USS FOX CG-33

• Commissioning and Name: USS Fox (DLG-33/CG-33) was commissioned on June 20, 1966. She was named after Rear Admiral Gustavus V. Fox, a notable 19th-century U.S. Navy officer and Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War. • Class and Redesignation: Originally classified as a guided missile frigate (DLG-33), USS Fox was reclassified as a guided missile cruiser (CG-33) on June 30, 1975, reflecting changes in naval ship categorization. • Vietnam War Service: Fox saw extensive service during the Vietnam War, providing naval gunfire support and serving as a radar picket ship in the Gulf of Tonkin. • First to Fire Sea Sparrow Missile: USS Fox was the first ship in the Pacific Fleet to fire the new Sea Sparrow missile during operational testing in the late 1960s. • Flagship Role: Fox often served as flagship for various task groups and was flagship for Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group 5, during multiple deployments. • Cold War Operations: The ship participated in numerous Cold War operations, including freedom of navigation exercises and intelligence-gathering missions in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. • Iran Hostage Crisis: In 1980, USS Fox deployed to the Arabian Sea as part of the U.S. response to the Iran Hostage Crisis, showing American naval presence and resolve. • Technological Upgrades: Fox was among the first ships to receive the NTDS (Naval Tactical Data System), enhancing her ability to process and share tactical information. • Rescue Operations: The crew of Fox performed multiple rescues at sea, including saving Vietnamese boat people during the late 1970s and early 1980s. • Decommissioning: USS Fox was decommissioned on April 15, 1994, after nearly 28 years of service, and was later scrapped in 2006.