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DESTROYERS
| At the end of the 19th century most of the Navies
concentrated their efforts on the development and employment of fast,
maneuverable, but lightly armed, torpedo equipped boats. These torpedo
boats would charge, attack and escape from the larger and more ponderous
ironclad warships. The defensive invention to counter the torpedo boat
was the torpedo-boat destroyer (later shortened to destroyer). It was
at the turn of the 20th century that the destroyer was conceived, and its'
mission was to neutralize the threat that torpedo boats posed against larger
ships-of-the-line.
The destroyer possessed the speed to overtake the torpedo boat and the firepower to overwhelm and destroy it. Because of its' effectiveness the role of the destroyer was soon expanded from this single purpose to tasks formally accomplished by gunboats, small monitor ships and other naval vessels. Thus, shortly after its' development, the destroyer became a multi-purpose weapons ship whose capabilities continuously evolved from the original concept to fulfill the many different missions assigned to it. |
BIRTH OF A SHIP
USS CONE DD-866
| 11-30-44.... | Laid down by Bethlehem Steel,
Staten Island, N.Y. |
| 05-10-45.... | Launched |
| 08-18-45.... | Commissioned |
| 10-01-82.... | Sold to Pakistan |
| 12-04-98.... | Decommissioned by Pakistan |
The GEARING Class
(as constructed)
| Displacement: | 2425 tons - 3520 tons Full load |
| Length: | 390.5 feet |
| Beam: | 41 feet |
| Draught: | 18.5 feet |
| Machinery: | 4 - Babcock & Wilcox Boilers
2 - GE 60,000 shp Engines 2 Prop Shafts |
| Performance: | 35 knots |
| Bunkerage: | 740 tons |
| Range: | 4,500 nautical miles at 20 knots |
| Compliment: | 367 men |
| Guns: | 6 - 5" DP 12 - 40mm AA guns 11 - 20mm guns |
| Torpedoes: | 10 - 21 inch in two mounts midships |
| Depth Charges: | 6 Depth Charge Projectors 2 Depth Charge Tracks |
| Later Conversions: | FRAM I |
| Cone (DD-866) was launched 10 May 1945 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, N.Y.,
sponsored by Mrs. H. I. Cone, commissioned 18 August 1945, Commander W. C. Butler, Jr., in
command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet.
The USS Cone was named after Admiral Hutch I. Cone. In 1909, he became chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering and was in charge of the engineering modernization taking place in the Navy with the installation of steam turbines. Admiral Cone also has his place in the Naval Aviation History books as an advocate for Naval Aviation and in October 1917, he assumed command over all Naval Aviation forces abroad. Cone's first cruise, between 12 February and 9 April 1946, was a visit to Portsmouth, England. After a week at Newport, RI, she sailed again on an extensive goodwill tour to ports of both northern and southern Europe, welcoming visitors at each city, returning to Newport 24 October. She operated along the East Coast and in the Caribbean from her homeport, Norfolk, until the summer of 1947, when she carried midshipmen on a training cruise to northern Europe. Continuing training and service activities along the East Coast and in the Caribbean when not deployed, Cone served her first tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean in 1948, joining the United Nations Palestine Patrol for a time. She returned to the Mediterranean in 1949, and later that year crossed the Arctic Circle on maneuvers. East Coast and Caribbean operations and another 6th Fleet tour occupied Cone in 1950. Her 1951 Mediterranean cruise was highlighted by a visit by Winston Churchill at Venice on 9 September and by Cone's transportation of the United States and British Ambassadors to Greece on a diplomatic call on the monasteries of Mount Athos. She served again in the Mediterranean in 1952 and on 28 August 1953, cleared Newport for a cruise around the world, sailing by way of Panama, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Midway and Yokosuka. She then joined Task Force 77 on patrol off Korea, after which she continued the homeward voyage with calls at Hong Kong, Bahrein, Port Said, Naples, Villefranche and Lisbon returning to Norfolk 9 April 1954, thus completing her first around the world cruise. From September to November 1954, Cone sailed to join other NATO navies in antisubmarine training off Ireland and in Operation "Blackjack," then called briefly at Mediterranean ports. 