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USS Curts History

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About the Name "CURTS"

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USS Curts (FFG 38)

USS CURTS was one of the long hull frigates in the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY - class of guided missile frigates and the first ship in the Navy named after Admiral Maurice E. Curts. Since September 30, 1998, the CURTS was part of the Naval Reserve Force which means that a part of her crew was comprised of naval reservists. The ship was last homeported in San Diego, Calif. CURTS held a decommissioning ceremony on January 25, 2013. Officially decommissioned and stricken from the Navy list on February 27, 2013, CURTS spent the following years laid up at Pearl Harbor, Hi., until she was sunk as a target during Exercise Valiant Shield 2020 on September 19, 2020.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS CURTS. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

• Click here to view the list.

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• Click here to see which USS CURTS memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

The wavy division of the shield alludes to the oceans of the world. The flaunches suggest radar waves, in reference to the outstanding contributions to the development of radar made by the ship's namesake Admiral Maurice E. Curts. The four stars in chief denote his highest rank achieved while on active duty. The flaming bomb in base refers to Admiral Curts' combat service during the Philippine Islands battles of World War II. The cross pattee signifies the Navy Cross awarded to him for heroic conduct while commanding the USS COLUMBIA during those battles.

The Crest:

The ship's wheel symbolizes the authority entrusted to Admiral Curts at the fleet command level, and his leadership of the U. S. Naval Forces both during and after the World War II. The heraldic symbolizes two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal for "exceptionally meritorious service" in numerous high commands.

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USS CURTS Cruise Books:

• USS CURTS Commissioning Booklet - contributed by DeWayne Gibson

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History of USS CURTS:

USS CURTS was built by Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, at San Pedro, California, as one of the long-hull units of the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY class of guided missile frigates. The construction contract was awarded on April 27, 1979, and her keel was laid on July 1, 1981. CURTS was launched on March 6, 1982, sponsored by members of Admiral Curts' family, and commissioned at Naval Station Long Beach, California, on October 8, 1983, with Cmdr. James R. Tinsley III as her first commanding officer. Initially assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9, the frigate subsequently completed her initial training, equipment evaluations and operational certification. Among her principal capabilities was the integrated AN/SQQ-89 antisubmarine warfare system, which combined sonar information, tactical processing and helicopter operations. CURTS was among the first Pacific Fleet frigates equipped with the complete system, and her configuration permitted the operation of two SH-60B Seahawk helicopters under the LAMPS Mk III program. Her original armament included a Mk 13 guided missile launcher for Standard SM-1 and Harpoon missiles, a 76 mm gun, antisubmarine torpedoes and a Phalanx close-in weapon system.

During 1984 and 1985, USS CURTS concentrated on antisubmarine warfare training and tactical exercises with other units of the Pacific Fleet. The frigate participated in operations intended to improve the detection, classification and tracking of submarines, including exercises involving surface ships, aircraft and submarines. In October 1985, CURTS was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 31, whose principal responsibilities included antisubmarine warfare training and operations. She remained with the squadron until the middle of 1987. During this period, her performance in tracking Soviet submarines resulted in the award of a Meritorious Unit Commendation. The exercises took place during the final years of the Cold War, when the Pacific Fleet continued to devote substantial resources to monitoring Soviet naval activities and maintaining antisubmarine capabilities in the Pacific Ocean.

In 1987, USS CURTS was assigned to the battle group centered on the battleship USS MISSOURI (BB 63) for operations in the Indian Ocean and Middle East. The assignment followed a period of increasing tension in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War. On May 17, 1987, the frigate USS STARK (FFG 31) had been struck by two Exocet missiles fired by an Iraqi aircraft, killing 37 American sailors and injuring 21 others. The incident reinforced American concerns about the security of shipping and naval forces operating in the region. USS CURTS departed with the USS MISSOURI Battle Group on July 25, 1987, for a deployment that included operations in the northern Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. The deployment supported Operation Earnest Will, under which the United States provided naval protection for reflagged Kuwaiti tankers threatened by attacks associated with the Iran-Iraq War. CURTS performed escort, surveillance and maritime security duties while operating with the battle group and other American naval forces. The deployment concluded on January 9, 1988, and the participating units subsequently received recognition for their service in the region.

