USS Preble (DDG-46)

• Namesake Legacy: USS Preble (DDG-46) was named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, a distinguished early 19th-century US naval officer renowned for his leadership during the First Barbary War. • Farragut-Class Destroyer: She was the tenth ship of the Farragut-class guided missile destroyers, a class designed in the late 1950s to provide air defense for carrier battle groups. • Commissioning Date: USS Preble was commissioned into service on May 9, 1960, at the Boston Naval Shipyard. • Cuban Missile Crisis: Preble played a role in the naval quarantine during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, helping to enforce the US blockade of Cuba. • Vietnam War Service: The ship served multiple tours in the Vietnam War, providing naval gunfire support and plane guard services for aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin. • Cold War Operations: Throughout the Cold War, Preble participated in numerous NATO exercises and operated in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Caribbean, projecting US naval power abroad. • Technological Upgrades: During her service, Preble received significant upgrades to her missile and radar systems, including improvements to her RIM-2 Terrier missile armament. • Rescue Operations: The ship was involved in several rescue missions at sea, including the assistance of distressed vessels and recovery of downed pilots. • Decommissioning: USS Preble was decommissioned on November 15, 1991, after more than 31 years of active service. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, she was sold for scrap in 2001, but her legacy continues through later ships bearing the Preble name, including the modern USS Preble (DDG-88).