USS MACDONOUGH DDG-39 (DLG 8)

MACDONOUGH was named for Commodore Thomas Macdonough, victor at the Battle of Lake Champlain. Fourth ship of the fleet to bear the name. In the summer of 1814 the Governor General of Canada, Sir George Prevost, invaded central New York with the intent of cutting off the northwest United States and gaining it for Britain in the treaty negotiations then underway in Ghent. The British army, reinforced with veterans of Wellington's army, drove the American toops before them.

The thing holding back Prevost was the lack of a secure line of supply through the rugged New York back country. A small force of scratch-built ships under Lieutenant Thomas Macdonough threatened the British supply route on Lake Champlain. On September 11, 1814 a stonger force of British ships under Captain George Downie moved to destroy the Americans. The battle, fought at a range of 300 yards, was one of the most vicious in the history of either navy. Early in the battle Downie was crushed by a dismounted gun, and after two hours of mutual slaughter a large percentage of the men on both side were killed or wounded. With every gun on his starboard battery knocked out, Macdonough managed heave SARATOGA around and bring his port guns into action. The fresh guns crashed into the shattered British flagship CONFIANCE. Soon the larger 36 gun firgate struck her colors, and then the rest of the wrecked British fleet.

The loss on the lake, and a simultaneous rebuff at the Battle of Plattsburg caused Prevost to withdraw his army. Advised by the Duke of Wellington that "without naval superiority on the lakes" the war should be ended immediately, the British cabinate agreed. The royal commissioners at Ghent abandoned all territorial claims and signed the peace treaty on December 24, 1814.

USS MACDONOUGH (DDG-39) was a COONTZ * class guided missile destroyer.

The COONTZ class ships were so much larger and more powerful than any previous American destroyer that the ship-type name frigate was reactivated to describe them. The missile frigates were given hull numbers beginning with the preface DLG (Destroyer Leader-Guided Missile.)

When commissioned MACDONOUGH's hull number was DLG-8. In the late 1970's the US Navy decided to re-assign the frigate designation to light convoy escorts previously designated destroyer escorts (DE). MACDONOUGH and her sisters were redesignated guided missile destroyers.

MACDONOUGH was built at Bethlehem Steel's Four River Shipyard in Quincy,Mass.

• Keel Laid...........April 15 1958
• Launched...........July 9, 1959
• Commissioned....November 4, 1961
• Displacement......6,200 tons (full load)
• Length................512 feet 6 inches
• Beam.................52.5 feet
• Draft..................25 feet
• Speed................33 knots
• Range................5000 miles at 20 knots
• Manning............378 enlisted and 25 officers

*Also known as the FARRAGUT class. The FARRAGUT was the first of the class laid down, but the COONTZ was the first designed and built as a guided missile ship. The earlier ships had been designed as all gun hunter killer destroyers (DK). The ships before COONTZ were converted in the building yard, or the late design period to carry the new Terrier surface-to-air missile.

MACDONOUGH was a guided missile destroyer with her primary mission being fleet air defense, but a destroyer is by design a jack-of-all-trades, so in addition to her deady Standard 2 surface to air missiles MACDONOUGH carried a wide array of weapons to engage surface and subsurface targets as well.

Surface to Air Missiles:

• 40 Standard-2ER SAM stored in a twin rotory magazine aft. They were fired from a Mk 10 twin arm launcher. The Standard-2ER missile was a semi-active weapon with a slant height of 80,000 feet and a range of 80 miles. Speed 2.5 Mach. These were the most deadly seaborne SAMs in the world.

Anti-Ship Missiles:

• Eight McDonnell Douglas Harpoon cruise missiles. Stored in two quad launchers on the 0-1 level, aft of number 2 stack. These are active homing fire-and-forget weapons. After being fed targeting data from CIC the missiles are launched and then hunt down the target ship on their own using active radar. Range is 70 Nautical Miles.

Torpedoes:

• Six Honeywell Mk 46 ASW torpedoes in two triple tube Mk-32 torpedo tube mounts (port and starboard amidships, 0-1 level). This is an anti-submarine weapon. Ship's sonar is used to locate the sub, and firing data is fed to the torpedo by Underwater Battery (ASW fire control station.) Once the torpedo is launched it seaches for the sub with it's own on-board sonar. They have a high explosive warhead weighing 98 pounds.

ASROC ASW stand off weapon:

• Eight ASROC rocket trown torpedoes in a trainable box launcher (forward 0-1 level.) Range, 5.5 NM. Once ship's sonar had localized a sub ASROC could be used to attack the target at a safer distance than possible with an over the side shot. Underwater Battery would feed the firing data into the system and the launcher would train and elevate to the proper bearing and angle to put the weapon on target. The ASROC would fire, launching the weapon towards the subs location. When the distance calculated burntime was reached the rocket would cut off and the air frame would break open releasing the payload: a Mk 46 ASW torpepo. Upon entering the water the torpedo would begin it's search and attack mode (see above.) There was a version of ASROC that mounted a nuclear depth bomb as it's payload. This weapon was decertified in the mid 1980's

Guns:

• One 5 inch/54 caliber gun in a Mk 42/Mod 10 gun mount. Located forward on the main deck. Fed by two loader drums in the decks below, it had a rate of fire of 27 rounds per minute. Using a variety of munitions it could engage air and surface targets, or be used for gunfire support bombardment.

