USS Buchanan DDG 14 / Admiral Franklin Buchanan / Charles F. Adams class Guided Missile Destroyer – US Navy

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Guided Missile Destroyer
DDG 14 - USS Buchanan
		USS Buchanan (DDG 14)							US Navy photo
Type, Class:		Guided Missile Destroyer; Charles F. Adams - class; planned and built as DDG 14;
Builder:		Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation, Seattle, Washington, USA;
STATUS:		Awarded: January 17, 1958 Laid down: April 23, 1959 Launched: May 11, 1960 Commissioned: February 7, 1962 Decommissioned: October 1, 1991 Fate: Stricken November 20, 1992; then laid up at Pearl Harbor NISMF; finally sunk as a target;
Homeport:		-
Namesake:		Named after and in honor of Admiral Franklin Buchanan (1800 – 1874); > see history, below;
Ship’s Motto:		> <
Technical Data: (Measures, Propulsion, Armament, Aviation, etc.)		see: INFO >> Guided Missile Destroyer / Charles F. Adams – Class
Pictures, photos & more ...
Franklin Buchanan
Lt. Franklin Buchanan			ADM Franklin Buchanan				ADM Franklin Buchanan
Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center, Todd Pacific Shipyards;
Namesake & History:
Admiral Franklin Buchanan (September 13, 1800 – May 11, 1874);
Franklin Buchanan was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 13 September 1800. He became a U.S. Navy Midshipman in 1815, was promoted to Lieutenant in 1825, to Commander in 1841 and to Captain in 1855. Over the four and a half decades of his U.S. Navy service, Buchanan had extensive and worldwide sea duty. He commanded the sloops of war Vincennes and Germantown during the 1840s and the steam frigate Susquehanna in the Perry expedition to Japan during the 1850s. In 1845-47, he served as the first Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, followed by notable Mexican War service. In 1859-61, Captain Buchanan was the Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard. Believing that his native state would soon leave the Union, Buchanan resigned his commission in April 1862. When Maryland did not secede, he tried to withdraw the resignation. Rebuffed by the Navy Department, which dismissed him from the service in May, he joined the Confederate States Navy, receiving a Captain's commission in September 1861. After heading the CSN's Office of Orders and Detail, Buchanan was placed in command of the defenses of the James River, Virginia. He led the pioneer ironclad Virginia in her successful attack on the Federal warships Cumberland and Congress in Hampton Roads on 8 March 1862, but was wounded in the action and had to leave the ship before her battle with USS Monitor on the following day. In August 1862, Buchanan was promoted to the rank of Admiral and sent to command Confederate Navy forces on Mobile Bay, Alabama. He oversaw the construction of the ironclad CSS Tennessee and was on board her during her gallant battle with Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut's Union fleet on 5 August 1864. Wounded and taken prisoner, Admiral Buchanan was not exchanged until February 1865. He was on convalescent leave until the Civil War ended a few months later. Following the conflict, Buchanan lived in Maryland, then was a businessman in Mobile until 1870, when he again took up residence in Maryland. He died there on 11 May 1874. Three U.S. Navy destroyers have been named in honor of Admiral Franklin Buchanan, including USS Buchanan (DD-131) and USS Buchanan (DD-484).
USS Buchanan (DDG 14):
BUCHANAN's keel was laid on 23 April 1959 at Todd Shipyard Corporation, Seattle Division at Seattle, Washington. She was launched on 11 May 1960 sponsored by Mrs. Charles Fisher, at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. BUCHANAN was commissioned by the Commandant, THIRTEENTH Naval District, Rear Admiral George C. Towner. BUCHANAN carries ASROC and TARTAR Weapon Systems as well as a pair of 5"/54 caliber guns which provide her with defense against surface, sub-surface, and air attacks. Her modular Combat Information Center provides a rapid reaction time to these multiple threats. Her propulsion plant, with automatic combustion control, can drive the 437-foot long, 4,500-ton displacement destroyer at speeds in excess of thirty knots. BUCHANAN's allowance of 20 officers and 340 enlisted men eat and sleep in spaces that are all air conditioned.  