About this Unit
USS CHARLES R. WARE (DD-865) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned into the United States Navy in July 1945, shortly before the end of World War II. Named in honor of Lieutenant Charles R. Ware, a naval aviator lost at the Battle of Midway, the ship served extensively during the Cold War era. She conducted operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean, participating in NATO exercises and supporting the U.S. 6th Fleet. After over three decades of service, USS CHARLES R. WARE was decommissioned in December 1974 and later transferred to the Greek Navy.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865) was named in honor of Lieutenant Charles Rollins Ware, a naval aviator who was killed during the Battle of Midway in World War II and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
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Class and Commissioning: She was a Gearing-class destroyer, commissioned on 21 July 1945 at the close of World War II.
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Post-WWII Service: Although too late for World War II combat, Ware participated in occupation duties in the Pacific, including visits to Japan, China, and Korea in 1946.
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Cold War Operations: The ship served extensively in the Atlantic and Mediterranean during the Cold War, often as part of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, supporting NATO operations and monitoring Soviet naval activity.
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Korean War Involvement: USS Charles R. Ware operated as a plane guard for aircraft carriers during the Korean War, helping to rescue downed pilots and supporting carrier operations off Korea.
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Rescue Mission: In 1957, the destroyer played a key role in rescuing the crew of a crashed seaplane in the Mediterranean, demonstrating the ship's versatility and crew's readiness.
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FRAM Modernization: She underwent Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) in the early 1960s, receiving updated antisubmarine warfare equipment, including ASROC and DASH drone helicopters.
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Cuban Missile Crisis: During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Ware was deployed in the Atlantic as part of the naval quarantine, helping to enforce the U.S. blockade of Cuba.
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Arctic Circle Crossing: The ship participated in NATO exercises above the Arctic Circle, earning the "Blue Nose" distinction for her crew, a naval tradition for crossing into Arctic waters.
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Final Fate: Decommissioned in 1974, USS Charles R. Ware was sold to the Greek Navy, where she served as Bouboulina (D-76) until her final decommissioning and scrapping in 1997.
