Preble (DDG 46) - Naval Cruise Book

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TI-IE BRIDGE ATC!-I VV

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I-IISTCDFW OF USS PFKEESLE PREBLES OF Tl-lE PAST The USS Preble QDDG-467 is the fifth ship to be named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble. The first, a sloop of eighty tons, was purchased on Lake Champlain in 1813. The second Preble, a sloop-of-war, was built in 1839 and took part in the Mexican and Civil Wars. The third Preble, Tor- pedo Boat Destroyer 12, was launed in 1901 and the fourth, DD-345, was launced in 1920. She was subsequently recommissioned in 1937 as a min- esweeper CDM-209. THE USS PFZEBLE OF TODAY The present Preble was commissioned on May 9, 1960, and was one of the first ships, built from the keel up, designed to fire Terrier guided missiles. During the early 1960's Preble served several Far East tours with the Seventh Fleet. Off of the coast of Vietnam in 1965, she became the first ship of her class to fire any weapon at a hostile force. Preble's helo detachment had the distinction of making the first overland rescue of a downed aviator in North Vietnam. As part of the Navy's Anti-Air Warfare Modernization Program, Preble was decom- missioned in 1969 for an extensive conversion in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. She was recommissioned on May 23, 1970. ln Sep- tember 1980, Preble changed her homeport from Pearl l-larbor, l-la- waii to Norfolk, Virginia and began operating with Destroyer Squad- ron Two of the Atlantic Fleet. coiviiviooonE EDWAFlD PREBLE. . Commodore Edward Preble was born in Falmouth, Maine on August 15, 1761, where he began his career at the age of 16 when he ran away to sea on a privateer. Two years later he was appointed a Midshipman on the frigate, Protector. l-le later became First Lieutenant on the cruiser, Winthrop. While on this ship he led a boarding party which captured, and escaped with, an anchored British brig at Castile, Maine. After the Revolutionary War, Preble spent about 15 years in the merchant service, followed by command of two naval ships-the 14 gun brig, Pickering and the frigate, Essex. As Essex commanding officer, he was the first naval officer to fly the flag east of the Cape of Good Hope. ln 1803, onboard his flagship, USS Constitution, he sailed against the Barbary Pirates as commodore ofa seven ship squadron. l-le directed the successful blockade and seige of Tripoli l-larbor, ln 1804 he returned to the United States and helped supervise the construction of gunboats. l-le died a few years later, On August 25, 1807. ,

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FKEADEX 1-81 UP...