Following the deployment, USS CURTS prepared for a major change in her operational assignment. On June 1, 1988, she departed Long Beach for a homeport shift to Yokosuka, Japan, where she became part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet's Forward Deployed Naval Force. Her homeport assignment formally changed in June, and she joined Destroyer Squadron 15. CURTS was one of the first two guided missile frigates of her type assigned to the forward-deployed force in Japan, providing additional antisubmarine warfare capability to American naval operations in the western Pacific. The deployment of the frigate and her sister ship also introduced the SH-60B LAMPS Mk III helicopter capability to Naval Air Facility Atsugi. Operating from Yokosuka, CURTS participated in exercises with American and allied forces, conducted regional patrols and supported the continuous presence maintained by the Seventh Fleet in East Asian waters. Her first years in Japan also included further operations in the Indian Ocean and Middle East in connection with the continuing American naval commitment to the security of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

During 1989 and the early months of 1990, USS CURTS continued forward-deployed operations from Yokosuka. Her schedule included readiness inspections, tactical training, antisubmarine warfare exercises and operations with other Seventh Fleet units. In the summer of 1990, the international situation changed significantly when Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2. The United States began deploying military forces to the Middle East under Operation Desert Shield, intended to prevent further Iraqi advances and support the implementation of United Nations sanctions. CURTS was assigned to Battle Group Alpha, centered on the aircraft carrier USS MIDWAY (CV 41), which was based at Yokosuka.

On October 2, 1990, CURTS departed Japan with the battle group for operations in the Middle East. While transiting the South China Sea on October 17, the frigate encountered a disabled fishing vessel carrying 50 Vietnamese refugees. The vessel had reportedly been adrift for ten days, and CURTS rescued its occupants before continuing her deployment. During November and December, she operated in the Gulf of Oman and adjoining waters, participating in maritime interception operations intended to enforce the United Nations embargo against Iraq. These duties required the identification and questioning of merchant vessels, the investigation of suspicious shipping movements and cooperation with other American and coalition warships.

In January 1991, USS CURTS entered the Persian Gulf as coalition preparations for military operations against Iraq reached their final stages. Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, following the expiration of the United Nations deadline for Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. CURTS was assigned to naval forces operating in the northern Persian Gulf, where Iraqi mines, patrol craft and coastal defenses presented continuing threats. On January 24, 1991, the frigate supported an operation to capture the Iraqi garrison on Qaruh Island, using embarked U.S. Navy and U.S. Army helicopters. The operation resulted in the seizure of the island and the capture of 51 Iraqi personnel. The island was subsequently used by coalition forces during continuing operations in the northern Gulf. During the conflict, CURTS also destroyed two naval mines and was credited with sinking an Iraqi minelayer. She provided support for helicopter operations associated with the Battle of Bubiyan Island, during which coalition forces attacked Iraqi naval vessels attempting to escape from Kuwait.

USS CURTS also conducted escort duties for the battleships USS MISSOURI and USS WISCONSIN (BB 64) during naval gunfire support operations against Iraqi positions along the Kuwaiti coast. The frigate subsequently operated with mine countermeasures forces during the amphibious deception operation conducted off Faylakah Island. The operation was intended to maintain Iraqi expectations of a possible coalition amphibious landing while the principal ground offensive developed elsewhere. Following the ceasefire on February 28, 1991, CURTS resumed duties with the USS MIDWAY Battle Group and began preparations for her return to Japan. She arrived at Yokosuka on April 17, 1991. The frigate received a Navy Unit Commendation for her participation in Persian Gulf operations and was also recognized with the Admiral Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for fiscal year 1990.

