USS Forrest B. Royal (DD-872)

• Namesake: USS Forrest B. Royal (DD-872) was named after Rear Admiral Forrest B. Royal, a distinguished U.S. Navy officer who served in both World Wars and passed away in 1945. • Class and Type: She was a Gearing-class destroyer, a class known for its advanced anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capabilities during the latter part of World War II and the Cold War. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on 5 July 1946, after World War II had ended, and so she did not see action during that conflict. • Korean War Service: USS Forrest B. Royal participated in the Korean War, providing naval gunfire support and screening aircraft carriers during United Nations operations. • Cold War Operations: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the ship participated in numerous Cold War missions, including NATO exercises and Mediterranean deployments as part of the 6th Fleet. • Cuban Missile Crisis: During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, Forrest B. Royal was deployed to help enforce the naval quarantine of Cuba, playing a critical role in this pivotal moment of the Cold War. • Vietnam War Service: She served multiple tours off Vietnam, providing naval gunfire support and participating in operations such as Sea Dragon and Market Time. • Modernization: In the early 1960s, Forrest B. Royal underwent the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) program, which updated her anti-submarine warfare capabilities with new sonar, radar, and torpedo systems. • Rescue Operations: The ship was involved in numerous rescues at sea, including saving the crew of a burning merchant vessel and assisting distressed ships during her service. • Decommissioning and Fate: USS Forrest B. Royal was decommissioned on 1 July 1976, struck from the Naval Vessel Register, and later sold for scrap in 1977, ending over three decades of distinguished service.