USS Gray DE1054

• USS Gray (DE-1054) was a Knox-class destroyer escort (later classified as a frigate) in the United States Navy, named after Marine Sergeant Ross Franklin Gray, a Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. • The ship was laid down on 3 March 1967 at Todd Shipyards, Seattle, Washington, launched on 3 May 1968, and commissioned on 4 April 1970. • Originally classified as a Destroyer Escort (DE-1054), USS Gray was reclassified as a Frigate (FF-1054) on 30 June 1975 as part of a Navy-wide change. • USS Gray’s primary mission was anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and she was equipped with the SQS-26 sonar, ASROC launcher, and torpedo tubes to fulfill this role. • She served extensively in the Pacific Fleet, participating in operations and exercises off the West Coast, the Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean. • During her service, USS Gray conducted multiple deployments to the Western Pacific (WESTPAC), often operating with aircraft carrier battle groups and providing escort and screening services. • One notable deployment occurred in 1972-1973, when USS Gray participated in Vietnam War operations, providing naval gunfire support and plane guard services. • USS Gray was involved in rescue operations, including the recovery of Vietnamese refugees ("boat people") in the late 1970s, reflecting the humanitarian roles Navy ships sometimes perform. • The ship was decommissioned on 29 September 1989 after nearly 20 years of service and was eventually scrapped in 2001. • The ship's mascot was a gray wolf, a nod to her namesake and a symbol of her vigilant and aggressive spirit on the seas.