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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books In the News About the Ship's Coat of Arms About the Name "McClusky" SINKEX Patch Gallery Image Gallery to end of page

USS McClusky (FFG 41)

- decommissioned -
- sunk as target -




USS McCLUSKY was one of the PERRY - class guided missile frigates and the first ship in the Navy to bear the name. Decommissioned on January 9, 2015, the ship was last homeported at Naval Base San Diego, Calif. On July 19, 2018, the McCLUSKY was sunk as a target during RIMPAC 2018 55 nautical miles north of Kauai, Hi.

General Characteristics:Keel Laid: October 21, 1981
Christened: September 18, 1982
Commissioned: December 10, 1983
Decommissioned: January 9, 2015
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards Co., Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, Ca.
Propulsion system: two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines, two 350 Horsepower Electric Drive Auxiliary Propulsion Units
Propellers: one
Blades on each Propeller: five
Length: 453 feet (135.9 meters)
Beam: 45 feet (13.5 meters)
Draft: 24,6 feet (7.5 meters)
Displacement: 4,100 tons
Speed: 28+ knots
Aircraft: two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS 3)
Armament: one Mk 75 76mm/62 caliber rapid firing gun, MK 32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts), one Phalanx CIWS
Crew: 17 Officers and 198 Enlisted


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Crew List:

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


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USS McCLUSKY Cruise Books:


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USS McCLUSKY in the News:

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

The Shield:

The colors gold and dark blue, associated with the Navy, symbolize the sun and the Pacific Ocean, the area where Admiral (then Lieutenant Commander) McClusky led dive bombing attacks on Japan’s aircraft carrier force. The pheon, winged and red in color to indicate fiery destruction from the air, represents the Dauntless dive-bombers in action sinking four aircraft carriers at Midway. The carriers are symbolized by the four red rounders which allude to Japanese aircraft markings. For his heroic actions during the Battle of Midway, alluded to by the pile diving through enemy forces, Admiral McClusky was awarded the Navy Cross represented by the blue cross.

The Crest:

Admiral McClusky’s achievements during the Korean War, for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit, and his distinguished service as Chief of Staff of the Seventh Fleet during that period, are indicated by the wreath and the Neptune spear of seven barbs, respectively. The gold and blue taeguk and the red dragon refer to Korea.



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About the Ship’s Name, about Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky:

As an aviation hero of World War II and Chief of Staff for Seventh Fleet operations during the Korean War, Rear Admiral McClusky's illustrious naval career led him from battlefront to executive positions and back again. His diversified leadership and administrative skills afforded him, throughout his naval career, duties vital to the safekeeping of our nation.

He assumed command of USS ENTERPRISE (CV 6) Carrier Air Group Six in April 1942. In the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942 he led two squadrons of his air group on a skillful search to discover and destroy the powerful Japanese carrier striking force of Admiral Nagumo, successful eliminating the KAGA and AKAGI. A third enemy carrier, SORYU, fell victim to USS YORKTOWN dive bombers led by Lieutenant M.F. Leslie, USN. The forth and remaining Japanese carrier, HIRYU, was later sunk by the combined attacks of YORKTOWN and ENTERPRISE planes. As Samuel Eliot Morrison recorded in The Two-Ocean War, "Never has there been a sharper turn in the fortunes of war than on that June day when McClusky and Leslie's dive bombers snatched the palm of victory from Nagumo's masthead, where he had nailed it on December 7."

For outstanding service while attached to USS ENTERPRISE, participating in raids on Marshall, Wake, Gilbert and Marcus islands and the Battle of Midway, he was awarded the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, a letter of Commendation with Ribbon, a Ribbon and facsimile of the Presidential Unit Citation to ENTERPRISE, the Purple Heart Medal and the Navy Cross.

In addition, he held the American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp; the American Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II victory Medal; Naval Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp; China Service Medal; National Defense Medal; Korean Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; and the Korean Presidential unit Citation. He retired on July 1, 1956, and was advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat awards. Rear Admiral McClusky died June 27, 1976.

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USS McCLUSKY SINKEX:

Ex-USS McCLUSKY was sunk as a target during exercise RIMPAC 2018 on July 19, 2018, in waters 15,000 feet deep, 55 nautical miles north of Kauai, Hawaii. The Navy only announced that live fire from a ship and an aircraft sunk the McCLUSKY. The video below is an official US Navy video and shows the ship's final moments.




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USS McCLUSKY Patch Gallery:

Taiwan Crises 1996


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



The photos below were taken by me and show the McCLUSKY at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on October 3, 2012.



The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the McCLUSKY at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on December 27, 2014 - almost two weeks before decommissioning.



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