USS Estocin FFG 15 / LCDR Michael John Estocin / Oliver Hazard Perry class Guided Missile Frigate
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Naval Forces Technology, History & Information

 

Guided Missile Frigate

FFG 15   -   USS Estocin

USS Estocin (FFG 15)

US Navy photo

Type, Class:

 

Guided Missile Frigate; Oliver Hazard Perry – class (short hull);

planned and built as FFG 15;

Builder:

 

Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, USA

STATUS:

 

Awarded: February 27, 1976;

Laid down: April 2, 1979;

Launched: November 3, 1979;

Commissioned: January 10, 1981;

Decommissioned: April 3, 2003;

 

Fate: stricken April 3, 2003;

transferred to Turkey on April 3, 2003;

renamed TCG Goksu (F-497); in service in Turkish Navy;

Homeport:

 

-

Namesake:

 

Named after and in honor of LCDR Michael John Estocin (1931 – 1967);

> see history, below;

Ship's Motto:

 

> COURAGE - HONOR - TENACITY <

Technical Data:

(Measures, Propulsion,

Armament, Aviation, etc.)

 

see: INFO > Guided Missile Frigate / Oliver Hazard Perry - class.

 

Pictures, photos & more ...

 

Michael John Estocin

Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center

 

Namesake & History:

LCDR Michael John Estocin (April 27, 1931 – April 26, 1967);

 

LTCDR Michael J. Estocin was an A4E Skyhawk pilot and the operations officer of Attack Squadron ONE NINE TWO, onboard the USS TICONDEROGA. On March 11, 1967, Estocin was the lead pilot of a three-plane group in support of a coordinated strike against two thermal power plants in Haiphong. Estocin was to fly SHRIKE, which considered among the toughest of the war. He was one of six SHRIKE pilots in the squadron on this, his second tour of Vietnam. The previous month, the executive officer of the squadron, CDR Ernest M. "Mel" Moore, had been hit on a SHRIKE mission and had been captured by the North Vietnamese.

 

The SHRIKE pilot's job was to fly ahead of the strike group by five to seven minutes literally trying to draw fire from the surface-to-air missile emplacements. When the ground radar found the SHRIKE, the pilot would fire anti-radar missiles at SAM sites. The goal was either to actually knock out the SAM radar or, as was sometimes the case, to force the North Vietnamese to turn off the radar, enabling the alpha strike force behind the SHRIKE aircraft to fly on and off their targets without SAMs launched against them. The more SAMs that were fired at the SHRIKES meant fewer fired at the formations, which had to stay together to complete their part of the mission.

 

During the operation, Estocin provided warnings to the strike group leaders of SAM threats, and personally neutralized three SAM sites. Although Estocin's aircraft was severely damaged by an exploding missile, he reentered the target area and prosecuted a SHRIKE attack amidst intense anti-aircraft fire. He left the target area when he had less than five minutes of fuel remaining. Estocin refueled during his return to the ship.

 

Six days later, on April 26, Estocin again flew a SHRIKE mission over Haiphong against enemy fuel facilities. Again, his aircraft was seriously damaged by shrapnel from an exploding SAM, but he gained control of the plane and launched his SHRIKE missiles before departing the area.

 

Estocin called, "I'm hit," and his wingman informed him that he was trailing fuel and on fire. The aircraft was observed to recover after 4-5 uncontrolled aileron rolls, and Estocin turned toward the sea calling: "I'm going down, switch to channel five" (Search and Rescue Common Frequency). Estocin was observed by his wingman to be sitting erect and appeared to be uninjured. The cockpit area of the aircraft was undamaged by the missile. Passing an altitude of 6000 feet the aircraft again commenced a series of uncontrolled aileron rolls, and then stabilized in the inverted position descending in a 10-15 degree dive.

 

Estocin's wingman observed the aircraft enter a 3500 feet undercast cloud layer in the inverted position. Maximum ground elevation in the area was 1,086 feet. The islands in the vicinity of Haiphong, where the aircraft was last seen, are sparsely populated, densely covered with foliage, and ideal for escape and evasion. No part of the ejection sequence was observed by the wingman, who was less than 1,000 feet from the aircraft throughout this period. The overcast cloud layer bottoms were lying on the ground which precluded observation of aircraft impact or immediate search of the area for the pilot. Radio contact was lost with Estocin after his aircraft entered the cloud layer.