1955 found her concentrating on air defense exercises and acting as plane guard for carriers. A Letter of Commendation from Admiral Frank Virdin, Commander of Destroyer Flotilla Six, cited Cone for her outstanding contributions to Fleet Air Defense during this period. In 1956, cruising in the Mediterranean, she joined in NATO exercises, returning home in June. Alerted during the Suez Crisis, she joined Task Force 26, which sailed to the eastern Atlantic to stand by, then called at Lisbon and returned home when its services were not needed. In 1957, she was welcomed to Stavanger, Norway, the first American ship ever to visit that port. Entering the port required that she steam up a small canal only 75 feet wide, alongside the Dutch Windmills. 1957 also saw the Cone enter the Norfolk shipyard for repair and overhaul followed by refresher training in waters off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 1958 and 1959-60 Cone served with the SIXTH Fleet in the Mediterranean. 1959 saw the Cone transfer to Destroyer Squadron Four and become the flagship for Destroyer Division Forty-Two. A shipyard overhaul was completed in July and she then sailed for Guantanamo Bay for refresher training, returning to her new homeport of Charleston, S.C. in September. Through the remainder of 1960, she conducted exercises in the Caribbean, operated locally from her new homeport and visited northern European waters during NATO maneuvers. 1960 saw a new role for the Cone. After her return from the Mediterranean, she was assigned to Project Mercury, the United States "Man in Space" program. Upon returning from the Caribbean at the end of May, the Cone entered a tender and shipyard availability that lasted through the 21st of July and prepared her for another 18 months operating schedule. During the months of September and October 1960, Cone participated in the triennial NATO Fall exercises. This operation took the ship deep into the North Atlantic, above the Arctic Circle. Assigned the role of surface raider for exercise purposes, the Cone simulated attacks against the NATO striking force. Upon completion of the exercises she visited Chatham, England for a week before returning to the United States. Early in January 1961, Cone departed for fleet exercises and later in the month, participated as a member of the capsule recovery group which recovered the chimpanzee "Ham" after his brief but historic ride in space. March of 1961 saw the Cone operating again as a part of the SIXTH Fleet and NATO exercises as an ASW support ship. In June she transited the Suez Canal for a six-week patrol in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea area, then returning to the Mediterranean for large scale NATO exercises Checkmate I and II. After returning to her homeport for leave and upkeep, she went to sea again, in November, as a unit of the Project Mercury Recovery Force. She remained in this capacity through the first two months of 1962 participating in both the Shepard and the Glenn manned orbital space flights. In March 1962, the Cone began FRAM I (Force Reconstruction and Modernization) conversion in Brooklyn, N.Y. A helicopter hanger and landing pad were included in her new array of offensive ASW (anti-submarine warfare) weaponry. She lost a forward gun mount (52) and gained ASROC (anti-submarine rockets), Hedgehogs and still mounted torpedo tubes. In February 1963, she test fired her first ASROC in waters off Key West, Florida. Cone was again in dry dock in Charleston during a 3 month period in the middle of 1963. During 1964 through 1966, she would make 3 Med. cruises and numerous trips to the Caribbean. In 1965, Cone became a part of history just by virtue of her location. Never before had the Russian Fleet operated in Mediterranean waters. Suddenly, out of the Baltic Sea, many Russian submarines sailed forth into the Mediterranean Sea. At the time, Cone was enjoying a port call in France. All hands were called back to the ship and she headed to sea at flank speed in search of Russian submarines. The entire SIXTH Fleet participated in the operation and, before it was over, had proved that the SIXTH Fleet was truly a professional organization. All of the Russian submarines were located and sat on by both naval sea and air and contact was held until SIXTH Fleet ordered all participating units to stand down. In a light hearted moment, the Captain of the Russian submarine that Cone was surveilling