From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

USS Nicholas (FFG-47)
Career (US)
Laid down:	27 September 1982
Launched:	23 April 1983
Commissioned:	10 March 1984
Status:	Active in service as of 2007
Homeport:	Norfolk, Virginia
General characteristics
Displacement:	4,100 tons (4,170 t) full load
Length:	453 ft (138.1 m), overall
Beam:	45 ft (13.7 m)
Draught:	22 ft (6.7 m)
Propulsion:	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller
Speed:	29+ knots (54+ km/h)
Range:	5,000 nm (9,300 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement:	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare and decoys:	AN/SLQ-32
Armament:	One OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun one Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for |Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) two Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes one Vulcan Phalanx CIWS; four .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns.
Aircraft carried:	2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters
Motto:	"Carrying On A Proud Tradition"

USS Nicholas (FFG-47), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Major Samuel Nicholas, the first commanding officer of the United States Marines.A third-generation guided missile frigate of the Oliver Hazard Perry class, she was laid down as Bath Iron Works hull number 388 on 27 September 1982 and launched 23 April 1983. Sponsor at her commissioning there on [10 March]] 1984 was the same Mrs. Edward B. Tryon who sponsored DD 449 in 1942.

Nicholas was designed to provide in-depth protection for military and merchant shipping, amphibious task forces, and underway replenishment groups. Her 453-foot (loa) hull displaces 4,100 tons and her gas turbine power develops 41,000 shp for a single screw, giving a top speed of 29 plus knots.

USS Nicholas during her Acceptance Trials in 1984.

Since her commissioning, Nicholas has deployed to the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean Sea and North Sea, as well as participating in maritime interdiction operations and various fleet exercises. During her first four years as a commissioned vessel, she earned three Battle Efficiency "E" awards, and the Battenberg Cup as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet. She earned the Top Ship award from Commander Battle Force Sixth Fleet during her first deployment to the Mediterranean.

Standard Missile Shot against supersonic target in Puerto Rico OPAREAS 1984

During her first years, Nicholas was part of Destroyer Squadron Six in Charleston, South Carolina. Her sister ships in DESRON SIX included USS Taylor and USS O'Bannon, which harkened back to the World War II Fletcher-class destroyers Nicholas, Taylor, and O’Bannon. These ships had such distinguished records in World War II, especially in the Solomons Island campaign, that Admiral Halsey ordered all three ships present with USS Missouri at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.

In July 1987, Nicholas, together with DESRON SIX sister ship USS Deyo, deployed with the USS Iowa Battleship Battlegroup to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. She earned her first Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

When hostilities with Iraq broke out during the Gulf War on 17 January 1991, Nicholas was serving in the extreme Northern Persian Gulf as an advance Combat Search and Rescue platform, more than 70 miles forward of the nearest allied warship. During the first few weeks of the war she distinguished herself in action by attacking Iraqi positions off the coast of Kuwait, capturing the first of 23 Iraqi prisoners of war, sinking or damaging seven Iraqi patrol boats, destroying eight drifting mines and successfully rescuing a downed USAF F-16 pilot from the waters off the Kuwaiti coast. Nicholas also escorted the battleships USS Missouri and USS Wisconsin during naval gunfire support operations near Khafji off the coast of the Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

ATACO area of Combat Information Center(CIC)

In her 1993 six-month deployment, Nicholas conducted operations in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Ionian Sea and Adriatic Sea. This deployment was in support of the United Nations sanctions against the governments of Iraq and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. During these operations, she safely conducted over 170 boardings of merchant vessels to inspect for illegal cargo shipments.

WCO area of CIC

In 1995, Nicholas deployed to the Adriatic and was assigned to the Standing NATO Force Atlantic, again operating in support of United Nations resolutions in Operation Sharp Guard. She intercepted over 120 vessels in enforcing sanctions against the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. Additionally Nicholas located and rescued 16 Albanian citizens from a capsized fishing boat.

The 2001 deployment took Nicholas to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. While in the Mediterranean, she conducted numerous boardings in support of United Nations sanctions. On 11 September, Nicholas sortied on an emergency basis from Valletta, Malta and conducted sustained underway operations until returning to her home port of Norfolk, Virginia six months later.

Bow of USS Nicholas plowing through a wave.

The year 2003 saw another deployment for Nicholas. During this historic deployment she hosted COMNAVEURCENT, Ambassadors and many high ranking dignitaries in St. Petersburg, Russia. Later she became the first warship to enter Neum, Bosnia since 1917, and the first U.S. warship ever. While there, Nicholas hosted the Bosnian Tri-Presidency and numerous government and military officials.

Nicholas operated as the sole US warship in the Mediterranean Sea for her six month deployment and acted as a surrogate for the Argentina ship Sarandi, enhancing international relations and building new alliances. She participated in multiple exercises and operations and achieved historic distinction when she tracked and assisted in the interception of a merchant ship loaded with nuclear centrifuges bound for Libya. US Government officials directly linked the interception of this vessel to the abandonment of Libya’s nuclear weapons program.

Nicholas has earned the Combat Action Ribbon, Southwest Asia Service Medal (with three bronze stars), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Sea Service Ribbon (with seven bronze stars), Meritorious Unit Commendation, a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation (with O for Law Enforcement), and six Battle Efficiency "E" awards as top ship in her squadron.

She continues today to be ready for the next call her government makes on her, allowing another chance to live up to her motto of “Carrying On A Proud Tradition.”

See USS Nicholas for other ships of the same name.

• USS Nicholas official website
• nvr.navy.mil: USS Nicholas
• navsource.org: USS Nicholas
• navysite.de: USS Nicholas
• MaritimeQuest USS Nicholas FFG-47 pages