USS Callaghan (DDG-994)

Last updated

USS Callaghan (DDG-994).jpg
USS Callaghan on 30 January 1987
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameCallaghan
Namesake Daniel Callaghan
Ordered23 March 1978
Builder Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down23 October 1978
Launched1 December 1979
Commissioned29 August 1981
Decommissioned31 March 1998
Stricken31 March 1998
Identification
Badge USS Callaghan (DDG-994) crest.png
FateSold to Taiwan, 30 May 2003; commissioned as ROCS Su Ao (DDG-1802)
General characteristics
Class and type Kidd-class destroyer
Displacement9,783 tons full
Length171.6 m (563 ft)
Beam16.8 m (55 ft)
Propulsion4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 80,000 shp total
Speed33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement
  • 31 officers
  • 332 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
AN/SLQ-32(V)3
Armament
Aircraft carried

USS Callaghan (DD/DDG-994) was the second ship of the Kidd class of destroyers operated by the U.S. Navy. Derived from the Spruance class, these vessels were designed for air defense in hot weather. She was named for Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan, who was killed in action aboard his flagship, the heavy cruiser San Francisco, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942.

Contents

Originally to be named Daryush, the ship was ordered by the Shah of Iran, but was undelivered when the 1979 Iranian Revolution occurred. Subsequent to this, the U.S. Navy elected to commission her and her sister ships for service in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea, as they were equipped with heavy-duty air conditioning and were also well suited to filtering sand and the NBC warfare contaminants.

History

A page of a cruise book from 1987, showing sailors of Callaghan at that time. USS Callaghan (DDG-994) Cruise Book, 1987.jpg
A page of a cruise book from 1987, showing sailors of Callaghan at that time.

1981–1998: U.S. service

She was commissioned in 1981, and home ported in San Diego County, California at NAS North Island.

On 1 September 1983 Callaghan was on deployment to the Western Pacific, and making a port visit in Sasebo, Japan. Korean Air Lines Flight 007, on its way from Anchorage, Alaska to Seoul, South Korea, carrying 269 passengers and crew, strayed into Soviet airspace. A Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 fighter jet was sent up to destroy the intruding Boeing 747. After the attack, the Callaghan's crew was recalled and sent to search for survivors. During its survey of the crash site, the Callaghan was under very close scrutiny of the Soviet Navy, narrowly avoiding open conflict while engaged in their search. No survivors were found. The Callaghan received a Meritorious Unit Citation from the U.S. Navy and a special citation from the South Korean government for its role in the mission.

Callaghan earned her first Battle Efficiency E for grade period July 1983 to December 1984, and earned the Humanitarian Service Medal for saving two boatloads of people in the South China Sea.

For grading period January 1985 to June 1986 Callaghan earned her second Battle Efficiency E by winning all the awards from the ships in competition. On her return to port, with the news of her clean sweep, the captain ordered that every lanyard on the ship would display a broom, to honor the crew and show all ships present the outstanding accomplishment. Clean sweeps are rare.

In 1992 the Callaghan did a world cruise. She left San Diego 21 Jan with two other destroyers sailing to the Persian Gulf. The first stop of the cruise was Honolulu 27–28 Jan 1992. Where there was a change of command ceremony. The ships then sailed to Subic Bay, Philippines arriving 10 Feb for a short working port stop. The next stop was Singapore 18 Feb. Then stopping for fuel in Columbo, Sri Lanka on 24th. On 1 March the ships arrived in the gulf and went onto separate missions. The Callaghan took up "shotgun" for the USS America CV-66. Stopping in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Bahrain. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). Jebel U.A.E.. Dubai, U.A.E.. Damman, Saudi Arabia. Kuwait City, Kuwait. In May 1992 the Callaghan began its independent cruise. Transiting the Suez Canal 12 May. The Callaghan steamed up the coast of Italy, made a port call at Monte Carlo and after that anchored at Toulon, France 16 May. Then made a port call in Barcelona, Spain 21 May. Callaghan began to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping at the Azore Islands for fuel. Arriving at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands 5 July. On 12 July the Callaghan transited the Panama Canal. Then made their last port call of Acapulco, Mexico 16 July. Finally returning to San Diego late July. The ship's crew earned the Royal order of Magellan certificate for sailing around the world. Both ditch certificates (Panama and Suez) and the crossing the international date line certificate.

Also of note, on 27 September 1997, during routine drug interdiction operations, Callaghan detected a high-speed contact off Colombia waters. When the sun rose, the contact was visually identified as a high-speed cigarette boat. Callaghan pursued the contact for over three days, and in the final three hours the craft dumped its load of illegal drugs. Once completed the craft was able to accelerate and outran Callaghan. It was pursued by a high-speed craft and helicopters until the cigarette boat reached Colombia territorial waters. Callaghan returned and fished 3.5 metric tons of watertight cocaine bundles floating in the water. The bales tested to be pure cocaine and had a street value at over $1 billion. They were individually unloaded by the crew dressed in whites during the first CONUS port call upon return from the deployment in a spectacular media event covered by all networks in NAVSTA San Diego.

Callaghan was decommissioned in April 1998.

Awards


2004present: Taiwanese service

Callaghan was sold to Taiwan in 2004. She was originally to be named Ming Teh, but it was later decided to name her ROCS Su Ao (DDG-1802), after the Su-Ao naval base in eastern Taiwan, and become the second ship of the new ROCN Kee Lung class of destroyers.

After almost two years of refit and training in the U.S., Su Ao was commissioned on 17 December 2005 at Kee-Lung naval port in northern Taiwan.

