USS STRIBLING DD-867

A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS STRIBLING DD-867

The Tin Can Sailor, October 2010

Named for Admiral Cornelius Kincheloe Stribling, the GEARING-class destroyer STRIBLING (DD-867) was launched on 8 June 1945 by the Bethlehem Steel Company at Staten Island, NewYork. She was commissioned on 29 September 1945. Following shakedown, she reported to the Fleet Sonar School at Key West for duty. In 1948, she embarked upon her first deployment to the Mediterranean. Between 1948 and 1953, the STRIBLING spent a portion of each year with the Sixth Fleet. During her1948 cruise, she flew the United Nations flag while on Palestine patrol. In 1949, she became the first American ship to visit a Spanish port since the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. In 1950, she visited a number of northern European ports.

In August 1953, the STRIBLING left Norfolk for duty with the Pacific Fleet and, by October, was engaged in operations off Korea. She served intermittently with carrier Task Force (TF) 77 in the Sea of Japan and with TF 95, the United Nations Escort and Blockading Force, along Korea’s west coast and in the Yellow Sea. In March 1954, she continued her voyage around the world, with a stop at Port Said, Egypt, and several liberty ports in the Mediterranean. On 10 April, she completed her circumnavigation of the globe at Norfolk.

Over the next six years, the STRIBLING alternated Sixth Fleet deployments and tours of duty with the Second Fleet in the western Atlantic and Caribbean. American and NATO exercises, filled much of her time, with the notable exception in 1958 when she stood by to assist during the Lebanon crisis. From June 1960 to April 1966, she underwent significant changes including modification under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program. During those six years, she participated in the NATO exercise “Lime Jug,” and stood watch during the recovery of astronaut, John Glenn, in February 1962. In August, she deployed to the Mediterranean, but spent at least a third of that tour operating with the Middle East Force in the Persian Gulf. She exercised with units of the Saudi Arabian and Iranian navies and visited many new ports, including  Djibouti, French Somaliland; Kharg Island, Iran; and Aden. The STRIBLING’s next two deployments were also with the Middle East Force. Early in 1966, the destroyer received a Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter (DASH) system.

She continued alternating between Sixth and Second Fleet assignments until 1969. A highlight of that period occurred in February and March 1967, when she participated in Polaris missile firing tests. In January 1969, the STRIBLING put to sea from Mayport, Florida, for her second voyage to the Far East. This time, she was headed for operations off the coast of Vietnam, where her duties included gun-line bombardments, search and rescue missions, and Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone (PIRAZ) duty. The latter assignment involved riding shotgun  for larger PIRAZ ships armed with more sophisticated radar and target designation systems. That summer, the STRIBLING plane‑guarded for the carriers operating on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. On 2 August 1969, she was bound for home.

Upon her return from Vietnam, she resumed her routine of Mediterranean deployments and Atlantic seaboard duty. Her first, post-Vietnam deployment to the Sixth Fleet was from August 1970 to March 1971 and encompassed the Jordanian crisis of 1970. When Syrian elements and left‑wing Jordanians attempted to overthrow King Hussein, the Sixth Fleet was mobilized to maintain a striking force poised in the eastern Mediterranean. Operating much as she had in Vietnam in 1969, the STRIBLING cruised along the coast of Syria on Bravo Station in the antiaircraft screen for the Sixth Fleet until the crisis abated. On 22 October, she pursued an unidentified nuclear submarine, stalking her quarry for almost 48 hours.

Her next Mediterranean cruise, from February until September, was more routine. She participated in the usual operations and exercises with other units of the fleet and units of foreign navies. In March 1973, she sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and up through the Indian Ocean to rejoin the Middle East Force. She subsequently returned to the United States and operations with the Second Fleet in the western Atlantic. She left the area during September and October 1974, to participate in exercise “Northern Merger.” That cruise took her to the Netherlands and England for port visits. In mid October 1974, she resumed her eastern seaboard operations. During her final Mediterranean cruise in early 1976, an incident occurred involving a French diesel submarine. While launching a practice ASROC with a dummy warhead, the STRIBLING accidentally fired upon the French submarine instead of the stationary target. The result of the incident — whether the ASROC actually hit the submarine or not — remains classified. During that cruise, the STRIBLING was equipped with ELINT gear on her helo deck and experimental sonar classification equipment installed by the University of Texas.

That was her final duty. She was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1976.

USS STRIBLING DD-867 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, September 2015

The second Stribling (DD-867) was laid down on IB January 1945 by the Bethlehem Steel Co., at Staten Island, N.Y.; launched on 8 June 1945; sponsored by Mrs. W. Hunter Powell; and commissioned on 29 September 1945, Comdr. J. D. Buckeley in command.