Only two months after returning from the Gulf War, USS CURTS participated in a major humanitarian evacuation in the Philippines. On June 12, 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted near Clark Air Base and Naval Base Subic Bay, spreading volcanic ash across the surrounding region and disrupting military operations. Under Operation Fiery Vigil, American forces began evacuating military personnel, civilian employees and dependents from the affected installations. CURTS was at Subic Bay when the eruption occurred and was covered with volcanic ash and debris. After the crew cleared essential equipment and prepared the ship for sea, the frigate embarked 298 evacuees and transported them to Cebu. A subsequent voyage carried another 249 people to safety. In total, CURTS evacuated 547 persons during the operation. Following the emergency response, the frigate returned to her normal Seventh Fleet assignments.

In 1992, USS CURTS continued exercises and port visits throughout the western Pacific and Southeast Asia. On March 21, she ran softly aground while entering Lumut, Malaysia. During the second half of the year, she participated in exercises with the navies of the Republic of Korea, Australia and Japan, conducting combined maneuvers, communications training and antisubmarine warfare operations. The exercises included port visits in South Korea and Australia and formed part of the Seventh Fleet's program of maintaining operational cooperation with regional naval forces.

During 1993, USS CURTS underwent a docking availability and equipment modernization associated with the 4,100-ton configuration of the OLIVER HAZARD PERRY-class. The work involved modifications and maintenance intended to sustain the ship's operational capabilities. After completing the work, she resumed operations with Seventh Fleet units. In October 1993, CURTS joined the battle group of the aircraft carrier USS INDEPENDENCE (CV 62) for exercise MAREX, a combined antisubmarine warfare exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. On November 17, CURTS departed Yokosuka with the USS INDEPENDENCE Battle Group for another deployment to the Middle East.

During the deployment of late 1993 and early 1994, USS CURTS was assigned to maritime interception operations in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf region. The mission was to enforce United Nations sanctions against Iraq, which remained in effect following the 1991 Gulf War. CURTS conducted 89 merchant-vessel boardings while assigned to the maritime interception force in the Red Sea. These operations involved checking shipping documentation, inspecting cargo and verifying compliance with the embargo. After completing this phase of the deployment, the frigate rejoined the USS INDEPENDENCE Battle Group in the Persian Gulf and continued sanctions-enforcement duties. During February 1994, while transiting the Gulf of Oman, CURTS encountered a disabled livestock carrier. The American frigate provided assistance to the stranded vessel and its 23 crew members, arranging for the ship to be towed to Oman. Following the completion of her Middle East assignment, CURTS returned to Pacific Fleet operations and participated in RIMPAC 1994, the multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise conducted in Hawaiian waters. Her performance during the deployment and subsequent exercises contributed to her receiving the Seventh Fleet Battle Efficiency Award for 1994.

In 1995, USS CURTS continued a series of multinational exercises with naval forces from the United States and the western Pacific region. She operated with units of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and conducted additional training with regional partners, including Singapore. During this period, the ship also received attention for an unusual rescue operation in which members of the crew freed ten sea turtles entangled in an abandoned fishing net. Later in the year, CURTS again deployed to the Middle East with the USS INDEPENDENCE Battle Group, arriving on station in the Persian Gulf on September 8, 1995. The deployment supported the American naval presence in the region and the continuing enforcement of United Nations restrictions imposed on Iraq. Her duties included maritime surveillance, escort operations and cooperation with other units assigned to the Fifth Fleet area. Following the deployment, CURTS resumed operations from Yokosuka.

During 1996, USS CURTS participated in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT 96), a series of bilateral and multinational exercises conducted by the U.S. Seventh Fleet with Southeast Asian maritime forces. The exercise program included operations with the navies of Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and involved surface warfare training, communications exercises, seamanship and maritime security procedures. In 1997, CURTS participated in Tandem Thrust, a major joint American-Australian exercise conducted in and around Australia's Great Barrier Reef region. The exercise involved naval, air and ground forces and was intended to improve cooperation in combined military operations. On July 11, 1997, after approximately nine years of forward-deployed service in Japan, USS CURTS departed Yokosuka for a homeport change to San Diego, California. The move ended her assignment to the Forward Deployed Naval Force and returned her to the eastern Pacific Fleet.

