USS Kauffman

USS Kauffman (FFG-59), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman (1887–1963) and his son, Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman (1911–1979), both experts in sub-surface naval missions.

USS Kauffman (FFG-59)

USS Kauffman (FFG-59), in 1986.
History
United States
Name	Kauffman
Namesake	Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman
Awarded	28 October 1982
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down	8 April 1985
Launched	29 March 1986
Sponsored by	Elizabeth Kauffman Bush
Commissioned	28 February 1987
Decommissioned	18 September 2015
Homeport	NS Norfolk, Virginia
Identification	Hull symbol:FFG-59 Code letters:NJLK
Motto	"Toujours en Vedette" ("Always in the Lead")
Nickname(s)	Special K
Status	decommissioned
Badge
General characteristics
Class & type	Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate
Displacement	4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length	453 feet (138 m), overall
Beam	45 feet (14 m)
Draught	22 feet (6.7 m)
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed	over 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range	5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h)
Complement	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors & processing systems	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare & decoys	AN/SLQ-32
Armament	As built: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes 1 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 4 × .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. 1 × Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.
Aircraft carried	2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters
Aviation facilities	2 × hangars RAST helicopter hauldown system

Kauffman was laid down on 8 April 1985 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 29 March 1986; sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Kauffman Bush, the daughter of Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman and sister of Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman; and commissioned on 28 February 1987 at Bath, Maine.^[1]

As of 2012, Kauffman was homeported at NS Norfolk, Virginia, and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 22.

Kauffman deployed for the final time on 8 January 2015. She was decommissioned on 18 September 2015. At the time of her decommission, she was one of only two Oliver Hazzard Perry-class ships remaining; the last Oliver Hazard Perry-class ship to be decommissioned was USS Simpson (FFG-56).^[2]

History

USS Kauffman sailing through Souda Bay, Crete, in August 2002.

Note: the milestones are extracted from the official command histories and no other sources. The set of command histories available is not complete, resulting in the partial record following.^[3]

1988^[4]

• 6 January – 28 May: 4100 ton modifications by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.
• 12 August: a sailor died instantly when the Slewing Arm Davit broke from its mount and fell on him.

1989^[5]

• 31 May – 10 November: Maiden deployment, Med 3–89
• 4–7 August: Port visit to Sevastopol, Soviet Union
• October: Sixth Fleet "Hook'em" Award for best ASW platform in Sixth Fleet AO in 1989
• 13 September – 3 October: NATO exercise Display Determination-89

1990^[6]

• 9 January: presented with Battle 'E'
• 15 January – 15 March: ships restricted availability, #1A gas turbine engine and the Mk. 75 76mm gun mount are replaced
• 8–15 June: BALTOPS-90
• 27–30 June: Gdynia, Poland port visit

1991^[7]

• 26 April – 26 October: deployment, MEF 2–91
• 4 June – 16 September: Middle East Force (MEF) operations in the Persian Gulf

1992^[8]

• 6 January – 21 February: counter narcotic operations, Caribbean Sea
  • towed a vessel that had lost propulsion 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
  • rescued the crew from the stricken 237 feet (72 m) coastal freighter Ramsli just before she sank
• 2 August – 23 October: Ships Restricted Availability (Drydock), by Bath Iron Works Bath, Maine
• 15 September: presented with Battle 'E'

1993^[9]

• 11 March – 8 September: deployed, Med 2–93
• 29 April – 18 June: Operation Deny Flight in the Adriatic Sea, Operation Maritime Guard
• 22 June – 17 August: Maritime Interdiction Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq, North Red Sea
• 7 November: provided assistance to the Argentine frigate ARA Granville (P-33) while in port at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico
• 9 November – 6 December: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea

1994^[10]

• 13 May – 3 June: Maritime Interception Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Haiti
• 6 June: Homeport shift from Newport, Rhode Island, to Norfolk, Virginia
• 1 July – 1 August: Operation Support Democracy, Haiti with 3 US Army OH-58 Kiowa helicopters
• 5–6 July: rescued 787 migrants from Haitian waters, transported to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• 20–21 July: towed the Motor Vessel Valerie I from the south coast of Haiti to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

1996^[11]

• 24 April: completion of an extended ships restricted availability period beginning September 1995, including installation of Mod 6 to the Mk 92 Guided Missile Fire Control System
• 8 July – 24 August: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
• 20 September: Commander John A. Kunert, USN relieves Commander David F. Britt, USN
• 10–31 December: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea

1997^[12]

• 1–17 January: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
• 4 March – 24 June: ships restricted availability (drydock) by Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company

1998^[13]

• 13 March – 11 September: deployed, Med (originally tasked to Middle East Force)
• 12 October – 11 December: planned restricted availability

1999^[14]

• 15–18 September: sortied for Hurricane Dennis

2004^[15]

• 15 July – 22 September: ships restricted availability, installed Mk 53 "Nulka" Decoy Launching System (DLS)