sent a message to the Captain of the Cone saying "he would see us when he resurfaced and hoped for some ice cream." Our Captain replied with "will Chocolate be okay?" It was not learned by the the ships crew until our return to port but the operation resulted in an International Incident. The Soviet Union didn't take kindly to our "harassment" of their submarines. Later in the cruise, the Cone steamed down the Suez Canal and around to Karachi, Pakistan for a port call. It now seems ironic since the Cone would one day serve as a member of the Pakistan Navy. January 1, 1966 saw Cone enter the Charleston Shipyard for an overhaul. Habitability was greatly improved with the addition of air conditioning of all berthing spaces with commercial A.C. units and the installation of modular bunks, accomplished by the ships crew. Electronic warfare capabilities received significant upgrades as well. May 11 saw the Cone underway again and headed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for refresher training. With a successful training schedule completed, Cone arrived back in Charleston on July 15th for a six-week upkeep period. Sept 29, Cone headed to the Meditteranean for another SIXTH Fleet deployment. In Nov, she participated in operation MIDLINK IX in conjunction with U.S., British and Iranian naval vessels. Cone spent Thanksgiving in Ras Tamura, a small American community in Saudi Arabia, and then transited, through the Suez Canal, into the Indian Ocean and a port call at Bombay, India. December 18 saw Cone transit the Suez Canal again and Christmas was spent in Beirut, Lebanon. New Years found the Cone in port in Naples, Italy and she finally arrived home Jan 31, 1967. After relenishment and general upkeep, Cone departed Charleston enroute to the Caribbean and OPERATION SPRINGBOARD. During the operation, Cone fired the Atlantic Fleet Weapons range at Culebra Island and was rated excellent in both procedures and accuracy. Cone returned to Charleston on the 27th of March to begin preparations for a Change-of-Command ceremony to be held in April. CDR A. Coday formally relieved CDR R. E. Classen as Commanding Officer on the 7th. The 16th saw Cone and her new C.O. enroute to the San Juan Op-Area and OPERATION CLOVEHITCH III. Cone's hull numbers and stern numbers were painted out for OPERATION CLOVEHITCH III and her only identifying marking was a 3'x3' orange square painted on the wings of the bridge. False lighting arrays were strung to disguise Cone as a merchant steamer, tug, or pleasure liner. These guises proved their worth during the operation as Cone successfuly simulated sinking several units of the BLUE forces, including Columbus (CG 12), Mullinix (DDG 994), Ingraham (DD 694), and the better part of BLUE amphbious forces. Deception was used to the maximum on voice circuits, enabling Cone to dispatch BLUE force screen units to "wild goose chases" and similiar ruses. The amount of tactical intelligence gleaned from monitoring BLUE force nets enabled Cone to pinpoint units of BLUE force screens, main bodies, and authenticate when required. Cone returned to Charleston on May 1st and began preparations for a Midshipmen's cruise. She deployed May 8th to Norfolk, embarked 31 midshipmen and then departed Norfolk as a unit of LANTMIDTRARON '67. With midshipmen still aboard, she participated in OPERATION LASHOUT. During the operation, Cone ran a constant "battle" with the USS Croaker (SS 246). Some of the most valuable ASW training of the year resulted as Cone finally "sunk" Croaker 5 times while being "sunk" by Croaker 3 times. The midshipmen disembarked, in Annapolis, on August 3rd and Cone returned to Charleston. After some local ops and a period of leave and upkeep, November 15 arrived, the date of deployment to WestPac. The Panama Canal was transited on Nov 19 and Cone, in company with USS Dewey (DLG 14) and USS J.C. Owens (DD 776), arrived in San Diego on the 27th. Cone, Dewey and Owens visited Pearl Harbor, Midway, Yokosuka, Japan and arrived at Buckner Bay, Okinawa on Christmas Day, 1967. Cone and company then steamed to Subic Bay, Phillipines arriving Dec 29, for final preparations for SAR and Gunline operations in January of 1968. Cone and Dewey departed Subic Bay on 13 January arriving in Da Nang on the 15th. The day was devoted to operational briefings and some further type-training before getting underway for Southern SAR station on the 16th. As a unit of TE 77.0.1.2 with