 

Electronic and visual searches were conducted until dark and began again at the first light. No voice or other electronic communications were established, and visual search failed to locate the aircraft crash site or any sign of the pilot. No reports of pilot capture or aircraft downing in the area was reported by the Vietnamese following this incident. It was the considered opinion of the Commanding Officer that Estocin be carried as Missing In Action.

 

LCDR Estocin was carried as Missing in Action until 10 November 1977, when the Secretary of the Navy approved a Presumptive Finding of Death, with cause of death coded as "Hostile, Died While Captured". Although his remains have not been repatriated, a memorial marker for Captain Estocin has been placed in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.

 

Michael John Estocin is the only Navy jet pilot to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for a combat role.

He was awarded the CMH for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 20 and 26 April 1967. While the CMoH was not normally given for acombination of missions, an exception was made for this very intense two-day SHRIKE mission and, according to those who flew with Estocin, the honor was well-deserved.

 

 

 

Congressional Medal of Honor:


Rank and organization: Captain (then Lt. Cmdr.), U.S. Navy, Attack Squadron 192, USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14);
Place and date: Haiphong, North Vietnam, 20 and 26 April 1967
Entered service at: Akron, Ohio, 20 July 1954
Born: 27 April 1931, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
   
Citation:
   
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 20 and 26 April 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 192, embarked in USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). Leading a 3-plane group of aircraft in support of a coordinated stake against 2 thermal power plants in Haiphong, North Vietnam, on 20 April 1967, Capt. Estocin provided continuous warnings to the strike group leaders of the surface-to air missile (SAM) threats, and personally neutralized 3 SAM sites. Although his aircraft was severely damaged by an exploding missile, he re-entered the target area and relentlessly prosecuted a SHRIKE attack in the face of intense antiaircraft fire. With less than 5 minutes of fuel remaining he departed the target area and commenced inflight refueling which continued for over 100 miles. 3 miles aft of Ticonderoga, and without enough fuel for a second approach, he disengaged from the tanker and executed a precise approach to a fiery arrested landing. On 26 April 1967, in support of a coordinated strike against the vital fuel facilities in Haiphong, he led an attack on a threatening SAM site, during which his aircraft was seriously damaged by an exploding SAM, nevertheless, he regained control of his bunting aircraft and courageously launched his SHRIKE missiles before departing the area. By his inspiring courage and unswerving devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Estocin upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

 

USS Estocin (FFG 15):

 

After her commissioning, ESTOCIN was assigned to Destroyer Squadron Eight, homeported in Mayport, FL. While there, she made deployments to the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and participated in Special Operations off the Central American coast.

Throughout 1986, ESTOCIN served as the Navy's testbed for the Mk-92 Fire Control System improvement project (CORT). The Mk-92 "CORT" program was a CNO Priority-1 Project, one of the only four in the entire Navy at that time. These tests had ESTOCIN tracking and engaging a variety of surface and air targets. Fifteen SM-1MR missiles and nearly 1000 rounds of 76mm ammunition were fired in the course of the test cycle. By the end of 1986, ESTOCIN had logged nearly 15,000 underway miles in support of this project.

On October 1, 1986, ESTOCIN officially became part of the Naval Reserve Force (NRF) reported to Naval Surface Warfare Group Four, homeported in Philadelphia, PA. Upon joining the NRF, ESTOCIN operated primarily in the western Atlantic in support of Naval Reserve Training (NRT) and active fleet commitments. She logged frequent underway weekends devoted entirely to Selected Reserve crew training, as well as periodic underway periods of 2 week duration to enable reservists to complete their active duty training requirements. These operations took ESTOCIN as far north as Nova Scotia and south to the Caribbean. ESTOCIN was chosen to conduct a Great Lakes Cruise in 1991 in support of U.S. Navy recruiting efforts and to promote public awareness in America's heartland, through port calls to U.S. and Canadian cities on the Great Lakes. In the fall of 1991 and the spring of 1992, ESTOCIN participated in Canadian Fleet Operations conducted with U.S. Navy and Canadian Maritime Command units in the area south of Nova Scotia.

