Posted on 04/17/2002 4:27:01 AM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The guided missile frigate TCG Gokova (F 496) was commissioned into the service of the Republic of Turkey April 11, during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk. Although the ceremony featured the normal trappings of such events, including speeches, a commissioning pennant and Sailors running aboard to "bring the ship to life," what was different about the event was that when it began, the ship had a different name -- USS Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG 13).
The commissioning of Gokova was preceded by the decommissioning of Morison, and the turning over of the ship to the Turkish navy as part of the U.S. foreign military sales program.
The guest speaker for the ceremony was Rear Adm. Christopher E. Weaver, commandant of Naval District Washington (D.C.) who served aboard Morison twice, including a tour as the ship's executive officer. He was happy that, although the ship was being decommissioned, it would go on living with the Turkish Navy.
"In the hands of these Sailors, the ship will live up to Samuel Eliot Morison's legacy, 'the past is prologue.' The ship will live on. We're turning a page in the history book of this ship and going on to many more exciting chapters," he said.
The final U.S. Navy commanding officer of the ship, Cmdr. James Shannon, had only been in command of the ship for a little more than a month. He and his crew swapped USS Estocin (FFG 15) for Morison so they could remain in their Norfolk homeport and the new crew of Estocin could remain in their homeport of Mayport, Fla. Still, Morison's legacy was not lost on him.
"It gives me great satisfaction that this fine man-of-war will continue to serve as a member of the Turkish navy," he said.
The preparations for the turnover have been going on for more than a month, with Morison's American crew turning over spaces and providing some initial training to their Turkish counterparts.
Gokova is the seventh Perry-class frigate to be turned over to the Turkish navy; the ship's new commanding officer, Turkisk Navy Cmdr. Armagan Kurgan, has served aboard three others. He served as executive officer aboard TCG Gemlik [ex-USS Flatley (FFG 21)] and TCG Gokceada [ex-USS Mahlon S. Tisdale (FFG 27)]. He served as commanding officer of TCG Gaziantep [ex-USS Clifton F. Sprague (FFG 16)].
During the ceremony, Kurgan noted Morison's accomplishments as a U.S. Navy ship and promised to continue the tradition. "We shall do our best to keep Gokova always victorious," he said.
Originally commissioned Oct. 11, 1980, Morison was the seventh ship in the Oliver Hazard Perry-class. The ship was named for Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison one of America's most distinguished naval historians, who wrote more than 40 books on naval history.
For information on Naval Surface Force Atlantic Fleet, go to http://www.cnsl.spear.navy.mil.
I had no idea that we have turned over decommed ships to Turkey.
We sold an old crusier to Argentina in the 1970's, it was sunk by the Britsh during the Falkland war.
Have they ever balked at assisting us with military actions?We have expressed our misgivings about striking Iraq at this time. Also, since our public officials are elected every four years, voices coming from our government may vary slightly from time to time.
One of the ships given to Turkey was about 12 years old.There's no free lunch. That will be tha day when post cold war America just hands out ships.. Anyway, it costs you less when your ally patrols those waters. You want to save me some bucks? Go ahead.
Bottom line - the short-hulls are considered obsolete for ASW, which is the main function of these babies anyway.
The Post Cold War America defense downsizing song and dance is a dangerous farce and any one with half a brain should realize that. You either have a full standing ready military or you don't. Your enemy will not wait on you to catch up. A lesson we were taught and have forgotten from WW2. Does it really cost less?
How about our currently overdeployed ships? Over deployment means undermaintained. Undermaintained means shorter life of the ship. This effects retention, morale, and general battle readiness, as rather than having protocol stand downs every time a ship comes off a six month deployment few are making the required 18 month rotation of repairs and training. No this is not just a Clinton caused problem either. The sorrid mess started under GHW Bush Sr and his Sec of Defense Dick Cheney.
I consider it a disgrace that we had an embarassment like the USS KENNEDY where the ship was not sea worthy. Worse it was not discovered till the ship was alerted for deployment. Donny had plenty of time to check his fleets. You want to see the Middle East quieten down and save money at the same time? Then put two carrier groups back in the MED SEA 7/24/365 and it will. Stop this insane once a year emergency deployments we have been having since the Gulf War. Put ready ships on station and build our fleets back up ASAP. Star Wars, Missle Defense systems, and the other pipe dreams the Bush people are crowing about is still years down the road from being in place.
Right now it's a constant cat and mouse game of the countries waiting till our carrier groups leave to start another uprising so another is rushed into deployment.
Fact: We are down to one Naval Shipyard that is tooled and ready to produce an aircraft carrier. Does that not give you cause for concern? Ship building is not a craft taught overnight and it takes a few years just to tool one up to begin production. I say open another yard and build 4 more carriers and accompaning fleet to go with them. Keep the carrier fleet to 15 or 16. Better to have them and not need them than to need them and it be too late.
I was in the Cold War Navy under one most persons consider the worst POTUS. Even Jimmy Peanuts had to realize he had a problem in the military and address it. Right now everybody in the Pentagon are to afraid to stepping on Juniors toes and the ones over them are the same. Where is the military Reagan built? Where did it go? Bush Sr couldn't wait to take it down as he disagreed with most Reagan policy anyway.
Again what is the cost? A ship by itself two days out from fleet alone going to a hostile port for fuel and getting blown up. Why weren't some stars ripped of some sleeves in the Pentagon? With fleet escort any conventional ship could have fueled the COLE. No instead the very same ones who were in charge then are still calling the shots now. It might also interest you to know that the primary duty and function of federal government is in fact National Defense. Which would you rather see funded the military or aid to illegals jumping our borders? Or there's always more education funding of which thee fed has no business being involved in. Priorites is something very lacking these days in our government. We were deceived into thinking our shores were safe from harm now we are being deceived into thinking we have the military capabilities we had just 13 years ago and can do even better by reducing it even more. The fact we have to call on the U.N. NATO, and Middle East nations to help do a job which even under Carter we had the means to do alone says it all. I think for that we have paid a price far more worse than any. We have become dependent on other nations through reckless entanglements for our national defense. We can not say we were not warned!
A few years ago the USS Saratoga put a missile through the bridge of a Turkish warship (also a former U.S. Navy vessel). The accident occurred around midnight when most of the Turkish crew were asleep. Even though the entire bridge crew of the Turkish ship were killed and the ship set afire, the Turks had the damage under control and the ship steaming under her own power in twelve minutes. That's a first-rate crew.
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