COMDESDIV FOUR TWO as Task Element Commander, Cone spent 11 days on Southern Search and Rescue in company with Dewey. During this time Cone assisted in the recovery of 6 aviators in three separate incidents. On 29 Jan, Cone departed SSAR and steamed independently to Ksa-Hsiung, Taiwan for a brief port of call and was underway again 6 February. Her destination, to provide Gun Fire Support for the 3rd Marine Division operating just south of the de-militarized zone separating North and South Vietnam. On 8 February, Cone fired her guns in anger for the 1st time since commissioning in 1945. The long hours of gunnery practice proved their worth. This period on the "gunline" coincided with the North Vietnamese buildup prior to the TET offensive and there was a great demand for gunfire from the destroyers patrolling off the DMZ. In 11 days of round-the-clock operations, Cone fired an avg of 680 rounds per day, for a total expenditure of 7501 rounds. The many underway replenishments and rearmings, some conducted at night and under poor weather conditions, as well as long hours of firing, were a test of human stamina. Cone departed the gunline on 19 February. All hands were proud of the numerous messages received from Marine Corps spotters praising the effect of the ship's gunfire. Cone joined the attack carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) and her escorts in the Gulf of Tonkin and served as a surface rescue vessel during launch and recovery of attack aircraft. The Cone's C.O. assumed tactical command of the task element comprised of Kitty Hawk escorts. Cone terminated Surface Rescue Operations with Kitty Hawk on 4 March and proceeded to station off the coast of North Vietnam where she operated as Commander Task Unit 70.0.4, conducting picket station duties and combined operations with Sea Dragon forces employed in Gunfire Support Missions north of the de-militarized zone. Other units participating in Sea Dragon at that time were USS Hoel (DDG 13) and USS Blue (DD 744). Relieved of Southwest Picket Station and Sea Dragon duties on 7 March, Cone proceeded to II Corps Tactical Zone south of Da Nang to provide Gunfire support for Korean forces in that area. Cone fired 1865 rounds prior to departure on 17 March. For the next two weeks, Cone successfully escorted USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31), USS Range (CVA 61), and USS Kitty Hawk (CVA 63), each engaged in Yankee Station operations. On March 27, Cone in company with Kitty Hawk and USS McCard departed Yankee Station enroute to Yokosuka, Japan arriving there on 1 April, 1968. After a concentrated effort by the crew, Cone successfully completed an INSURV inspection on the 4th and 5th of April. Leaving Yokosuka with Kitty Hawk on the 8th of April, Cone returned to Yankee Station on the 12th and, in company with the USS Bordelon (DD 881), served as rescue destroyer and Screen Commander for the Kitty Hawk in support of strike operations. Cone departed Yankee Station on 17 April for her final tour on the gunline. Arriving in I Corp Tactical Zone on 18 April, Cone's main armament was again employed in support of Marine forces in the Zone. Before departing the area on the 30th, Cone fired 2950 rounds bringing her grand total of 5"/38 cal rounds fired during the deployment to 12,881. Cone operated 1 May with the Kitty Hawk, again on Yankee Station. May 2, Kitty Hawk and escorts departed the Gulf of Tonkin for a brief stop in Subic Bay on the 3rd and on to Hong Kong where Cone anchored in the harbor early on the morning of the 5th. Cone departed Hong Kong on 11 May and arrived in Yokosuka on 20 May. The Task Unit of Cone, USS Dewey (DLG 14) and USS J. C. Owens (DD 776) left Yokosuka on the 20th of May for the long voyage home. Departing Pearl Harbor on the 31st, they were joined by USS Johnson (DD 821), thus reuniting Destroyer Division Four Two for the remainder of the homeward journey. Cone arrived at Pier Papa, Charleston, on 22 June, 1968. After more training operations off Key West 31 July thru 6 August, Cone returned home where, on the 9th of August on her fantail, the Pacific Deployment awards ceremony was held. Two Navy Commendation medals with Combat "V", five Navy Achievement medals with Combat "V", sixteen letters of commendation from Commander SEVENTH Fleet, and twelve citations from Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group, SEVENTH Fleet, were presented. On 8 October, one