During 1998, USS CURTS conducted exercises with the Ecuadorian and Peruvian navies and participated in Teamwork South 98, a multinational exercise involving military forces from Chile, Canada and the United Kingdom. She subsequently participated in RIMPAC 1998 in Hawaiian waters, conducting combined naval operations with American and allied forces. On October 1, 1998, CURTS joined the Naval Reserve Force, an organizational arrangement that combined an active-duty crew with naval reservists while retaining the ship's ability to conduct operational deployments. Operating from San Diego, CURTS continued readiness training, regional exercises and maritime security missions. The following year, she deployed for approximately six months to the eastern Pacific and Caribbean in support of counter-narcotics operations. Working with law-enforcement personnel and maritime patrol assets, she participated in the detection, tracking and interception of vessels suspected of transporting illegal drugs. The deployment ended in February 2000, by which time the ship had contributed to the seizure of nearly five tons of cocaine.

During 2000 and 2001, USS CURTS continued operations and training from San Diego, including maritime interdiction activities and exercises with regional partners. In 2001, she participated in another CARAT deployment, which concluded in August. The exercises involved naval units from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines and included tactical maneuvers, communications exercises, maritime security training and professional exchanges. Following her return to San Diego, CURTS continued to maintain operational readiness while supporting the Naval Reserve Force's training requirements.

During 2002, USS CURTS conducted maintenance, readiness training and operations in the eastern Pacific. Her activities included a visit to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in June, where members of the crew participated in community relations projects. On August 16, Cmdr. Bryan T. Caraveo assumed command of the frigate. CURTS subsequently continued training and preparations for another extended deployment to Southeast Asia.

On April 28, 2003, USS CURTS departed San Diego for CARAT 2003, again participating in the Seventh Fleet's program of naval cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. During the deployment, the frigate operated with regional naval forces, including those of Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Her itinerary also included port visits in Australia, Singapore and India. In July, the ship struck a navigation buoy while operating in Indonesian waters. During the return passage across the Pacific, CURTS visited Pearl Harbor in August and arrived back at San Diego on August 27, 2003. Following post-deployment maintenance, she began an extended shipyard availability in October, remaining in dry dock for the remainder of the year. The work included equipment maintenance, repairs and preparations for future operational assignments.

Following completion of the shipyard period, USS CURTS resumed training during the first half of 2004. In June, she deployed to Alaskan waters to participate in an exercise before returning to San Diego. On August 2, CURTS departed for a six-month counter-narcotics deployment to the eastern Pacific and Caribbean under U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command. The ship embarked an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter detachment from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 45, Detachment 6, and a Coast Guard law-enforcement detachment from Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment. The mission was conducted under the operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and the tactical direction of Joint Interagency Task Force South, which coordinated maritime and aerial surveillance in support of counter-drug operations.

On August 3, 2004, shortly after beginning the deployment, USS CURTS assisted with an urgent medical evacuation involving a crew member from the U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender USCGC SEQUOIA (WLB 214) while operating off Baja California. Later that month, on August 28, CURTS rescued 106 people from a distressed vessel approximately 300 miles east of Ecuador. The rescued passengers were subsequently transferred to the Ecuadorian patrol vessel BAE 27 DE OCTUBRE. Following these operations, CURTS continued maritime surveillance and interdiction patrols in the eastern Pacific, using her helicopter and embarked law-enforcement personnel to identify and investigate suspected smuggling vessels.

On September 17, 2004, USS CURTS intercepted the Cambodian-flagged fishing vessel LINA MARIA approximately 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands. Coast Guard personnel embarked aboard the frigate searched the vessel and discovered approximately 30,000 pounds of cocaine concealed in a ballast tank. At the time, the seizure was reported as the largest single maritime cocaine interdiction conducted in the counter-drug campaign. During the deployment, CURTS directly supported three major interdictions involving more than 44,000 pounds of cocaine.

