About this Unit
USS Witek (DD-848) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1946 and named after Marine First Lieutenant Frank P. Witek, a Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Initially serving with the Atlantic Fleet, Witek was soon converted into an experimental anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel to test advanced sonar and ASW technologies during the early Cold War. Throughout her career, she participated in numerous fleet exercises, training missions, and technological trials, helping to shape the Navy’s ASW capabilities. USS Witek was decommissioned in 1972 and ultimately sunk as a target in 1975.
Historical Facts
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Named After a Hero: USS Witek (DD-848) was named in honor of Marine First Lieutenant Frank P. Witek, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Guam in 1944.
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Gearing-Class Destroyer: Commissioned in 1946, USS Witek was one of the prolific Gearing-class destroyers, which formed the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s destroyer force during the late 1940s and 1950s.
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Pioneer in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW): USS Witek was converted into an experimental anti-submarine warfare ship (EDD-848) in the early 1950s, serving as a testbed for new sonar and ASW technologies.
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Project SCB 63: The ship underwent a major refit under the Ship Characteristics Board (SCB) 63 program, which included the installation of advanced ASW equipment and the “SQS-4” sonar.
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Homeport and Operations: Witek was homeported in Key West, Florida, and played a significant role in the development and evaluation of new ASW tactics and gear for the U.S. Navy.
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Cold War Service: During the Cold War, Witek’s experimental ASW role was crucial as the U.S. Navy faced the growing threat of Soviet submarines.
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Unique Armament: For a period, Witek was equipped with a trainable Weapon Alpha, an ahead-throwing ASW rocket launcher, which was tested and evaluated aboard the ship.
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Fleet Exercises: Despite her experimental status, USS Witek participated in numerous fleet exercises and operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean, including NATO exercises.
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Decommissioned and Fate: Witek was decommissioned in 1968 and used as a target ship before being sunk off the coast of Florida in 1975.
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Legacy of Innovation: The technological advancements and ASW tactics tested and developed aboard USS Witek directly influenced the design and capabilities of later U.S. Navy destroyers and ASW vessels.