Secondary weapons-During MACDONOUGH's 90-91 Persian Gulf cruise:

• A wide variety of secondary armaments were added to fend off small boat attack (a favorite tactic in the crowded Gulf.) The largest were two Mk 38 Bushmaster chain-guns mounted on the ASROC deck. These 25 MM weapons were hand fired by a sailor strapped into the shoulder yokes. Because they were not gyro-stabilized, it was difficult to put rounds on target, but with an experienced hand at the trigger they were deadly. There were other light weapons mounts all along the main deck and 0-1 level to accommodate MACDONOUGH's arsenal of crew served light weapons. These were mounted when there was a danger of small boat attack. The MAC carried a large number of M-2 .50 cal. machine guns, M-60 .30 cal. machine guns, and M-19 40 MM grenade launchers. These light weapons presented a formidable broadside to discourage would be small boat attackers.

Commanding Officers of USS MACDONOUGH

1. CDR W G Hurley 4 Nov 1961 - 21 Feb 1963
2. CDR F S Bergan 21 Feb 1963 - 1 Jul 1964
3. CDR W O McDaniel 1 Jul 1964 - 15 Jul 1966
4. CDR G L Wineman 15 Jul 1966 - 5 Apr 1968
5. CDR J T Parker Jr 5 Apr 1968 - 30 Sep 1969
6. CDR R R Clarke 30 Sep 1969 - 14 Mar 1971
7. CDR J K Parker 24 Jun 1972 - 6 Apr 1973
   Decommissioned for major weapons upgrade 6 Apr 1973 - 4May 1974
8. CDR G S Allen 4 May 1974 - 7 May 1976
9. CDR R K Beggs 7 May 1976 - 28 Jun 1978
10. CDR R C Jones 28 Jun 1978 - 14 Jul 1980
11. CDR J G Wilkinson Jr 14 Jul 1980 - 16 Aug 1982
12. CDR E C Long III 16 Aug 1982 - 25 Jul 1984
13. CDR W H Lecompte 25 Jul 1984 - 26 Aug 1986
14. CDR M J Worley 26 Aug 1986 - 9 Nov 1988
15. CDR A T Cooper 9 Nov 1988 - 8 Feb 1991
16. CDR G A Glover 8 Feb 1991 - 23 Oct 1992

During thirty one years of service the USS MACDONOUGH was awarded the following decorations:

• Combat Action Ribbon
• Navy Unit Commendation
• Meritorious Unit Commendation
• Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
• Battle Efficiency Ribbon
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Southwest Asia Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with Silver Star
• Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon
• Kuwait Liberation Medal

USS MACDONOUGH (DDG-39) Chronology 1961-1992

During her life the MAC was probably at sea more than she was in port. In spite of the brutal op tempo the ship never missed a fleet requirement. Quite the contrary, she had a reputation for picking up short notice requirments that assigned units had been unable to fulfill. MACDONOUGH's "Can Do" attitude earned her the title of "Charleston's Ready Ship." In thirty one years of commissioned service she had a ringside seat for most of the major operations the Atlantic Fleet participated in. A few choice highlights follow.

