USS Kauffman

USS Kauffman (FFG-59)

USS Kauffman (FFG-59), in 1986.
History
United States
Name	Kauffman
Namesake	Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman
Awarded	28 October 1982
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down	8 April 1985
Launched	29 March 1986
Sponsored by	Elizabeth Kauffman Bush
Commissioned	28 February 1987
Decommissioned	18 September 2015
Homeport	NS Norfolk, Virginia
Identification	Hull symbol:FFG-59 Code letters:NJLK
Motto	"Toujours en Vedette" ("Always in the Lead")
Nickname(s)	Special K
Status	decommissioned
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass- guided missile frigate
Displacement	4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length	453 feet (138 m), overall
Beam	45 feet (14 m)
Draught	22 feet (6.7 m)
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed	over 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range	5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h)
Complement	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare & decoys	AN/SLQ-32
Armament	As built: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes 1 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 4 × .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. 1 × Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.
Aircraft carried	2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters
Aviation facilities	2 × hangars RAST helicopter hauldown system

USS Kauffman (FFG-59), an Template:Sclass- guided missile frigate, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman (1887–1963) and his son, Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman (1911–1979), both experts in sub-surface naval missions.

Kauffman was laid down on 8 April 1985 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 29 March 1986; sponsored by Mrs. Elizabeth Kauffman Bush, the daughter of Vice Admiral James L. Kauffman and sister of Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman; and commissioned on 28 February 1987 at Bath, Maine, Commander John C. Dranchak, USN in command.

As of 2012, Kauffman is captained by Commander William K. Shafley, III, USN, homeported at NS Norfolk, Virginia, and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 22.

Kauffman deployed for the final time on 8 January 2015. She was decommissioned on 18 September 2015.

History

USS Kauffman sailing through Souda Bay, Crete, in August 2002.

Note: the milestones are extracted from the official command histories and no other sources. The set of command histories available is not complete, resulting in the partial record following.

1988

• 6 January – 28 May: 4100 ton modifications by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.
• 12 August: BM3 Kerekgyarto died instantly when the Slewing Arm Davit broke from its mount and fell on him.

1989

• 7 April: Commander Ronald C. Bogle, USN relieves Commander John C. (30 knot)Dranchak, USN
• 31 May – 10 November: Maiden deployment, Med 3–89
• 4—7 August: Sevastopol, USSR port visit
• October: Sixth Fleet "Hook'em" Award for best ASW platform in Sixth Fleet AO in 1989
• 13 September – 3 October: NATO exercise Display Determination-89

1990

• 9 January: presented with Battle 'E'
• 15 January – 15 March: ships restricted availability, #1A gas turbine engine and the Mk. 75 76mm gun mount are replaced
• 8–15 June: BALTOPS-90

1991

• 5 April: Commander James H. Chapman Jr., USN relieves Commander Ronald C. Bogle, USN
• 26 April – 26 October: deployment, MEF 2–91
• 4 June – 16 September: Middle East Force (MEF) operations in the Persian Gulf

1992

• 6 January – 21 February: counter narcotic operations, Caribbean Sea
  • towed a vessel that had lost propulsion 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
  • rescued the crew from the stricken 237 feet (72 m) coastal freighter Ramsli just before she sank
• 2 August – 23 October: Ships Restricted Availability (Drydock), by Bath Iron Works Bath, Maine
• 15 September: presented with Battle 'E'
• 18 December: Commander James F. Deppe, USN relieves Commander James H. Chapman Jr., USN

1993

• 11 March – 8 September: deployed, Med 2–93
• 29 April – 18 June: Operation Deny Flight in the Adriatic Sea, Operation Maritime Guard
• 22 June – 17 August: Maritime Interdiction Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq, North Red Sea
• 7 November: provided assistance to the Argentine frigate ARA Granville (P-33) while in port at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico
• 9 November – 6 December: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea

1994

• 13 May – 3 June: Maritime Interception Operations enforcing United Nations sanctions against Haiti
• 6 June: Homeport shift from Newport, Rhode Island to Norfolk, Virginia
• 1 July – 1 August: Operation Support Democracy, Haiti with 3 US Army OH-58 Kiowa helicopters
• 5—6 July: rescued 787 migrants from Haitian waters, transported to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• 20—21 July: towed the Motor Vessel Valerie I from the south coast of Haiti to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
• 9 September: Commander David F. Britt, USN relives Commander James F. Deppe, USN

1996

• 24 April: completion of an extended ships restricted availability period beginning September 1995, including installation of Mod 6 to the Mk 92 Guided Missile Fire Control System
• 8 July – 24 August: counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
• 20 September: Commander John A. Kunert, USN relives Commander David F. Britt, USN
• 10—31 December: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea

1997

• 1—17 January: Operation Carib Shield – counter drug operations, Caribbean Sea
• 4 March – 24 June: ships restricted availability (drydock) by Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Company

1998

• 6 March: Commander George J. Karol II, USN relieves Commander John A. Kunert, USN
• 13 March – 11 September: deployed, Med (originally tasked to Middle East Force)
• 12 October – 11 December: planned restricted availability

1999

• 27 August: Commander Rigoberto Sáez-Ortiz, USN relieves Commander George J. Karol, USN
• 15—18 September: sortied for Hurricane Dennis

2004

• 15 July – 22 September: ships restricted availability, installed Mk 53 "Nulka" Decoy Launching System (DLS)
• 31 August: Commander Kenneth A. Krogman, USN relieves Commander John P. Gelinne, USN

Commanding officers

Note: unless otherwise referenced, information has been sourced from the official command histories.

• 28 February 1987 – 7 April 1989: Commander John C. Dranchak, USN
• 7 April 1989 – 5 April 1991: Commander Ronald C. Bogle, USN
• 5 April 1991 – 18 December 1992: Commander James H. Chapman Jr., USN
• 18 December 1992 – 9 September 1994: Commander James F. Deppe, USN
• 9 September 1994 – 20 September 1996: Commander David F. Britt, USN
• 20 September 1996 – 6 March 1998: Commander John A. Kunert, USN
• 6 March 1998 – 27 August 1999: Commander George J. Karol III, USN
• 27 August 1999 – (unknown): Commander Rigoberto Sáez-Ortiz, USN
• May 2001 (est) – 28 February 2003: Commander Mark Reagan Hagerott
• 28 February 2003 – 31 August 2004: Commander John P. Gelinne, USN
• 31 August 2004 – (unknown), at 30 September 2005: Commander Kenneth A. Krogman, USN
• at 27 November 2006 and at 12 March 2007: Commander Chris Rhoden, USN
• at 7 April 2008 and at 16 November 2008 – 8 June 2009: Commander Robert Cepek
• 8 June 2009 – (unknown) : Commander Dale W. Maxey, USN
• present: CCmdr. Michael Concannon, USN

References

 This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• USS Kauffman official website
• Photo gallery of USS Kauffman (FFG-59) at NavSource Naval History
• navysite.de: USS Kauffman
• MaritimeQuest USS Kauffman FFG-59 pages