De Wert (FFG 45) - Naval Cruise Book

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Richard DE WERT was bom in Taunton, Massachusetts on 17 November 1931. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 2 December 1948 at the Naval Recruiting Station, Boston. After basic training at the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois, he attended U.S. Naval Hospital Corps School at the same location. His initial assignment was to the Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia. On 28 July 1950, Hospitalman DE WERT joined the lst Medical Battalion, lst Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, at Camp Pendleton, California, which deployed to Korea. On 17 December, he landed at Inchon and assisted in the activation of the division hospital. Within a fortnight he took part in the liberation of SEOUL, the South Korean capital. On 6 March 1951, after participation in several combat operations, DE WERT was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. On the moming of 5 April, MDM Company was advancing up a ridge against stubborn resistance from Chinese Communist Forces. A marine from the company's point platoon was wounded, and fell in an exposed position. DE WERT unhesitatingly rushed forward, treated the man's wounds, and carried him to safety. He then immediately answered a second call for aid, although himself wounded in the leg. Ignoring his injury, and despitethe waming of his shipmates, DE WERT moved forward a third time through intense enemy gunfire. Wounded a second time, in the shoulder, DE WERT arrived to find the marine already dead. Hearing the call of a fourth comrade, DE WERT again ignored his own wounds and bravely moved through the exposed area. While tending to the fourth marine, DE WERT was killed by a burst of ,enemy machine gun fire. Hospitalman Richard DE WERT was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, which was presented to his mother, Mrs. Evelyn H. DE WERT, by Secretary of the Navy, Dan A. Kimball on 27 May 1952. USS DE WERT CFFG 455 is the first ship to bear his name. USS DEWERT if 3

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Built ............... Keel Laid .......... Launched ..................... Commissioned .... Length .......................... Beam ............................ Displacement ................ Complement ................. Armament .......... GUIDED MISSILE F RIGATE USS DE WERT QFF G 451 Bath Iron, Works, Bath, Maine 14 June 1982 18 December 1982 19 November 1983 453 Feet 45 Feet 3600 Tons 15 Officers, 186 Men MK-15 Close-In weapons System MK-13 Guided Missile Launcher - Harpoon CAnti-Surface Missilej - Standard CAnti-Air Missileb MK-75 76MM Rapid Fire Gun MK-32 Torpedo Tubes Ctwo ripple mountsj Combat Systems .......... ANISPS-49 Air Search Radar AN-SPS-55 Surface Search Radar MK-92 Fire Control System ANISLQ-32 Electronic Warfare System ANISQS-56 Digital Sonar SRBOC C'CHAFF j Decoy System Naval Tactical Data System Two General Electric LM 2500 Gas Turbines C40,000SHPJ Two 360 HP Electric Auxiliary Propulsion Units Propulsion ....... Maximum Speed .......... Greater Than 28 Knots Aircraft ........ ........ T wo SH-60B Seahawks or Two SH-2F Seasprites THE SHIELD Dark Blue and gold are the colors of the Navy. The scarlet cross, edged in gold, represents Richard DE WERT,s service as a Hospitalman with the U.S. Marine Corps. The anchor and globe are adapted from the marine corps emblem, and also symbolize the worldwide mission of the ship. The taeguk superimposed thereon denotes DE WERT's service in Korea, where he gave his life. THE CREST The Crest commemorates Richard DE WERT's conspicuous gallantry, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor, represented by the reversed light blue star. The four rays, for hope, represent the four times DE WERT courageously exposed himself to enemy fire to save his wounded shipmates. The small stars represent valorg the sprigs of oak, strength. The ship's motto f'Daring, Dauntless, Defiantl' expresses the courageous sacrifice of DE WERT, and serves as an inspiration to the men who man the warship named in his honor. USS DEWERT it 5