Preble (DDG 46) - Naval Cruise Book

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Crux L1 HI TORY USS PREBLE QDDG 465 is the fifth ship to be named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble. She was commissioned on May 9, 1960 DLG15, one of ten ships of a class that were the first ships built from the keel up as Terrier guided missile ships. PREBLE deployed to the Western Pacific in Febuary through September 1961, the first DLG in the Pacific Fleet. PREBLE conducted the first Navy missile transfer at sea during this deployment. In 1962 and 1963 PREBLE operated as a member of the FIRST Fleet before becoming a test and evaluation ship for the ANX SPS-48 radar. PREBLE again deployed to the Far East from Febuary through july 1964, experiencing her first operations in the South China Sea.'Her third WESTPAC deployment occurred from june through December 1965, the entire deployment being spent in the South Cinda Sea. PREBLE was the first DLG called on for shore bombard- ment missions against the enemy in Vietnam. PREBLE was again deployed to the Far East from October 1966 until April 1967 and fromjanuary throughjuly 1968. PREBLE,s helo detachment made the first overland res- cue of a downed pilot and RIO in North Vietnam in the face of enemy opposition. PREBLE was modernized for enhanced Anti-Air Warfare in 1969 and 1970 and, after recommissioning in May 1970, proceeded to her new homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She deployed to WESTPAC in 1971 and again in 1973, the latter deployment included the rescue of two pilots at sea that had been downed by enemy fire. PREBLE also conducted shore bombardment and sustained minor damage from enemy fire during these missions. PREBLE was the last ship struck by an enemy coastal gun during the Vietnam War. Additionally, she was part of the initial force to enter the Indian Ocean during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War. This force was the first aircraft carrier group to operate in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and the Gulf of Aden. PREBLE was awarded the DESRON 25 Batle Efficiency E for competition that completed in june 1974. After being redesignated as DDG-46 and completing regular overhaul in 1975, PREBLE deployed to WESTPAC and the Indian Ocean in 1976. After her 1980 overhaul, PREBLE changed homeport to Norfolk and deployed to the Indian Ocean in 1981, to South America for UNITAS XXIII in 1982 and a deployment to the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Fromjune 1985 through june 1986 PREBLE underwent a major overhaul at Ingall's Shipyard in Pascagou- la, Mississippi. PREBLE was the first ship to operate in a fixed-price contract at Ingall's and also the first to have a SM-2 missile conversion at a private shipyard. In june 1987, PREBLE deployed with the Saratoga Battle Group to the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, returning in November 1987. PREBLE was awarded DESRON TWO's Battle Efficency E for competition that ended in March 1988. E's were awarded in Engineering, Damage Control, ASW, Electronic Warfare, Seamanship, Navigation, and Communications. u . During her history, PREBLE has deployed eight times to the Western Pac1ficfSouth China Sea, once to South America and twice to the Indian Ocean. She has transited the Panama Canal five times and the Suez Canal four times. She continues to live up to the esprit-de-corps which her namesake helped engender in the U.S. Navy.