USS Klakring FFG 42 / Rear Admiral Thomas Burton Klakring / Oliver Hazard Perry class Guided Missile Frigate
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Naval Forces Technology, History & Information

 

Guided Missile Frigate

FFG 42   -   USS Klakring

USS Klakring (FFG 42)

US Navy photo

Type, Class:

 

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

planned and built as FFG 42;

Builder:

 

Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, USA

STATUS:

 

Awarded: April 27, 1979;

Laid down: February 19, 1982;

Launched: September 18, 1982;

Commissioned: August 20, 1983;

ACTIVE UNIT/ in commission (Atlantic Fleet)

Homeport:

 

Mayport, Florida, USA

Namesake:

 

Named after and in honor of Rear Admiral Thomas Burton Klakring (1904 – 1975);

> see history, below;

Ship's Motto:

 

> FREEDOM THROUGH VIGILANCE <

Technical Data:

(Measures, Propulsion,

Armament, Aviation, etc.)

 

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

 

Pictures, photos & more ...

 

Thomas Burton Klakring

LCdr Klakring (r) receives the Navy Cross from Admiral Nimitz

Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center

 

Namesake & History:

Rear Admiral Thomas Burton Klakring (December 19, 1904 – 1975):

 

Born in Annapolis, Maryland on 19 December 1904, as the only child of Colonel and Mrs. Leslie Klakring, he entered the Naval Academy from the State of Connecticut, and graduated with the Class of 1927.

A submarine hero of the Pacific War in World War II, Admiral Klakring was credited with sinking eight Japanese ships within sight of Japanese ports, after taking his submarine, USS GUARDFISH, into Japanese water previously un-patrolled by American submarines. Without the benefit of sophisticated SONAR, GUARDFISH sighted, or torpedoed, 77 enemy vessels in about 35 days, during one of her war patrols. Then LCDR Klakring commanded GUARDFISH from 1941 to 1943.

While under LCDR Klakring's command, GUARDFISH chalked up an impressive record. She left on her first war patrol on 6 August 1942 for the eastern shore of Honshu, and sent eight enemy ships, totaling 51,055 tons, to the bottom, and damaged a 7,000 ton freighter. In October, during her second war patrol, GUARDFISH sank another freighter and a tanker, and damaged another freighter in the East China Sea. On GUARDFISH's third war patrol, in the Rabaul-Kavieng area, additional Japanese shipping was sunk, including two naval vessels.

For his heroism while commanding GUARDFISH, Klakring was awarded the Navy Cross with two Gold Stars (in lieu of second and third awards). In addition, GUARDFISH was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while under Klakring's command.

Admiral Klakring's other decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star (both for heroism during World War II), China Service Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

 

USS Klakring (FFG 42):

 

... FFG 42 history wanted ...

 

… and patches …

 

 

 

 

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