brief chapter in Cone's history was closed. Cone's two Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopters (DASH) were off-loaded for the last time. On the 13th of November, Cone berthed at the Naval Shipyard, Charleston, S. C. Regular overhaul began 18 November. Cone's forward 5'/38 twin gun mount was removed on Dec 6, having fired over 6,000 rounds in Westpac. On Friday, 13 Dec., Cone passed the sill of drydock number one and gently settled onto the keel blocks where she remained to greet the new year. Cone was released from dry dock on 20 January as she found herself afloat again at 1300 hours. The Cone was moored at Pier F receiving all services from the Pier. During that time, LCDR William Batts, Jr. reported aboard to relieve LCDR Michael S. Meyers as Cone's Executive Officer. On 28 February, Cone moved to Pier C and remained there while personnel were on leave and various dock trails were conducted. Cone conducted tests of all sorts while getting herself ready for her next deployment to the Carribean on 31 March. Upon arriving in the Carribean, Cone assumed duties as rescue destroyer for the USS Saratoga and then was detached to run numerous tests and allowed for Cone to proceed to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands for welcome Easter Sunday liberty. Cone then assumed rescue destroyer again for the USS Saratoga. Cone headed back to Charleston on the 8th and arrived there on the evening of the 10th of April. She remained until the 19th. Cone then headed back to the Carribean for more tests. Cone proceeded to Culebra Island for gunfire support exercises and successfully qualified as gunfire support ship during the exercises. She then proceeded to Guantanamo Bay and the refresher training that would test the skills and stamina of all hands. Refresher training began on 28 April with the Arrival Inspection. This training would continue through the 11th of June. Gunfire training saw the Cone expend 1102 rounds if ammo. A feather in the Cone's cap came by way of excellent shooting as she downed 20 target sleeves during anti-aircraft gunnery exercises. After completion of refresher training, Cone headed home arriving in Charleston on 20 June. ComDesDiv 42 embarked upon Cone, in port. On 27 June, Commander H. L. Hinkley, USN, relieved Commander A. Coday as Commanding Officer of the Cone. 16 July saw ComDesDiv 42 disembark. Two days later saw the Cone underway again. She spent her time operating as a rescue destroyer, in an operating area off Jacksonville, for the USS Independence. She was back home in Charleston on the 4th of August. Many tests were conducted across the next month in preparation for another Mediterranean Cruise beginning on September 8. The first exercise would be a North Atlantic Nato Exercise "Peace Keeper" and then on to a six month deployment with the U.S. Sixth Fleet. Ships leaving with her were the USS Sampson (DDG 10), USS Johnston (DD 821), USS Mc Card (DD 822) and the USS Semmes (DDG 18). USS Stickell (DD 888) and USS Waldron (DD 699) joined the formation on the 10th of September and Commander Second Fleet, embarked in the USS Newport News (CA 148) assumed duties as SOPA. USS Neosho (AO 143) provided fuel services. The cruise had been perfect until 16-17 September when the Atlantic reared it's ugly head sending one of it's infamous storms down the formation. The storm scattered the formation and opened a hole in Cone's main decks allowing water to pour into the after living compartment on every roll the ship took. The hole was patched early morning of 17 September, the day when "Peace Keeper" began. Finally the storm subsided and Cone returned to the exercise area on 19 September after having been driven far to the south. Cone was a surface raider for Orange Forces and later a screen ship for the USS Independence. "Peace Keeper" ended successfully on 23 September and Cone proceeded to Pollensa Bay in the Bailearic Islands to join the U.S. Sixth Fleet. Cone relieved USS Mc Cloy on 28 September. The next three months of the Cone's Sixth Fleet duties saw her fire her first successful ASROC in over 2 years, saw her participate in two joint operations ("Deep Furrow" and "Operation Mediterranean") and enjoy a visit with Bob Hope aboard the USS Saratoga. On 12 December, the death of SFP3 Gilbert Vieselmeyer saddened and marred the Christmas season which was spent in Cannes, France. |
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