons, sensors and engineering systems were added. After completion of overhaul, she moved to her new home port of Everett, Washington
arriving in November 1995.
During the ship's tenth deployment which began February 21, 1997, Foster was a part of the multinational force during Persian Gulf Operations, enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq
.
Foster departed for her eleventh deployment on January 27, 1999. While serving as part of the Pacific Middle East Force, she participated in Operation Iron Siren, Eager Sentry, and Arabian Gauntlet. In addition, the ship conducted boarding's in support of United Nations
sanctions against Iraq.
Foster departed for her twelfth deployment on January 11, 2001, where the ship once again conducted numerous boarding operations in support of the United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Her thirteenth and final deployment began on June 18, 2002.
Foster was decommissioned on March 27, 2003. In 2004, Foster was designated to replace ex- as the Navy's Self Defense Test Ship
, a role she assumed in 2005. In support of this new role, she is assigned to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division
. In 2008, Foster was used in an episode of NCIS
(Road Kill) portraying USS Rubicon, a ship about to be decommissioned. As of 2011, Foster is the last surviving example of the Spruance Class.
On April 8, 2011, Wired.com reported that Foster had successfully used the Maritime Laser Demonstrator for the first time in a sea-to-sea target test, sinking a small inflatable motorboat at a range of one mile in rough seas.
On November 17, 2011,Foster demonstration of shipboard alternative fuel use while underway in the Pacific Ocean on a 50-50 blend of an algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76. The ship arrived thursday morning to the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Port Hueneme in Southern California after traveling for 17 hours on a maiden trip from San Diego.
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ingalls Shipbuilding is a shipyard located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, originally established in 1938, and is now part of Huntington Ingalls Industries...
Division of Litton Industries
Litton Industries
Named after inventor Charles Litton, Sr., Litton Industries was a large defense contractor in the United States, bought by the Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2001.-History:...
at Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
. She commissioned on February 21, 1976.
History
As the initial Spruance-class destroyer assigned to the Pacific Fleet, Foster had many milestone firsts, including successfully firing a NATO Sea Sparrow missile, demonstrating the feasibility of landing H-46 helicopters, and determining the operational limits of the SH-3 helicopterH-3 Sea King
The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare helicopter. It served with the United States Navy and other forces, and continues to serve in many countries around the world. The Sea King has been built under license in Italy and Japan, and in the United Kingdom as the...
.
Operating out of 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...
, Foster became the first Spruance-class destroyer to deploy to the Western Pacific in March 1978. The ship deployed again in 1979 and 1982, serving 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...
and Western Pacific.
Foster joined Destroyer Squadron Nine and moved to its new home port of Long Beach, California, in August 1983. She became the Navy's first "all electric destroyer" after major modifications at Long Beach Naval Shipyard
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
thumb|right|300px|Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1993The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which closed in 1997, was located at Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport.The Long Beach...
, which included the addition of a fourth ship's service gas turbine generator.
On August 29, 1984, Foster began its fourth Western Pacific deployment as Destroyer Squadron Nine's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, with then DESRON NINE Commodore, T.O. GABRIEL and his staff embarked aboard, leading a five-ship surface action group and participating in several major allied fleet exercises.
During a fifth deployment beginning in August 1986 with DESRON NINE as part of the Battle Group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
, Foster was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
for her performance in Operation Kernel Potlatch in the North Pacific and Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
.
From July 1987 through July 1988, Foster completed a regular overhaul at Northwest Marine Iron Works in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. During the overhaul the ship received over 55 major ship alterations, including installation of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System
Vertical Launching System
A vertical launching system is a system for holding and firing missiles on surface ships and submarines used by many navies around the world. Each VLS system consists of a number of cells, which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing...
for Tomahawk cruise missiles
BGM-109 Tomahawk
The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...
, the AN/SQQ-89 Anti-Submarine Warfare Detection System, and facilities to employ the Navy's most sophisticated submarine helicopter, the LAMPS MkIII.
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
operations, the ship was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
.
On December 8, 1990, Foster departed Long Beach on its seventh overseas deployment to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The first ship to fire Tomahawk missiles against Iraqi targets, she was instrumental in the liberation of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and in winning the campaign. Deploying for the eighth time on July 20, 1992, she returned to the Arabian Sea, where she operated in support of Persian Gulf Operations-Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
while participating in numerous bilateral exercises with Persian Gulf Nations.
During the ship's ninth deployment, Foster again served with Carl Vinson Battle Group and was the first ship on the scene to provide assistance to a burning ocean going tug, Glorious City, putting out the fire and saving its crew of seven.
Upon returning from deployment on October 20, 1994, Foster entered into a regular overhaul at Long Beach Naval Shipyard where several of the latest technological weapons, sensors and engineering systems were added. After completion of overhaul, she moved to her new home port of Everett, Washington
Naval Station Everett
Naval Station Everett is the United States Navy's most modern facility. It is located next to the marina area of the city of Everett, WA, 25 miles north of Seattle. The Navy Support Complex is located between Marysville and Arlington, 11 miles north of the naval station. Naval Station , Everett is...
arriving in November 1995.
During the ship's tenth deployment which began February 21, 1997, Foster was a part of the multinational force during Persian Gulf Operations, enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Foster departed for her eleventh deployment on January 27, 1999. While serving as part of the Pacific Middle East Force, she participated in Operation Iron Siren, Eager Sentry, and Arabian Gauntlet. In addition, the ship conducted boarding's in support of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions against Iraq.
Foster departed for her twelfth deployment on January 11, 2001, where the ship once again conducted numerous boarding operations in support of the United Nations sanctions against Iraq. Her thirteenth and final deployment began on June 18, 2002.
Foster was decommissioned on March 27, 2003. In 2004, Foster was designated to replace ex- as the Navy's Self Defense Test Ship
Self Defense Test Ship
The Self Defense Test Ship is one of the assets of the US Navy. It is a refurbished ship, operated by remote control, which is designed to support self-defense engineering, testing, and evaluation. Being unmanned, it avoids the safety constraints and other problems associated with manned ships...
, a role she assumed in 2005. In support of this new role, she is assigned to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division
Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division , a component of the Naval Sea Systems Command , is a tenant command located at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California. In addition to its primary location at Port Hueneme, the division operates detachments at White Sands, New...
. In 2008, Foster was used in an episode of NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
(Road Kill) portraying USS Rubicon, a ship about to be decommissioned. As of 2011, Foster is the last surviving example of the Spruance Class.
On April 8, 2011, Wired.com reported that Foster had successfully used the Maritime Laser Demonstrator for the first time in a sea-to-sea target test, sinking a small inflatable motorboat at a range of one mile in rough seas.
On November 17, 2011,Foster demonstration of shipboard alternative fuel use while underway in the Pacific Ocean on a 50-50 blend of an algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76. The ship arrived thursday morning to the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Port Hueneme in Southern California after traveling for 17 hours on a maiden trip from San Diego.