Valdez ff1096

**USS Valdez (FF-1096)** was a Knox-class frigate of the United States Navy, named in honor of Hospitalman Phil Isadore Valdez, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism during the Vietnam War. The vessel was laid down on October 30, 1972, at Todd Shipyards, Los Angeles, and commissioned on July 27, 1974. Designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, the USS Valdez served extensively in the Atlantic Fleet, participating in numerous exercises and deployments, including NATO operations and Mediterranean patrols during the Cold War. The ship was decommissioned on December 31, 1991, and later transferred to the Turkish Navy, where she continued service under a new name.