Earl Thorpe

USS Belknap (CG-26) was a guided missile cruiser and the lead ship of her class in the United States Navy, commissioned in 1964. Originally designated as a destroyer leader (DLG-26), she was later reclassified as a cruiser (CG-26) in 1975. Belknap is most notably remembered for the catastrophic collision with the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy in 1975, which resulted in a deadly fire and extensive damage. After an extensive rebuild, she returned to service, eventually serving as the flagship for the U.S. Sixth Fleet before being decommissioned in 1995.

USS Robert L. Wilson (DD-847) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1946. Named after Marine Private First Class Robert L. Wilson, a Medal of Honor recipient, the ship served extensively during the Cold War era. Throughout her career, she participated in numerous Atlantic and Mediterranean deployments, including NATO exercises and crisis response missions. The destroyer also provided support during the Cuban Missile Crisis and later served as a training ship before being decommissioned in 1974.