On October 31, 2004, USS CURTS transited the Panama Canal from the Pacific into the Caribbean and continued toward Florida. She subsequently visited Key West and Mayport for drug offloading and a mid-deployment maintenance period. On November 5, the frigate offloaded approximately 75,000 pounds of seized cocaine at Key West, Florida. This larger quantity represented the combined results of five interdiction operations, including seizures supported by USS CROMMELIN (FFG 37) and the Coast Guard cutter USCGC JARVIS (WHEC 725).

The frigate returned to the Pacific through the Panama Canal on December 9 and made additional port visits at Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama, and Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, during the final stages of her homeward passage. USS CURTS returned to San Diego on February 2, 2005, completing the six-month deployment. Her work with Coast Guard law-enforcement personnel and other agencies was recognized by a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation.

During 2005, USS CURTS underwent post-deployment maintenance and resumed training in preparation for further counter-narcotics assignments. On October 21, Cmdr. William W. DeBow assumed command. The following year, CURTS departed on April 27, 2006, for another six-month counter-narcoterrorism deployment to the eastern Pacific. Operating with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard law-enforcement detachment, she conducted surveillance, interception and detention operations against suspected maritime drug traffickers. During the deployment, the frigate assisted in the detention or transfer of more than 45 suspected traffickers and the seizure of more than three tons of contraband. These operations were carried out in cooperation with American maritime patrol aircraft and law-enforcement organizations responsible for countering smuggling routes along the Pacific coast of Central and South America. CURTS returned from the deployment on October 27, 2006. For her performance during the year, the frigate received the Battle Efficiency Award, announced in February 2007, as well as recognition for her support of Coast Guard law-enforcement operations.

On April 27, 2007, Cmdr. Yvette M. Davids assumed command of USS CURTS. During the year, the frigate conducted maintenance, training and preparations for renewed carrier strike group operations. By September, she was operating off Southern California as part of her local training and readiness program. The preparations included the integration of CURTS into the operational procedures of a carrier strike group, a return to a mission that differed substantially from the independent counter-narcotics deployments she had conducted during the preceding years.

In March 2008, USS CURTS joined the deployment of the carrier strike group centered on USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72), which began its overseas deployment on March 13. Other ships assigned to the strike group included the guided missile cruiser USS MOBILE BAY (CG 53) and the destroyers USS RUSSELL (DDG 59), USS SHOUP (DDG 86), and USS MOMSEN (DDG 92). The deployment took the ships through the western Pacific and Indian Ocean to the Fifth Fleet area of operations, where American forces were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and conducting maritime security operations. On April 9, CURTS departed Saipan after a four-day port visit, during which the crew had opportunities for rest and local activities. Later in April, she visited Lumut, Malaysia, for five days before continuing toward the Indian Ocean.

In May 2008, USS CURTS participated in Exercise Inspired Union with the Pakistani Navy in the North Arabian Sea. The exercise began on May 11 and concluded on May 21, involving American and Pakistani naval forces in combined surface warfare, air defense, antisubmarine warfare and visit, board, search and seizure training. Other American participants included USS ROSS (DDG 71) and the attack submarine USS NORFOLK (SSN 714), while Pakistani naval units included PNS BADR, PNS SHAHJAHAN and PNS NASR. The exercise also involved professional exchanges between the participating crews. American and Pakistani officers spent several days aboard one another's ships to observe operational procedures and improve cooperation. During the exercise period, CURTS made a three-day port visit to Karachi, Pakistan, which included meetings with Pakistani naval personnel, cultural exchanges and sporting activities. The visit was reported as the first by a U.S. Navy ship to Karachi since September 2006. CURTS continued maritime security operations in the Fifth Fleet area during the following months, including duties associated with the protection of maritime infrastructure and commercial shipping.

