About this Unit
USS Elrod (FFG-55) was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate of the United States Navy, commissioned on May 18, 1985. Named after Lieutenant Commander Henry T. Elrod, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Wake Island, the ship played a vital role in numerous operations, including enforcing sanctions in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will and supporting counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean. USS Elrod also participated in humanitarian missions, such as rescuing refugees and providing disaster relief. After nearly three decades of distinguished service, she was decommissioned on January 30, 2015.
Historical Facts
• Namesake: USS Elrod (FFG-55) was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Henry T. Elrod, a Marine aviator who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the defense of Wake Island in World War II.
• Class and Commissioning: Elrod was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate, commissioned on 18 May 1985 at Bath, Maine.
• Rescue Mission: In October 1991, Elrod rescued 23 crew members from the burning Turkish merchant vessel M/V Yusuf Cepnioglu in the Aegean Sea, earning international recognition.
• Operation Earnest Will: Elrod participated in Operation Earnest Will in the late 1980s, escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War.
• Counter-Narcotics Operations: The frigate was active in counter-narcotics patrols in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, seizing or disrupting multiple drug trafficking attempts.
• Balkan Operations: Elrod supported NATO operations in the Adriatic Sea during the Yugoslav Wars, including Operation Sharp Guard enforcing United Nations sanctions on the former Yugoslavia.
• Humanitarian Assistance: In 2010, Elrod participated in Operation Unified Response, providing disaster relief to Haiti after the devastating earthquake.
• Anti-Piracy Success: In April 2010, Elrod’s crew rescued 26 crew members of the MV Sifanos from Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, demonstrating the ship’s ongoing role in maritime security.
• Flight Deck: The ship could carry two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, enhancing its anti-submarine and search-and-rescue capabilities.
• Decommissioning: After nearly 30 years of service, USS Elrod was decommissioned on 30 January 2015 at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the same day.
