Fanning (FF 1076) - Naval Cruise Book

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Significance Of The Fanning Insigne The Central figure of the insigne is the shield from the Fanning family coat of arms, chosen to honor Lieutenant Nathaniel Fanning, USN. Per- mission to use the Fanning coat of arms was gen- erously granted by Mrs. Robert H. Lathrop of Old Lyme, Connecticut, the great-great-great-grand- daughter of Lieutenant Fanning and sponsor of FF 1076. The five-point star above the shield is used in heraldry to denote the third in a family line, and signifies that USS FANNING FF 1076 is the third ship to bear the name. The anchors and chains symbolize the Naval Service and serve to permanently link the ship ' s name with her service. The word INDOMITABLE ' ' was chosen be- cause it is considered to be the one word which best describes the distinguished careers and fun- damental attributes of Nathaniel Fanning and the two previous ships that so proudly carried his name.

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USS Fanning: Past And Present Lieutenant Nathaniel Fanning Nathaniel Fanning, the ship ' s namesake, start- ed his career on the oceans as a privateer conduct- ing commerce-raiding cruises against the British before the Revolutionary War. He quickly worked his way up to prizemaster and was shortly there- after taken prisoner by the British during an un- successful raid. After spending over a year in pris- on, he was released and travelled to the French Port of L ' Orient. There he served under John Paul Jones as a midshipman aboard the BON HOMME RICHARD. During the battle between the RICHARD and H.M.S. SERAPIS off the Flamborough Head in September of 1779, Fanning was appointed cap- tain of the main top. After the battle, Jones cited Fanning as one cause among the prominent in obtaining victory. Fanning went on to command the French privateer COUNT DE GUICHEN and the French brig RANGER. He was instrumental in the U.S. Navy ' s dominance over the Atlantic. USS Fanning The original USS FANNING (DD 37) helped monitor U-boat traffic off the east coast of the U.S. at the beginning of World War I. With the USS JASON in October of 1916 she participated in experiments that helped pioneer modern refu- eling at sea techniques that now allow the U.S. Navy great flexibility of movement and the ability to stay at sea for extended periods of time. After the United States entered the war, FAN- NING operated with USS NICHOLSON (DD 52) and was responsible for sinking the German sub- marine U-58, the only U-boat sunk during World War I. After the war, she was sold for scrap and her name was stuck from the Navy List on 28 June, 1934. A second USS FANNING (DD 385) was com- missioned in October of 1937. During World War II, FANNING operated with USS ENTERPRIZE and Task Force 8 engaging enemy surface ships and submarines. She participated in operations against Japan at Guadalcanal, the Solomons, Kwa- jalein, Eniwetok, and Luzon in support of the amphibious landings at Leyte. FANNING saw action at Iwo Jima where she sank three cargo ships and a Japanese patrol boat and in the San Bernardino Strait. She spent the remainder of the war on patrol performing escort duties and search and rescue operations for downed pilots. FAN- NING received four battle stars and the Philip- pine Presidential Unit Citation for her efforts dur- ing World War II. The most recent USS FANNING (FF 1076) was commissioned in 1971 and has since made numer- ous forward deployments. She served two tours in Vietnam and functioned in contingency oper- ations after South Korean President Park ' s assas- sination in 1979. Later that same year, FANNING operated in the Indian Ocean during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. FANNING ' s current deployment marks the first time a Knox Class Frigate has been assigned to the Persian Gulf since the outbreak of war between Iran and Iraq. FANNING was re- sponsible for monitoring the Straits of Hormuz Eastern Patrol Area and conducting Earnest Will tanker escort missions.

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Commanding Officer Commander Edwin H. Bouton Jr. Commander Bouton was born 13 May 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland, grew up in the Bel Air area of northern Maryland and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Annapolis and a master ' s degree in Ocean Engineering from the Uni- versity of Delaware. Commander Bouton ' s initial sea assignment was in USS W.S. SIMS (FF 1059) where he served as assistant ASW Officer and CIC Officer from Sep- tember 1972 to May 1974. He was selected for nuclear propulsion training following W.S. SIMS. Follow on duties from August 1975 through February 1980 included Reactor Me- chanical Division Officer on board USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) and Radiological Controls Officer on board USS SAMUEL GOMPERS (AD 37). Following a shore assignment at Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego and attendance at the Department Head Course at Newport, Phode Island, Commander Bou- ton reported to USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9) as Electrical Officer. During his tour on LONG BEACH he qualified for command at sea. In May 1985 Commander Bouton assumed duties as Engineer Officer on board USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). In September 1987 Com- mander Bouton reported to USS HOEL (DDG 13) in the Indian Ocean as Executive Officer. He partici- pated in Operation Nimble Archer, the four de- stroyer strike against militarized Iranian oil plat- forms in the Persian Gulf, 18 - 20 October, 1987. Commander Bouton relieved as the tenth Com- manding Officer of USS FANNING (FF 1076) on 19 May 1989. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star, Navy Achievement Medal, two Battle Ef- ficiency Awards and the Armed Forces Expedition- ary Medal.