About this Unit
USS McCloy (FF-1038) was a Knox-class frigate commissioned into the United States Navy in 1972. Named after Medal of Honor recipient Lieutenant (jg) John McCloy, the ship was designed for anti-submarine warfare during the Cold War. USS McCloy served extensively in the Atlantic Fleet, participating in NATO exercises, Caribbean deployments, and Mediterranean operations. After over two decades of service, she was decommissioned in 1990 and later transferred to Egypt, where she served as ENS Ismailia.
Historical Facts
• Namesake: USS McCloy (FF-1038) was named after Rear Admiral John McCloy, one of only 19 people ever awarded two Medals of Honor, for heroism in the Boxer Rebellion and the U.S. occupation of Veracruz.
• Class: She was a Knox-class frigate, originally designated as a destroyer escort (DE-1038) and later reclassified as a frigate (FF-1038) in 1975.
• Commissioning: USS McCloy was commissioned on October 21, 1963, at Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana.
• Role in Anti-Submarine Warfare: The ship was specially outfitted for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), carrying the sophisticated SQS-26 sonar and DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) system, later replaced by the SH-2 Seasprite LAMPS I helicopter.
• Cold War Service: McCloy participated in numerous North Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments as part of the U.S. Navy’s effort to track Soviet submarines during the Cold War.
• Mariel Boatlift: In 1980, McCloy took part in operations off Cuba during the Mariel Boatlift, assisting in the humanitarian rescue and processing of Cuban refugees.
• Famous Seizure: In 1983, McCloy played a key role in the seizure of the freighter Heide, which was caught smuggling over 20,000 pounds of marijuana in the Caribbean Sea.
• Women at Sea: McCloy was one of the first surface combatants in the Atlantic Fleet to integrate women into her crew in the early 1980s.
• Decommissioning and Fate: She was decommissioned on December 14, 1990, and later sold for scrap in 1994, after over 27 years of service.
• Legacy: Her ship’s bell and other memorabilia are preserved at the John McCloy VFW Post 1429 in Middletown, Ohio, honoring both the ship and her namesake.