On August 17, 1992, ESTOCIN changed homeport to Newport, RI. ESTOCIN completed Maritime Interdiction Operations in the Caribbean and in December of 1993 operated off the coast of Haiti during Operation Support Democracy. In January of 1994, ESTOCIN again changed her homeport moving to Naval Base, Norfolk, VA. ESTOCIN was again selected for a Great Lakes Cruise in the summer of 1994. Upon completion of this cruise, she underwent a four month drydock period to inspect and overhaul numerous shipboard systems. After completion of this drydocking, ESTOCIN was sent in the fall of 1995 to the Caribbean in support of Counter Drug Operations. During this cruise, ESTOCIN transited the Panama Canal to conduct Counter Drug Operations in the eastern Pacific as well.

In 1996, after completing a work-up cycle, which included recertification of her propulsion plant and cruise missile tactical qualification, ESTOCIN deployed with Destroyer Squadron Eighteen in support of Operation Northern Light-Bright Horizon 96. During this fast paced month and a half commitment, ESTOCIN participated in a variety of maneuvering and training exercises with over 53 ships and submarines from 13 European nations. Upon her return to Norfolk, ESTOCIN entered an availability period to prepare ship's systems for her next commitment, Joint Task Force Exercise 97-1 (JTFEX 97-1). During this exercise ESTOCIN was the flagship for the Opposing Forces (OPFOR), whose mission was to train the deploying carrier battle group. Although composed of U.S. ships, the OPFOR simulated a variety of patrol boats found throughout the world. Successfully training the battle group, ESTOCIN prepared for her next deployment.

Assigned to Cruiser Destroyer Group Eight, ESTOCIN deployed for Baltic Operations 97 (BALTOPS 97) in May of 1997. The deployment entailed at-sea operations with ships from NATO countries as well as non-NATO countries such as Russia, Poland and Lithuania. BALTOPS 97 also included goodwill visits to former Eastern-Bloc nations. During this deployment, ESTOCIN had the unique opportunity to become the first U.S. warship to visit two Russian ports in the same deployment, with stops in Baltiysk and Severomorsk, Russia. In addition, ESTOCIN had the distinct privilege of hosting the Admirals of the Russian Baltic and Northern Fleets during her port calls.
January of 1999 found ESTOCIN deploying for the Caribbean. Once again in support of Counter Drug Operations, ESTOCIN set the standard in curbing the flow of drugs into the United States. After four and a half months in the Caribbean, including a cocaine seizure of over 400 kgs, ESTOCIN returned home on May 15.

ESTOCIN was underway once again at the end of June 1999 to participate in INDEX 99-2 with the John F Kennedy Battle Group. During this exercise, ESTOCIN simulated Opposing Forces during Harpoon, Anti Air Warfare, and Anti Submarine Warfare exercises. ESTOCIN proved her battle readiness in all areas as she conducted multiple PACFIRES with her 76mm gun, launched two Mk 46 Torpedoes and fired three successful SM-1 engagements. After achieving her best battle readiness condition in over four years, ESTOCIN returned to Norfolk in July to conduct a nine week Restricted Availability (RAV).

After this maintenance period and successful training cycle workups, ESTOCIN sailed late November 1999 to support preparing the EISENHOWER Battle Group for deployment as an Opposition Force in JTFEX 00-1. She also participated in INDEX 99-3, which allowed training in all warfare areas for the crew. At the completion of the JTFEX, ESTOCIN was chosen by Commander, Second Fleet to perform a bilateral exercise with two French Navy ships, the FS JEANNE D’ARC and FS GEORGES LEYGUES. This exercise provided valuable training for the midshipmen embarked on JEANNE D’ARC and helped to further strengthen the strong Naval ties with this NATO ally.

2000, ESTOCIN is in homeport, Norfolk VA, preparing for upcoming exercises including: a group sail under the command of Commander, Destroyer Squadron Fourteen; a UNITAS exercise with ships from the U.S., Venezuelan and Colombian Navies; and participation with Brazilian and other nation naval units in honor of the 500th anniversary of the founding of Brazil in April 2000.

The USS Estocin was decommissioned on April 3, 2002 and began preparations for its transfer to the government of Turkey. The ship has been renamed to TCG Goksu (F 497).

 

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