• November 4, 1961
  Commissioned, Boston Naval Yard, CDR W. C. Hurley commanding,
• June 1, 1962
  Assigned to be homeported at US Naval Station Charleston, SC.
• July 1, 1962
  Designated flagship, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla SIX.
• October 22, 1962
  Flagship CRUDESFLOT SIX with US Quarantine Forces-Cuban Op Area, under Commander Second Fleet. MACDONOUGH continues on duties until Quarantine Forces are dismantled.
• January 17, 1963 through March 17, 1963
  MACDONOUGH conducts missile test firings at Cape Canaveral under opcon of Commander, Test and Evaluation Force- US Atlantic Fleet.
• January, 1964
  MACDONOUGH conducts first-ever Atlantic Fleet live fire AAW exercise during Operation SPRING BOARD.
• January 25, 1966
  Flagship for CTF 65, RADM W S Guest - Commander Salvage Operations Palomares. Task Force 65 is engaged in a search for an atomic weapon lost in the Mediterranian following the collision of a B-52 and a USAF tanker over southeastern Spain.
• May 9, 1968
  MACDONOUGH commended by CTF 60. RADM L. R. Geis for detecting approaching formation of Egyptian TU-16 bombers and directing the intercept of the aircraft.
• June 6, 1968
  MACDONOUGH recovers AN Robert B. Gety, lost overboard from USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62) during underway replenishment.
• August 15, 1969
  MACDONOUGH joins HMS AURORA and French Navy Ship LA GALISSONIERE for assault re-enactment at Theoule, France for the 25th anniversary of Operation Dragoon, allied landings in southern France on 15 August 1944. The ship's honor guard and a 35 man marching unit participate in cerimonies ashore.
• July 29, 1971
  MACDONOUGH participating in UNITAS cruise to operate and exercise with allied south american navies. RADM R. E. Adamson COMSOLANT embarkes. MACDONOUGH serves as flagship of UNITAS XII from 2 Aug to 10 Dec 1971.
• April 6, 1973
  USS MACDONOUGH (DLG-8) decommissioned for major AAW modernization, Philidelphia Naval Shipyard.
• May 4, 1974
  USS MACDONOUGH recommissioned, Philidelphia Naval Shipyard. Assigned to US Naval Station Charleston, SC CDR G.S. Allen commanding.
• July 1, 1975 Through 8 Dec 1975
  MACDONOUGH serves as flagship for STANAVFORLANT (STAnding NAVal FORce atLANTic-unified NATO taskforce.)
• July 10, 1976 Through 18 Nov 1976
  COMSOLANT flagship for UNITAS XVIII.
• November 21, 1977
  Atlantic crossing through 1 Dec. During transit MACDONOUGH wins full power drag race with USS HARRY E YARNELL, USS JOSEPH HEWES, USS DUPONT, and USS VALDES. Ship adopts Little Deuce Coupe by the Beach Boys as its breakaway song.
• 20 Dec 1978
• MACDONOUGH sinks ex-USS THORNHILL (DE-191).
• June 30, 1980
  ADM Thomas Hayward, USN Chief Of Naval Operations, comes aboard for tour and inspection.
• October 6, 1981
  Humanitarian relief. MACDONOUGH delivers five pallets of Project Handclasp material to Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti. Shipment accepted by Mr. Ahmed Hussein, Deputy Director of the National Office for Refugees and Displaced persons.
• June 7, 1982
  MED-RED-MEF cruise through 22 Dec. During deployment Israel invades Lebanon and traps PLO forces in Beruit. To avoid complete destruction of Lebanese capitol PLO and Israeli commands agree that the PLO will evacuate by sea. MACDONOUGH escorts PLO evacuation ships from Beruit harbor to North and South Yemen.
• October 31, 1983
  Short notice sortie to escort USS AMERICA in standby to support US operations in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury).
• 11 Jun 1984 Through 8 Nov 1984
  MACDONOUGH serves as flagship for COMDESRON TWENTY FOUR, CPT R. M. Hydinger for silver anniversary UNITAS XXV.
• May 3, 1985
  COMDESRON TWENTY FOUR flagship for Operation Solid Shield, a joint amphibious exercise, through May 1985. MACDONOUGH tests the Joint Interoperability Command and Control System (JINTACCS).
• August 1985
  MACDONOUGH hosted in Baltimore, MD. The ship participates in war memorial ceremonies, civic events and holds visit ship. The mayor of Baltimore proclaims "MACDONOUGH DAYS."
• January 4, 1989
  While operating with the USS KENNEDY battle group MACDONOUGH conducts freedom of navigation exercises in the Gulf of Sidra. Two Libyan aircraft engage two KENNEDY F-14 fighters and are shot down.
• October 28, 1990 Through January 17, 1991
  On patrol in the central Persian Gulf as a unit of Middle East Force in Operation Desert Shield. Engaged in maritime intercept and AAW escort in support of UN Resolution 661 (embargo of Iraq.) MACDONOUGH is the highest scoring ship in the Gulf or Red Sea with 512 intercepts.
• January 17, 1991 Through 12 Feb 1991
  AAW guardship and escort duty during Operation Desert Storm. Controls Gulf air to air refueling and provides TOMCAT services for Battle Force Zulu. Maintained overland watch for Iraqi air raids through Zagros Gap.
• February 22, 1991
  During vertical replenishment operation a CH-46 embarked onboard USS SEATTLE (AOE-3) suffered an engine casualty and crashed off the starboard quarter. MACDONOUGH recovers three of four crew members in nine minutes.
• March 22, 1991
  ADM Frank Kelso, Chief of Naval Operations, meets MACDONOUGH at Buoy Charlie off Charleston. ADM Kelso addressed the crew, decorated several members for achievement during Desert Storm, and re-enlisted BM2(SW) Franckowiak. After the Admiral's departure, MACDONOUGH entered Charleston Harbor where she was met by a huge flotilla of civilian craft. Along the Charleston waterfront, approximately 70,000 people gathered to welcome her home.
• October 23, 1992
  USS MACDONOUGH decommissioned at US Naval Station Charleston, SC after 31 years of commissioned service.