Stribling shook down out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; then reported for duty at the Fleet Sonar School at Key West, Fla. In 1948, she embarked upon the first of a career-long series of deployments to the Mediterranean Sea. Between 1948 and 1953, Stribling spent a portion of each year in the “middle sea.” During the 1948 cruise, she flew the United Nations flag while on Palestine Patrol. In 1949, she became the first American ship to visit a Spanish port since the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. While deployed with the 6th Fleet again in 1950, she visited a number of northern European ports.

On 23 August 1953, Stribling set sail from Norfolk for the Panama Canal and duty with the Pacific Fleet. She reached Yokosuka on 3 October and, after a brief upkeep period, commenced Korean War operations. The destroyer operated intermittently with the carriers of Task Force (TF) 77 in the Sea of Japan and with TF 95, the United Nations Escort and Blockading Force, along the west coast of Korea and in the Yellow Sea. When not patrolling with TF 95 or TF 77, Stribling trained and visited Far Eastern ports for liberty. In March 1954, she continued her voyage around the world. On the 19th, she put into Port Said, Egypt, and then sailed through the Mediterranean, visiting the sunny liberty ports along the way. On 10 April, she completed her circumnavigation of the globe at Norfolk.

Over the next six years, Stribling resumed her schedule of 6th Fleet deployments alternated with tours of duty with the 2d Fleet in the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Constant training and exercises, both American and NATO, characterized the bulk of her activities during that period. She was in the Mediterranean in 1958 during the Lebanon crisis and stood by to lend a hand until it was resolved.

The period from June 1960 to April 1966 brought significant changes to Stribling. From June 1960 until April 1966, she was modified extensively at the Charleston Naval Shipyard under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program. After refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay and participation in NATO exercise “Lime Jug,” Stribling stood watch during the recovery of astronaut, John Glenn, in February of 1962. In August, she deployed to the 6th Fleet, but spent at least a third of that tour in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, operating with the Middle East Force. She exercised with units of the Saudi Arabian and Iranian navies and visited many new ports, notably Djibouti in French Somaliland, Kharg Island in Iran, and Aden. Stribling’s next two deployments were also with the Middle East Force. In the spring of 1966, the destroyer received a Drone Antisubmarine Helicopter (DASH) system and, by 4 May 1966, completed DASH qualification.

Stribling continued alternating between 6th and 2d Fleet assignments until 1969. In February and March of 1967, she participated in Polaris missile firing tests on the Atlantic test range. On 30 January 1969, Stribling put to sea from Mayport, Fla., to make her second voyage to the Far East. Heading via the Panama Canal, San Diego, and Pearl Harbor, the destroyer made for Yokosuka, Japan, and then operations off the coast of Vietnam. Stribling’s duties included bombardments on the gunline, search and rescue missions usually for downed carrier pilots, and Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone (PIRAZ) duty. The latter assignment involved riding “shotgun” for larger PIRAZ ships armed with more sophisticated radar and target designation systems.

That summer, Stribling plane-guarded for the carriers operating on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. When not operating in the combat zone, she put into Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hong Kong; and Subic Bay in the Philippines, for liberty, upkeep, and provisions. On 2 August 1969, Stribling cleared the combat zone to return home. On her way, she stopped at Kure and Yokosuka, Japan; Pearl Harbor; San Diego; and Panama. On 17 September 1969, she reentered Mayport.

Upon her return from Vietnam, Stribling resumed her routine of Mediterranean deployments and Atlantic seaboard duty. She made two deployments to the 6th Fleet, one from August 1970 to March 1971 and the other from February until September 1972. The first was an active tour of duty, encompassing as it did the Jordanian crisis of 1970. With Syrian elements and left-wing Jordanians attempting to topple King Hussein from his throne, the 6th Fleet was mobilized to maintain a striking force poised in the eastern Mediterranean. Operating in much the same manner as she did in Vietnam in 1969, she cruised along the coast of Syria on Bravo Station in the antiaircraft screen for the 6th Fleet until the crisis abated. On 22 October, Stribling pursued an unidentified nuclear submarine, stalking her quarry for almost 48 hours.

Stribling’s second deployment since returning from Vietnam was far more routine. It was given over to normal operations and exercises with other units of the fleet and with units of foreign navies. In March of 1973, she sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and up through the Indian Ocean to rejoin the Middle East Force. Since her return to the United States from that last deployment, Stribling has operated with the 2d Fleet in the western Atlantic. She has left the area only once in that time, during September and October 1974, to participate in exercise “Northern Merger.” That cruise took her to the Netherlands and England for port visits. In mid-October 1974, she resumed her eastern seaboard operations and, as of March 1975, was still so employed.

Stribling earned two battle stars during the Vietnam War.