On September 7, 2008, USS CURTS conducted an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS RICHARD E. BYRD (T-AKE 4) in the Indian Ocean while operating with the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Strike Group. As the deployment neared completion, CURTS proceeded eastward across the Pacific. On September 20, she departed Koror, Palau, following a scheduled six-day port visit. During the visit, the crew conducted tours for local schoolchildren and participated in community relations activities with U.S. Navy Seabees stationed in Palau. More than 850 pounds of hygiene supplies and toys were distributed through Project Handclasp. The frigate subsequently continued her homeward passage and returned to the U.S. West Coast in October, completing the overseas deployment. Cmdr. Davids' command tour ended on November 27, 2008, when Cmdr. Harold T. Workman assumed command.

During 2009, USS CURTS resumed training and operational preparations in the eastern Pacific. She participated in carrier strike group sustainment activities off Southern California, working with American surface ships and supporting forces. On November 14, 2009, CURTS conducted an underway replenishment in the Pacific Ocean with the Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS GUADALUPE (T-AO 200), while operating alongside the aircraft carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). The evolution formed part of the operational training required to maintain proficiency in extended operations at sea. During the latter part of the year, the frigate completed preparations for another independent overseas deployment.

On January 8, 2010, USS CURTS departed Naval Base San Diego for a six-month deployment that included operations in the western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Middle East. The deployment emphasized maritime security cooperation with regional and coalition naval forces and involved exercises intended to improve interoperability, communications and tactical procedures. CURTS operated in the Fifth and Seventh Fleet areas of responsibility, conducting maritime surveillance, surface warfare training and exercises with allied and partner navies. During her operations in the Middle East, she participated in Exercise Eagle Salute with the Egyptian Navy, which involved combined tactical and maritime security activities in waters near Egypt.

In April 2010, USS CURTS proceeded to India to participate in Exercise Malabar 2010, a bilateral naval exercise conducted by the United States and India. On April 23, she arrived at Goa, where American ships assembled for the exercise. Other participating U.S. Navy vessels included the guided missile cruiser USS SHILOH (CG 67), the destroyers USS LASSEN (DDG 82) and USS CHAFEE (DDG 90), and the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS ANNAPOLIS (SSN 760). Malabar 2010 involved surface maneuvers, antisubmarine warfare, communications exercises and tactical operations intended to strengthen cooperation between the two navies in the Indian Ocean. The exercise took place during a period of expanding American-Indian naval relations and increased emphasis on maritime security cooperation in the region. After completing the exercise, CURTS continued her deployment before returning to San Diego on July 16, 2010.

Following her return, USS CURTS resumed operations in the eastern Pacific. During October 2010, she participated in San Francisco Fleet Week, an annual event bringing U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel and equipment to the San Francisco Bay area. CURTS took part in the Parade of Ships on October 9, providing a public demonstration of the naval presence during the event, which ran from October 7 to October 12. The remainder of the year included routine training and maintenance in preparation for further operations.

In 2011, USS CURTS underwent a scheduled maintenance period at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. On April 29, the frigate entered a floating dry dock together with USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG 48) in an unusual double-docking evolution. The availability was part of the ship's fiscal year 2011 dry-docking maintenance program and included hull inspections, repairs and machinery maintenance. Following completion of the work, CURTS resumed operational training from San Diego. On September 2, Cmdr. Fermin Espinoza assumed command of the frigate, becoming her final commanding officer. During the remainder of the year, the crew prepared for what would become CURTS' last operational deployment.

On June 1, 2012, USS CURTS departed San Diego for her final deployment, operating in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean under U.S. Fourth Fleet. Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 49, Detachment 5, was embarked for the cruise, providing helicopter surveillance and support for maritime interdiction operations. The deployment supported Operation Martillo, a multinational campaign intended to disrupt illicit trafficking routes along the Central American coasts. CURTS operated in cooperation with U.S. Coast Guard law-enforcement detachments, Joint Interagency Task Force South and regional security forces. Her missions included tracking suspected smuggling vessels, launching boarding teams, recovering contraband and supporting the detention of persons suspected of involvement in illegal trafficking.

