USS Taylor (FFG-50)
Encyclopedia
USS Taylor (FFG-50), an , is a ship of the United States Navy
named for Commander Jesse J. Taylor (1925–1965), a naval aviator
who was awarded the Navy Cross
posthumously for his heroism in the Vietnam War
.
Taylors keel was laid down by Bath Iron Works
Corp., Bath, Maine
, on 5 May 1983. She was launched
5 November 1983, and commissioned
1 December 1984 in Bath Maine.
TAYLOR was homeported in Charleston, SC from 1985-1993. The ship deployed to Northern Europe as part of the Standing Naval Forces, Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) in 1987 and the Persian Gulf in 1988 and 1990. Participated in Operation Earnest Will
. In 1993, the TAYLOR changed homeport to Mayport, FL with the closing of Charleston Naval Station.
As of 2005, Taylor is homeported at NS Mayport
, Florida
, and is part of Destroyer Squadron 14.
In August 2008 Taylor entered the Black Sea conducting a pre-planned routine visit to the Black Sea region to interact and exercise with NATO partners Romania and Bulgaria. It joined ships from Poland, Germany and Spain.
In December 2009, TAYLOR celebrated 25 years in Commission.
In September 2010, Taylor was buzzed by a Russian Tu-95 bomber. As of 2004, all significant anti-aircraft capability was deleted from this class.
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...
named for Commander Jesse J. Taylor (1925–1965), a naval aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
who was awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
posthumously for his heroism in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Taylors keel was laid down by Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
Corp., Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, on 5 May 1983. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
5 November 1983, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
1 December 1984 in Bath Maine.
TAYLOR was homeported in Charleston, SC from 1985-1993. The ship deployed to Northern Europe as part of the Standing Naval Forces, Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) in 1987 and the Persian Gulf in 1988 and 1990. Participated in Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will was the U.S. military protection of Kuwaiti owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest naval convoy operation since World War II.The U.S. Navy warships that escorted the tankers, part of...
. In 1993, the TAYLOR changed homeport to Mayport, FL with the closing of Charleston Naval Station.
As of 2005, Taylor is homeported at NS Mayport
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Station Mayport is a major United States Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida. It contains a military airfield with one asphalt paved runway measuring 8,001 x 200 ft. ....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and is part of Destroyer Squadron 14.
In August 2008 Taylor entered the Black Sea conducting a pre-planned routine visit to the Black Sea region to interact and exercise with NATO partners Romania and Bulgaria. It joined ships from Poland, Germany and Spain.
In December 2009, TAYLOR celebrated 25 years in Commission.
In September 2010, Taylor was buzzed by a Russian Tu-95 bomber. As of 2004, all significant anti-aircraft capability was deleted from this class.