USS Cone (DD-866)

• Gearing-class Destroyer: USS Cone (DD-866) was a Gearing-class destroyer, one of the most numerous and successful classes of destroyers built for the United States Navy during and after World War II. • Namesake: The ship was named after Arthur L. Cone Jr., a naval aviator who was killed in action during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. • Commissioning: USS Cone was commissioned on 18 June 1945, shortly before the end of World War II, and did not see action in that conflict. • Postwar Service: In the immediate postwar period, Cone served on the Atlantic coast and participated in training exercises and goodwill missions in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. • Korean War: During the Korean War, Cone served with the 7th Fleet, providing escort and screening services for aircraft carriers and participating in shore bombardment missions. • FRAM Modernization: The ship received a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul in the early 1960s, which included upgrades to anti-submarine warfare equipment and new radar systems. • Cuban Missile Crisis: Cone took part in the naval blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, helping to enforce quarantine of Soviet ships. • Vietnam War: USS Cone deployed to the Western Pacific and served off the coast of Vietnam, providing naval gunfire support and plane guard duties for aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin. • International Service: After decommissioning from the US Navy in 1973, Cone was transferred to the Argentine Navy, where she served as ARA Py (D-27) until 1982. • Final Fate: The ship was decommissioned by Argentina in 1982 and eventually scrapped, marking the end of nearly four decades of distinguished service under two different flags.