During the six-month deployment, USS CURTS participated in the seizure of cocaine and marijuana valued at more than $26 million. The frigate's operations resulted in the detention of more than 30 suspected traffickers and the scuttling of seven vessels associated with illicit trafficking. In addition to interdiction operations, the deployment required the integration of helicopter surveillance, surface tracking and small-boat operations with intelligence provided by American and regional agencies. On December 4, 2012, USS CURTS returned to Naval Base San Diego, completing her final operational deployment. Following her arrival, the ship began preparations for decommissioning after more than 29 years of commissioned service.

On January 25, 2013, USS CURTS held her decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego. Members of the crew, former sailors and invited guests attended the ceremony marking the end of the frigate's operational career. Her final commanding officer was Cmdr. Fermin Espinoza. The ship's formal decommissioning and removal from the Naval Vessel Register were recorded on February 27, 2013.

Following her decommissioning, the former USS CURTS was placed in inactive status and towed from San Diego to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she arrived on April 3, 2013. She remained in reserve at Pearl Harbor while the Navy considered possible disposal options. A proposed transfer to the Mexican Navy was not completed, and the frigate was eventually designated for use as a target in a live-fire exercise.

On September 19, 2020, ex-USS CURTS was sunk in the Pacific Ocean during a sinking exercise conducted as part of Valiant Shield 2020, a major joint training exercise involving American naval and air forces. The operation combined air-, surface- and submarine-launched weapons against the decommissioned frigate. Participating forces included aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 5 embarked aboard USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76), the guided missile cruisers USS ANTIETAM (CG 54) and USS SHILOH, and the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS CHICAGO (SSN 721). The cruisers launched antiship missiles, while USS CHICAGO conducted a submarine-launched missile attack and subsequently assessed the damage to the target. Additional U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft supported the exercise. The former frigate sank after being struck by multiple weapons.

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USS CURTS Patch Gallery:

contributed by Ian Johnson

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About the Frigate's Name, about Admiral Maurice E. Curts:

USS CURTS (FFG 38) is named for the late Admiral Maurice E. Curts, United States Navy (1898-1976), former Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, and heroic cruiser commander of World War II. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Silver Star Medal for extraordinary heroism while commanding cruiser COLUMBIA during the Leyte landings, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Lingayen Gulf landings, and the liberation of Borneo. During the initial Lingayen Gulf landings, he continued to lead his cruiser in action despite the severe damage inflicted by two suicide planes which had left nearly 100 of his men dead or wounded. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he had earned the Bronze Star Medal as Communications Officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Distinguished Service Medal as Communications Officer, United States Fleet. Following the close of World War II, he was Force Commander, Operational Development Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet; Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Readiness); and Deputy Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, serving with great distinction until 13 January 1956. On that date, he was designated by the President as the Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, serving until the arrival of his relief on 1 February 1958. A month later, he became Commander Western Sea Frontier, remaining until his retirement on 1 April 1960. Early naval service included duty as Officer in Charge, Radio and Sound, Naval Research Laboratory (June 1936-May 1938) where he earned a commendation from the Secretary of the Navy for outstanding service in the development of radar.

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USS CURTS Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by William Chiu when USS CURTS visited Hong Kong in April 1991.

The photo below was taken by me and shows the CURTS at Naval Base San Diego, Calif, on March 10, 2008.

The photos below were taken by me and show the CURTS at Naval Base San Diego, Calif, on September 29, 2011.

The photos below were taken by me and show the CURTS at Naval Base San Diego, Calif, on March 15, 2012.

The photos below were taken by me and show the CURTS at Naval Base San Diego, Calif, on May 8 and 9, 2012.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the CURTS laid up at Pearl Harbor, Hi., on October 15, 2017.

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