USS Carpenter (DD-825)

• Namesake: USS Carpenter (DD-825) was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Donald M. Carpenter, a naval aviator lost in a plane crash in 1940. • Gearing-class Destroyer: Carpenter was a Gearing-class destroyer, one of the most numerous and effective classes of destroyers used by the U.S. Navy during and after World War II. • Commissioning: She was commissioned on December 1, 1945, too late to see action in World War II but served extensively during the Cold War. • Anti-Submarine Specialization: Carpenter was converted to a specialized anti-submarine warfare (ASW) destroyer (DDE-825) in 1949, receiving enhanced sonar and weaponry for hunting submarines. • Korean War Service: Carpenter served in the Korean War, providing escort, patrol, and shore bombardment missions in support of United Nations forces. • FRAM I Modernization: In the early 1960s, she underwent the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) upgrade, receiving advanced ASW equipment and a helicopter deck for DASH drones. • Vietnam War Operations: USS Carpenter participated in the Vietnam War, conducting naval gunfire support, plane guard duty, and "Operation Sea Dragon" patrols against North Vietnamese logistics. • Historic Encounters: The ship shadowed Soviet submarines and ships during tense moments of the Cold War, including operations in the Sea of Japan and the Western Pacific. • Longest Serving Gearing: Carpenter was one of the longest-serving Gearing-class destroyers, remaining in active U.S. service for nearly 30 years. • Transfer to Turkey: Decommissioned from the U.S. Navy in 1981, she was transferred to the Turkish Navy and served as TCG Anittepe (D-347) until 1997.