April 1962 – arrived in home port San Diego for first time 1962 - Part shakedown training included taking part in USS Arizona Monument Dedication May 31, 1962 1963 - Toured Australia May of 1963 stopping at several cities to have tours so the Australian people could see what the Guided Missile Destroyers looked like that they were purchasing from US. 1963 - June Credited for saving life of Chinese sailor (Yunglai Chu) aboard National Chinese Merchant Union Carrier. By provided needed medical attention 1964 - Movie was made aboard BUCHANAN for Navy to show Destroyers effectiveness in the fleet " BUCHANAN WHO NEEDS YOU" 1965 - the BUCHANAN, with the other three destroyers in COMDESDIV 152 steamed north of the DMZ many times at night on re-con missions this was the first US Naval missions north of the DMZ since the MADDOX and TURNER JOY 1965 - During second West Pac was awarded Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 1966 - July - BUCHANAN became Flagship for Commander, SEVENTH FLEET during his official visit to Bangkok, Thailand 1968 - Preformed Naval Gunfire Support Vietnam. Hit By North Vietnamese gunfire on May 29, 1968 when receiving heavy counter battery from CD Site S-246 in Vicinity of WF02553635 ( UTM)during operation Sea Dragon. Received damage to forward mast SPS -37 Antenna No Casualties. 1968 - She received call for fire from a Marine base North of Da Nang. Was credited with saving day with rapid and accurate Naval Gunfire Support Preformed Naval Gunfire Support Vietnam. Hit By North Vietnamese gunfire in May1968 during operation Sea Dragon. Received damage to forward mast SPS -37 Antenna No Casualties. 1969 - With COMDESDIV 15 aboard. Took part in NAVEL GUNFIRE SUPPORT South Vietnam. In April helped suppress the take over of a Marine Base in hills surrounding Da Nang. 1972 - Was on DMZ when Vietnam Easter Offensive started. Provided Naval Gunfire support for Major Ripley at Dong Ha Bridge, and downed pilots. Was credited with 5 tank kills. April 6 took the war North OPERATION FREEDOM TRAIN. On April 17, 1972 BUCHANAN was hit by North Vietnamese shore fire. Seaman Davis was KIA and seven wounded. BUCHANAN took part in operation Line Backer II taking part on strikes on Hiaphong Harbor clearing SAM sites so the harbor could be mined. Buchanan replaced barrels and repaired battle damage in Da Nang from USS Hector was First time in Vietnam war for US ship to be serviced in war zone. 1972 - Buchanan became Mod Squad One of three destroyer in Pacific , six Navy wide to be made "Mod Squad". This was an Admiral Zummwald program to reward outstanding performing officers with commands of larger ships than their rank would normally receive Lt. Commander as skipper instead of Commander 1973 - October - Buchanan was on Picket duty on "Yankee Station " when force was ordered to abandon Yankee Station and proceed to Indian Ocean This was last force to Man "Yankee Station" 1974 - Received Arleigh Burk award for most improved Destroyer Navy wide 1978 - (September?) - Port of call in Matzetlan, Mexico. During port visit, the ship’s pier which was crowded with cotton bales catches fire. Ship’s crew assists the poorly equiped local fire department and does the lion’s share of fighting the fire, using the ship’s fire fighting equipment. Receives a letter of gratitude from the city. 1985 -  Buchanan and USS John Young in Australia where the below incident occurred. 1985 - March – Buchanan was attacked while leaving Sidney Harbor by a Green peace activist with motorized hand glider and paint bombs. 1987 - Deployed to North Arabian Sea Part of the Ranger Battle Group located just outside of the Persian Gulf during the Iran / Iraq war. 1989? Deployed WestPac/Indian Ocean. Participated in Operation EARNEST WILL by escorting reflagged Kuwati tankers through the Straits of Hormuz. Decommissioned Oct 1, 1991 At San Diego FINAL DISPOSITION: Located at Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility Pearl Harbor, Waipahu, HI From 1991 to 2000 Unit Identification Code (UIC) 04680 Stricken to be disposed of by Navy Sale 11/20/92 Changed to SINKEX June 1999 and used as target ship for RIMPAC 2000 On June 13, 2000 the USS Buchanan took part in the RIMPAC 2000 as a target ship at Pacific Missile Range Facility, North of the Hawaiian Island of Kauia. American, Canadian and Australian forces tried to sink her for more than 24 hours. She took Three hits from Hellfire missiles fired from SH-60 LAMPS helos; Three Harpoon Missiles fired from RAAF F-111 & US P-3 aircraft and several allied ships; and a GBU-24 (2400 lb laser guided) bomb. The USS Buffalo's MK-48 torpedo that was to have delivered the coup de grace malfunctioned. Buchanan stayed afloat all night. On the morning of June 14, 2000 EOD Team boarded her and placed 200 pounds of C-4 in predetermined locations. Sixteen minutes and three seconds after igniting the time fuse the Buchanan gracefully in a bow down attitude slid below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. At 21:26:30Z (11:26:30 AM HST) 14 June 2000 Davy Jones piped her aboard at her final resting place of 22:54.38N, 160:27.68W , 64 Nautical Miles from land in 2540 Fathoms of water.
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