USS BELKNAP (DLG-26:CG-26)

USS BELKNAP (DLG-26/CG-26) was commissioned in 1964 as a guided missile frigate and later reclassified as a guided missile cruiser in 1975. Serving as the lead ship of her class, BELKNAP participated in key operations during the Vietnam War and provided vital support in the Mediterranean as part of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. The ship is notably remembered for a devastating collision with USS JOHN F. KENNEDY in 1975, which resulted in a major fire and significant damage. After extensive repairs and modernization, BELKNAP returned to service, eventually serving as the Sixth Fleet flagship before being decommissioned in 1995.