USS Jarrett (FFG-33), was the twenty-fifth ship of the guided missile frigates, was named for Vice Admiral Harry B. Jarrett (1898–1974).

Ordered from Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California on 23 January 1978 as part of the FY78 program, Jarrett was laid down on 11 February 1981, launched on 17 October 1981, commissioned on 2 July 1983, and decommissioned on 21 April 2011.

Jarrett was the first US Navy warship to be commanded by a woman, Commander Kathleen A. McGrath, from 18 December 1998 until 4 September 2000.

Service history

12 May – 12 November 1987

left|thumb|Jarett during her deployment to the Persian Gulf, 8 August 1987.

During a deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf Jarrett took part in Operation Earnest Will, an operation to maintain freedom of navigation within the Persian Gulf, that included renaming and reflagging 11 Kuwaiti tankers.

In the "Tanker War" between the Iranians and Iraqis, the Iranians utilized 1,662 ton former South Korean roll-on, roll-off vessel to lay mines to cut the sea lanes to Iraq. Iran Ajr stopped overnight on 21 September 1987, at a two-towered rig named Rashadat in the Rastam gas-oil separation platform (GOSP) complex, 120 miles east of Bahrain. The rig had been shut down for almost two years following Iraqi discovery that the Iranians used Rashadat for radar tracking of ships and for launching small boats. Iran Ajr turned toward the tanker routes, but just before midnight three Army helicopters, consisting of a Boeing MH-6 "Little Bird" and a pair of AH-6 "Sea Bats" of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), at least one of the helos flew from Jarrett, surprised the minelayer 50 miles northeast of Bahrain. Gloucester shot down the missile with two Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles.

Later, Missouri launched a Pioneer RPV that discovered the Iraqi Silkworm battery and the battleship fired 30 16-inch rounds and knocked out the battery. After the cease-fire, Jarrett escorted merchant ships through "mine danger areas" (1 March–14 April). In 2015, this ship was scrapped.

Jarrett was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.

References

  • USS Jarrett FFG-33 @ MaritimeQuest
  • FFG 33 Jarrett @ GlobalSecurity.org