About this Unit
USS Stein (FF-1065) was a Knox-class frigate commissioned by the United States Navy in 1972. Named after Marine Private First Class Tony Stein, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, the ship specialized in anti-submarine warfare during the Cold War era. Throughout her service, USS Stein participated in numerous exercises and deployments in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, supporting U.S. interests and allied operations. The ship was decommissioned in 1992 and later sold for scrapping, having served honorably for two decades.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: USS Stein (FF-1065) was named in honor of Marine Lance Corporal Tony Stein, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
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Class and Type: Stein was a Knox-class frigate (originally designated as a destroyer escort, DE-1065) of the United States Navy, designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare.
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Commissioning: USS Stein was commissioned on 19 January 1970, with Mrs. Florence Stein, the mother of Tony Stein, serving as sponsor at the launching ceremony in Seattle, Washington.
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Giant Squid Encounter: In 1976, during operations off the coast of California, USS Stein made headlines when it returned to port with its sonar dome covered in large slashes and pieces of tentacle, believed to be from a giant squid—making it one of the few ships with physical evidence of such a creature attacking a vessel.
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Vietnam War Service: USS Stein participated in Vietnam War operations, providing escort and patrol duties, and supporting naval gunfire operations.
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Homeport: The ship’s homeport was Long Beach, California, for much of her career, placing her in a strategic position for Pacific and Southeast Asian operations.
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Modernization: Stein underwent a major overhaul in the late 1970s, receiving upgraded sonar and anti-submarine systems, including the addition of a towed array sonar.
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Rescue Missions: Throughout her service, Stein participated in several rescue missions, including the rescue of Vietnamese refugees (boat people) in the South China Sea after the fall of Saigon.
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Decommissioning and Fate: USS Stein was decommissioned on 19 March 1992 and subsequently struck from the Naval Vessel Register. She was later scrapped in 2001.
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Legacy: The story of USS Stein’s encounter with a giant squid remains a popular sea story and is often cited in marine biology discussions, ensuring the ship’s unique place in naval and maritime lore.