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Nimitz</i> Supercarrier of the United States Navy

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched, and commissioned as CVAN-68, "aircraft carrier, attack, nuclear powered", but she was later redesignated as CVN-68, "aircraft carrier, multi-mission, nuclear-powered", on 30 June 1975, as part of a fleet-wide realignment that year.

USS <i>Tarawa</i> (LHA-1) US Navy amphibious assault ship

USS Tarawa (LHA-1), the lead ship of her class, is an amphibious assault ship that served in the United States Navy from 1976 to 2009. She is the second ship to be named for the Battle of Tarawa, fought during World War II. Tarawa was decommissioned on 31 March 2009, at San Diego Naval Base.

USS <i>Lynde McCormick</i> Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

USS Lynde McCormick (DD-958/DDG-8) was a Charles F. Adams-class destroyer in the United States Navy.

USS <i>Decatur</i> (DDG-73)

USS Decatur (DDG-73) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for the former naval officer Stephen Decatur, Jr. This ship is the 22nd destroyer of her class. USS Decatur was the 13th ship of this class to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and construction began on 11 January 1996. She was launched on 10 November 1996 and was christened on 8 November 1996. On 29 August 1998 she was commissioned at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon.

USS <i>Lawrence</i> (DDG-4) Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

USS Lawrence (DD-954/DDG-4) was a Charles F. Adams class guided-missile destroyer in the United States Navy. It was the fifth ship named after Captain James Lawrence USN (1781–1813). The USS Lawrence served on blockade duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and, in 1972, was part of Operation Linebacker in the west Pacific.

USS <i>Towers</i> Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

USS Towers (DD-959/DDG-9) was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy notable for action in the Vietnam War. The ship was named in honor of Admiral John Henry Towers.

USS <i>Robison</i> Charles F. Adams-class destroyer

USS Robison (DDG-12), named for Rear Admiral Samuel Shelburne Robison, was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile armed destroyer in the service of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Somers</i> (DD-947) US Navy destroyer

The sixth USS Somers was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer when her keel was laid down at the Bath Iron Works on 4 March 1958, she was launched on 30 May, and commissioned on 3 April 1959.

USS <i>Oldendorf</i> Spruance-class destroyer of the US Navy (in service 1978–2003)

USS Oldendorf (DD-972), named for Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf USN, was a Spruance-class destroyer built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries at Pascagoula, Mississippi.

USS <i>Curtis Wilbur</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) is the fourth Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Curtis Wilbur was named for Curtis D. Wilbur, forty-third Secretary of the Navy, who served under President Calvin Coolidge. In 2016, she was based at Yokosuka, Japan, as part of Destroyer Squadron 15.

USS <i>Stethem</i> American Destroyer named after Robert Stethem

USS Stethem (DDG-63) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, starting on 11 May 1993. She was commissioned on 21 October 1995. She is part of the Pacific Fleet, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9. The Stethem was named for Steelworker 2nd Class Robert Stethem. He was a Seabee diver killed by Shiite hijackers onboard TWA 847 at Beirut International Airport in 1985.

USS <i>Higgins</i> Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Higgins (DDG-76) is a United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Higgins is the 26th ship of her class, and the 15th of the class to be built by Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine. Construction began on 14 November 1996 and she was launched and christened on 4 October 1997. She was commissioned at a ceremony in Port Everglades, Florida on 24 April 1999. She is part of Destroyer Squadron 15 within the Seventh Fleet, and is homeported at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Yokosuka, Japan.

USS <i>OKane</i>

USS O'Kane (DDG-77) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, starting on 8 May 1997. The ship was commissioned on 23 October 1999. She is named for Medal of Honor recipient Rear Admiral Richard O'Kane.

<i>Kidd</i>-class destroyer U.S. class of guided-missile destroyers

The Kidd-class destroyers were a series of four guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) based on the Spruance class. In contrast to their predecessor's focus on anti-submarine warfare, the Kidds were designed as more advanced multipurpose ships with the addition of considerably enhanced anti-aircraft capabilities. Originally ordered for the former Imperial Iranian Navy, the contracts were canceled when the 1979 Iranian Revolution began, and the ships were completed for the United States Navy. They were decommissioned in 1999 and sold to the Republic of China Navy as the Kee Lung class.

ROCS <i>Su Ao</i> (DDG-1802)

ROCS Su Ao is a Kee Lung-class destroyer guided-missile destroyer currently in active service of the Republic of China Navy. Su Ao was formerly American Kidd-class destroyer USS Callaghan (DDG-994), which was decommissioned from the United States Navy in 1998. For some time after the ship's 30 May 2003 purchase, Su Ao was tentatively named Ming Teh (明德), following the example of Chi Teh (紀德), but it was later decided to be named Su Ao, after the Su-Ao naval base in eastern Taiwan.

USS <i>Shields</i> Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Shields (DD-596), was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Coontz</i>

USS Coontz (DLG-9/DDG-40) was a Farragut-class destroyer leader/frigate in the United States Navy. She was named after Admiral Robert Coontz, the US Navy's second chief of naval operations.

USS <i>Kidd</i> (DDG-993)

USS Kidd (DDG-993) was the lead ship in her class of destroyers operated by the U.S. Navy. Derived from the Spruance-class, these vessels were designed for air defense in hot weather. The vessel was the second named after Medal of Honor recipient Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, who was aboard USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was the first American flag officer to die in World War II.

USS <i>Hamner</i> Gearing-class destroyer

USS Hamner (DD-718) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She was named for Henry R. Hamner.

USS <i>Shelton</i> (DD-790) Gearing-class destroyer

USS Shelton (DD-790) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Ensign James A. Shelton (1916–1942), who was killed in the Battle of Midway.

References