FFG 9 Wadsworth
The Wadsworth was commissioned in April 1980 and is homeported in San Diego, CA. This "Oliver Hazard Perry Class" Guided Missile frigate's mission is to provide anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-surface protection for Underway Replenisment groups, convoys, amphibious forces and other military and merchant shipping.
The Wadsworth is part of the Naval Reserve Force.
As of June 2001 USS Wadsworth (FFG 9) was involved in a five- month cooperation afloat readiness and training deployment. This evolution is a series of excerises conducted with foreign navies to improve their operating proficiency. This is done while enhancing the United States Navy's interoperability in Southeast Asia theater. In addition to operations, these series of exercises encompass a series of humanitarian efforts designed to improve community relations between the Untied States Navy and foreign countries. Wadsworth will sail through six phases of this evolution which include Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. During each phase, Wadsworth Sailors will face many operational challenges, contribute to the support of national interests, and at the same time, enjoy some of the world's finest liberty ports. Deployment operational requirements are the highest priority, but qualifications are stressed as being of equal importance. Wadsworth has already qualified seven of its own sailors as enlisted surface warfare specialists during the carat deployment.
FFG-9 regularly takes part in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), a series of bilateral exercises, that takes place in the Southeast Asia region every summer.
On June 28, 2002, the U.S. Navy decommissioned the USS Wadsworth in San Diego, and transferred it to Poland on a grant basis, under the Excess Defense Article (EDA) program. The ship has been re-christened as the Polish Destroyer (ORP) Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
Blue and gold of the shield in the coat of arms, are the colors traditionally associated with the Naval Service, and are symbolic of the Navy's element, the sea, and ever-present goal of excellence. The color red symbolizes action and courage. The observer sees the oncoming prow of WADSWORTH, in red, as it cuts the blue sea, the home of the modern frigate. The three seagulls remind the observer that three naval ships have borne the proud name of "WADSWORTH." It recalls the ancient sailor's belief that seagulls are the souls of departed sailors and bring good fortune by their presence.
The crest represents the USS CONSTITUTION under full sail and commemorates the fact that Commodore Alexander Scammel Wadsworth (then Second Lieutenant of CONSTITUTION) received a silver medal for heroism, and the thanks of Congress, for his part in CONSTITUTION's engagement with the British frigate "GUERRIERE". This engagement, in which CONSTITUTION defeated GUERRIERE in a brief but violent action, was the first American victory over the heretofore omnipotent Royal Navy. The act captured the heart of the American people and gave a much needed boost to the morale and confidence of our young nation. In this action, CONSTITUTION won its familiar title, "Old Ironsides," when GUERRIERE's shots were seen to bounce off its sides. The motto selected for WADSWORTH is taken from the words Captain Isaac Hull, then commanding CONSTITUTION, addressed to his men just prior to engaging GUERRIERE. "Men," he said, "now do your duty. Your officers cannot have entire command over you now. Each man must do all in his power for his country." The naval service of both Commodore WADSWORTH and USS CONSTITUTION would continue for many years, but they both won their place in history on that day in August, 1812 when they began the United States Navy's winning tradition of giving everything "for one's country."
Alexander Scammel Wadsworth
Alexander Scammel Wadsworth was born in 1790 at Portland, Maine. He was appointed Midshipman on 2 April 1804 and promoted to Lieutenant on 21 April 1810. He was the second lieutenant of the frigate CONSTITUTION during her escape from the British Fleet, and took part in the engagement with the GUERRIERE on 19 August 1812, for which he received a silver medal and the thanks of Congress. He served as first lieutenant of the ADAMS in 1814 and was promoted to Master Commandant on 27 April 1816 for gallant service. He commanded the PROMETHEUS in the Mediterranean from 1816 to 1817, served at the Washington Navy Yard as inspector of ordnance from 1823 to 1829, and then commanded the frigate CONSTELLATION in the Mediterranean Squadron until 1832. He commanded the Pacific Squadron from 1824 to 1836, was Navy commissioner from 1837 to 1840, and was inspector of ordnance from 1841 to 1850. Commodore Wadsworth died at Washington, D. C. on 5 April 1851.
The first ship to be named WADSWORTH (DD-60) was a Tucker Class destroyer commissioned in July 1915. She served to honor the name admirably. Her squadron's record for escorting numerous convoys laden with food, munitions, and troops of the American Expeditionary Force bound for Europe during the First World War is beyond compare. Not one man out of the two million "doughboys" of General Pershing's Army was lost en route while under her convoy protection. This feat notwithstanding, however, the WADSWORTH will always be remembered as the flagship of the first division of American destroyers to arrive in Europe to break the German U-boat blockade surrounding the British Isles. This sailing of WADSWORTH and her squadron to Britain is etched forever in the pages of history as the "Return of the Mayflower".
WADSWORTH (DD-516), a Fletcher Class destroyer commissioned in March 1943, was the second ship to proudly bear the name. Her World War II log of combat actions, submarine sinkings, aircraft kills and devastatingly accurate bombardments of enemy shore installations was outstanding. She received the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism while successfully repelling literally hundreds of enemy aircraft while off the coast of Okinawa. This fine ship also earned seven battle stars and other awards for operations which included; the Treasury-Bougainville Operation; the Consolidation of the Solomon Island; the Bismarck Archipelago Operation; the Marianas Operation; the Okinawa Gunto Operation; and the Third Fleet Operation against Japan.
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