Name Halyburton Commissioned 7 January 1984 Construction started 26 September 1980 Length 138 m Builder Vigor Shipyards | Laid down 26 September 1980 Homeport Mayport, Florida Launched 13 October 1981 Weight 4,100 tons Propulsion General Electric LM2500 | |
 | ||
Namesake Pharmacist's Mate Second Class William D. Halyburton, Jr. Decommissioned 6 September 2014 (ceremonial)
8 September 2014 (NVR) Place built Seattle, Washington, United States | ||
USS Halyburton (FFG-40), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, is a ship of the United States Navy named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class William D. Halyburton, Jr. (1924–1945). Halyburton was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 5th Marines, during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
Contents
Construction
Halyburton was laid down on 26 September 1980 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Co., Seattle Division, Seattle, Washington; launched on 13 October 1981, sponsored by Mrs. William David Halyburton, Sr., mother of PhM2 Halyburton; and commissioned on 7 January 1984, Commander Robert K. Peters in command.
Operations
Over its commissioned service, Halyburton earned numerous Battle 'E' awards for combat readiness. Halyburton was also one of the escorts for USS Constitution on 21 July 1997 as "Old Ironsides" celebrated her 200th birthday and her first unassisted sail in 116 years.
Maersk Alabama incident
On 8 April 2009, Somalia pirates captured U.S.-flagged motor vessel Maersk Alabama and her 22 crewmembers, 300 miles from the Somali coast. The crew recaptured their ship along with one of the pirates, but the three surviving pirates held the vessel’s master, Capt. Richard Phillips, hostage on a lifeboat. Halyburton was part of a U.S. Navy rescue mission, along with amphibious assault ship Boxer (LHD-4), guided missile destroyer Bainbridge (DDG-96), off the Horn of Africa. A ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system provided timely intelligence during the confrontation. U.S. Navy SEALs, on board Bainbridge, brought the standoff to an end by simultaneously shooting and killing all three pirates in the lifeboat, then being towed by Bainbridge, and rescued Phillips on 12 April. The fourth pirate was on board USS Bainbridge at the time of the shooting, negotiating the hostage's release, and was taken into custody.
Constable's Dues ritual
On 16 July 2009, Halyburton visited the Port of London, mooring in South Dock, West India Quay for three nights. On Saturday 18 July, she became the first non-British ship to take part in the Tower of London's Constable's Dues ritual. Dating back to the 14th century, the ceremony involved the crew being challenged for entry into the British capital, mirroring an ancient custom in which a ship had to unload some of its cargo for the sovereign to enter the city. Commander Michael P Huck and Ship's Officer, Lieutenant Commander Tony Mortimer led the crew to the Tower's West Gate, where after being challenged for entry by the Yeoman Gaoler armed with his axe, they were marched to Tower Green accompanied by Beefeaters, where they delivered a keg of Castillo Silver Rum, representing the dues, to the Tower's Constable, Sir Roger Wheeler.
2014
Halyburton departed her homeport of Naval Station Mayport in January 2014, for her final deployment. She was scheduled to be decommissioned in late 2014.
On 6 February 2014, a Panamanian helicopter crashed while working with Halyburton on illicit trafficking operations. The Bell 412 helicopter had nine people aboard, one of whom died in the crash.
Halyburton was ceremonially decommissioned on 6 September 2014 at Naval Station Mayport. Halyburton was formally decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register, 8 September 2014. Ex-Halyburton was listed as being berthed at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She may be transferred to the Turkish Navy in 2015. In 2013, a bill to transfer Halyburton to Turkey in 2015 passed the US House of Representatives. However, the Senate did not take action on the bill and it did not become law.