USS Jarrett

USS ''Jarrett'' (FFG-33), was the twenty-fifth ship of the guided missile frigates, was named for Vice Admiral Harry B. Jarrett (1898–1974).

Ordered from Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California on 23 January 1978 as part of the FY78 program, ''Jarrett'' was laid down on 11 February 1981, launched on 17 October 1981, commissioned on 2 July 1983, and decommissioned on 21 April 2011.

''Jarrett'' was the first US Navy warship to be commanded by a woman, Commander Kathleen A. McGrath, from 18 December 1998 until 4 September 2000.

Service history

12 May—12 November 1987

During a deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf, ''Jarrett'', Commander Leslie S. Blankinship in command, took part in Operation Earnest Will, an operation to maintain freedom of navigation within the Persian Gulf, that included renaming and reflagging 11 Kuwaiti tankers. During the "Tanker War" between the Iranians and Iraqis, the Iranians utilized 1,662 ton former South Korean roll-on, roll-off vessel , Lt. Cmdr. Parviz ohammadFarshchiyan in command, to lay mines to cut the sea lanes to Iraq.

''Iran Ajr'' stopped overnight on 21 September 1987, at a two-towered rig named ''Rashadat'' in the Rastam gas-oil separation platform (GOSP) complex, 120 miles east of Bahrain. The rig had been shut down for almost two years following Iraqi discovery that the Iranians used ''Rashadat'' for radar tracking of ships and for launching small boats. ''Iran Ajr'' turned toward the tanker routes, but just before midnight three Army helicopters, consisting of a Boeing MH-6 "Little Bird" and a pair of AH-6 "Sea Bats" of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), at least one of the helos flew from ''Jarrett'', surprised the minelayer 50 miles northeast of Bahrain.

President Ronald W. Reagan later announced that ''Iran Ajr'' posed "a direct threat to the safety of U.S. warships and other U.S.-flag vessels." The Iranian ship began to lay mines in an area where Middle East Force (MEF) flagship sailed, and when reporters afterwards queried Rear Admiral Harold J. Bernsen, Commander MEF, about the Iranians' intent to sink the flagship he replied, "Absolutely." At 2302 therefore, the Army helos announced "inbound hot" and attacked the Iranian ship into the mid-watch, damaging her with 2.75 in (70 mm) rockets and 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 Minigun fire, and killing at least four crewmen.

''La Salle'', amphibious assault ship , guided-missile cruisers and , guided-missile destroyer , and guided-missile frigates and ''Jarrett'' made for the area. Men of Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Team 2, Commander Marc Thomas officer-in-charge, backed-up by two Marine helos, boarded and captured the ship from a landing craft during the morning watch. The boarders gathered 24 survivors on board or from the water (one later died), impounded the minelayer, photographed evidence, and located at least nine remaining mines. The prisoners were later returned to Iran.

7 December 1990 – 6 June 1991

During a deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf, Jarrett, Commander William L. Snyder in command, with two Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawks of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) (HSL)-45 Detachment 2 embarked, Lt. Cmdr. Thomas M. Cirillo, officer-in-charge, took part in the Persian Gulf War I. During the coalition air attacks in Operation Desert Storm, many Iraqi jets fled to Iran. Following ''Jarrett''s arrival in the Persian Gulf on 25 January 1991, she consequently operated as an antiair picket off the Iranian coast (3–11 February).

The ship then embarked two Army Bell OH-58D "Kiowas" and 13 soldiers of B Troop, 4th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment (Air) (Reconnaissance), 18th Aviation Brigade (Corps) (Airborne), Captain Robert M. Cumbie, USA, in command. On 16 February 1991, the "Kiowas" flew a night coastal reconnaissance flight, and ''Jarrett'' re-directed them approximately 40 miles north to assess bomb damage on an Iraqi HY-2G "Silkworm" (CSS-C-2 Sea Eagle-2) surface-to-surface missile site. Navy Grumman A-6E "Intruders" bombed the site, but the helos discovered that the "Intruders" failed to destroy the Silkworms, and carrier jets bombed them again.

The two helicopters refueled on board ''Jarrett'' and lifted off, equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. Battleship operated an AAI RQ-2 Pioneer remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) subsequently designated an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that helped the battleship direct her naval gunfire support of the troops fighting ashore. Crewmen launched the Pioneer with the assistance of a rocket-powered booster and recovered the aircraft by utilizing a net strung between two cables on the fantail. The vehicle transmitted images to shipboard TV monitors that enabled men to "walk" rounds onto their targets. The Pioneer revealed that at least one Iraqi missile survived the second bombing, and one of the "Kiowas" launched a Hellfire that destroyed the Silkworm.

''Jarrett'' passed through areas swept clear of mines off the Kuwaiti coast and joined British destroyer and frigate while they protected ''Missouri'' as the battleship shelled enemy troops ashore. An Iraqi battery at al-Finţās fired two Silkworms at the formation of allied ships, at 0452 on 25 February 1991. One of the Silkworms misfired and crashed into the sea shortly after the Iraqis launched it, but the other missile hurtled toward ''Missouri'' at 605 knots and a height of 375 feet above the water. The U.S. and British ships tracked the incoming missile on their radar. From the bridge of the Jarrett, Lt. Craig Isaacson ordered chaff, torchs, and ducks to be launched to confound the missile's guidance. ''Missouri'' also fired its SRBOC chaff at this time. The Phalanx CIWS system on ''Jarrett'', operating in the automatic target-acquisition mode, fixed on ''Missouri''s chaff, releasing a burst of rounds. From this burst, four rounds hit ''Missouri'' which was from ''Jarrett'' at the time. There were no injuries. ''Gloucester'' shot down the missile with two Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles.

Later, ''Missouri'' launched a Pioneer RPV that discovered the Iraqi Silkworm battery and the battleship fired 30 16-inch rounds and knocked out the battery. After the cease-fire, ''Jarrett'' escorted merchant ships through "mine danger areas" (1 March–14 April).

31 January 2000

Alaska Airlines Flight 261, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 airliner, crashed into the Pacific north of Anacapa Island, California, killing all 88 people on board, on 31 January 2000. A Lockheed NP-3D Orion from Point Mugu, California, two Sikorsky HH-60H Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HCS) 5 from Point Mugu, and Coast Guard helos and a Lockheed HC-130H Hercules responded. Aircraft carrier supported rescue crews, and Navy mapping with underwater side scanning sonar and video enabled the searchers to recover pieces of wreckage. Reinforcements included amphibious transport dock , destroyer and ''Jarrett'', these ships embarked HH-60 and SH-60 Seahawks, and a Lockheed S-3B Viking from Naval Air Station North Island.

The ship may have been assigned to a Destroyer squadron that formed part of Carrier Strike Group Three after 2004.

11 May–19 October 2009

The ship, with HSL-49 Detachment 3 and Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment 101 embarked (followed by 107), sailed on a counter-narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific. Her operations resulted in the seizure or disruption of the smuggling of over nine tons of narcotics with an estimated street value of $266 million.

Current status

On 21 April 2011, ''Jarrett'' was decommissioned at Naval Base San Diego after 15 deployments, and was transported to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as its final destination, becoming part of the Mothball Fleet. The ship's most recent deployment was a six-month counter-illicit trafficking deployment, supporting U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command.

''Jarrett'' was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.

References

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External links

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USS Jarrett FFG-33
@ MaritimeQuest


@ GlobalSecurity.org

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jarrett (FFG-33)
1981 ships
Gulf War ships of the United States
Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates of the United States Navy
Ships built in Los Angeles
Cold War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States