USS Ernest G. Small

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

USS Ernest G. Small
USS Ernest G. Small underway on 17 November 1950
History
United States
NameErnest G. Small
NamesakeErnest G. Small
BuilderBath Iron Works
Laid down30 January 1945
Launched14 June 1945
Sponsored byMrs. E.G. Small
Commissioned21 August 1945
Reclassified
  • DDR-838, 18 July 1952
  • DD-838, 1 January 1969
Identification
Decommissioned15 November 1970
Stricken15 November 1970
Honors and
awards		See Awards
FateTransferred to
Republic of China
, 13 April 1971
History
Taiwan
Name
  • Fu Yang
  • (富陽)
NamesakeFu Yang
Acquired13 April 1971
Commissioned1 July 1971
ReclassifiedDDG-907, 1980s
IdentificationHull number: DD-907
Decommissioned16 December 1999
FateSunk as target, 8 October 2003
General characteristics
Class and typeGearing-class destroyer
Displacement3,460 long tons (3,516 t) full
Length390 ft 6 in (119.02 m)
Beam40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
PropulsionGeared turbines, 2 shafts, 60,000 shp (45 MW)
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range4,500 nmi (8,300 km) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement336
Armament

USS Ernest G. Small (DD/DDR-838) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Ernest G. Small (1888–1944).

Construction and career

Ernest G. Small was

launched on 14 June 1945 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Mrs E. G. Small; and commissioned
on 21 August 1945.

Service in the United States Navy

After completing her shakedown cruise in

Mediterranean patrols in company with Power and Providence (CL-82)
until 7 March. She continued in this mission independently until 7 August when she returned to the States.

Following a period of yard availability she reported to Commander, Submarines

Atlantic Fleet, and operated out of New London, Connecticut, until 14 December when she was laid up for repairs at Boston, Massachusetts. On 3 April 1947 while anchored off Block Island
she grounded in a violent wind and rain storm, but, refloated with aid from two tugs, she returned to Boston where repairs were made.

Ernest G. Small sailed on 12 June for Norfolk, Virginia, and engaged in type exercises in the Virginia Capes Operating Area. On 6 August she stood out for the Caribbean, calling at Guantanamo and Trinidad before rendezvousing with Task Force 84 (TF 84) which proceeded to Rio de Janeiro where on 7 September the flagship Missouri (BB-63) embarked President Harry S. Truman and his family for the trip to the States. Ernest G. Small steamed on escort station during the voyage.

From 9 February to 10 April 1948 she cruised in the Caribbean and on 7 June began a

Atlantic
coast.

Korean War

From January to May 1950 she cruised in the Mediterranean and around northern

Inchon
.

Ernest G. Small underway astern, while en route to Kure, in October 1951

Following a brief overhaul at

San Diego, California, in the first half of 1951, she began her second Korean tour as escort for the aircraft carrier Rendova (CVE-114). She participated in the naval bombardment of Hungnam and was so occupied on 7 October when she struck a mine which seriously damaged her bow, killed 9 and wounded 18. Four days later heavy seas broke the bow off. As the watertight bulkhead doors could not withstand the pressure of traveling forward she travelled backward (with the help of a fleet tug) at 6 knots for 300 miles to Japan, and she was fitted with a stubby replacement which enabled her to reach Long Beach, arriving on 18 December 1951. She was decommissioned on 15 January 1952 and the bow of the unfinished Seymour D. Owens (DD-767) was grafted to her hull. She also underwent conversion to a radar picket
ship at this time.

Ernest G. Small was reclassified DDR-838 on 18 July 1952, and recommissioned on 2 December 1952. She followed training exercises off the California coast with her first peacetime tour of the Far East which lasted from 11 July 1953 through 29 January 1954. Attached to Task Force 77, she was a unit of the blockade and escort force for the Taiwan area.

Operation Wigwam

A period of overhaul ensued and on 10 August 1954 she departed with Destroyer Squadron 13 (DesRon 13) for the

atomic bomb off the west coast
(2–20 May). She deployed with the 7th Fleet for the remainder of the year.

From 1 November 1956 through 28 April 1957 she again toured the

Brisbane
in her itinerary. The remainder of that year was occupied with task force operations and intertype training exercises off the west coast.

Ernest G. Small began another western Pacific tour in January 1958 as a unit of Destroyer Division 132 (DesDiv 132) and was deployed in various operations, highlighted by participation in the

SEATO
exercise "Ocean Link."

In March 1959 she was assigned while on her annual Pacific cruise to the operational control of the

Discoverer" earth satellite program. Until July 1959 she was engaged in competitive exercises and nose cone
recoveries. The second half of the year was designated for a period of overhaul and local operations.

Fu Yang underway, date unknown

Again, she deployed to the

San Francisco Naval Shipyard for Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization
(FRAM).

Ernest G. Small was stricken from the

Republic of China on 13 April 1971.[clarification needed
]

Service in the Republic of China Navy

She served in the Republic of China Navy as ROCS Fu Yang (DD-907) on 1 July 1971.

In 1980s, she underwent Wu-Chin I modernization program and reclassified DDG-907.

The ship was decommissioned by Taiwan in December 1999 and sunk as a target on 8 October 2003.

Awards

Ernest G. Small received four

battle stars for Korean War
service.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found here and here.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838).

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Ernest_G._Small&oldid=1178461070"