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Hull Number: DL-1

Launch Date: 12/29/1951

Commissioned Date: 03/04/1953

Decommissioned Date: 01/15/1970

Call Sign: NQMR

Voice Call Sign: PRIZE

Other Designations: CLK-1


Class: NORFOLK

NORFOLK Class

(Data from 1964)


Length Overall: 540'

Beam: 54'

Draft: 26'

Full Load Displacement: 7,300 tons

Fuel capacity: 324,091 gallons

Armament:

Four 3″/70 caliber (rapid fire) guns in twin mounts
One ASROC Launcher
Two Mark 108 Weapon Alpha launchers
Eight 21″ torpedo tubes

Complement:

35 Officers
482 Enlisted

Propulsion:

4 Boilers
2 General Electric Turbines: 80,000 horsepower

Highest speed on trials: 32 knots

Namesake: NORFOLK

NORFOLK

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, August 2015

A seaport in southeastern Virginia on Hampton Roads.


Disposition:

Stricken 11/1/1973. Sold for scrap 8/22/1974.


A Tin Can Sailors Destroyer History

USS NORFOLK DL-1

The Tin Can Sailor, July 2014

The USS NORFOLK (CLK-1) was the first major U.S. warship built after the construction boom of World War II. Authorized in 1947 as the CLK-1, an antisubmarine hunter-killer cruiser, she was laid down on 1 September 1949 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey. The new ship benefitted from the work done on the USS CARPENTER (DDK-825), first of the DDK sub-class of modified GEARING-class destroyers with specialized electronic equipment and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weaponry. To handle the new features and greater variety of sonar and other detection gear, however, the NORFOLK was designed on a light cruiser hull. The new design also enabled her to operate under all weather conditions, thus overcoming one of a submarine’s advantages over a surface ship. Launched on 29 December 1951, she was redesignated DL-1, or Destroyer Leader 1when she was commissioned on 4 March 1953.

After her Caribbean shakedown cruise in February 1954, the NORFOLK was assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Between 1955 and 1957 she served as the flagship for the commanders of Destroyer Flotillas 2, 4, and 6. During that period, she suffered a casualty in 1955 when her boiler blew up. In 1956 and 1957 she was the flagship for the fleet’s destroyer force commander. Notable in June 1957, the NORFOLK participated in the International Fleet Review as flagship for Admiral Jerauld Wright, Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. By 1959 the NORFOLK’s eight 3-inch/50-caliber guns had been replaced by eight 3-inch/70 caliber guns, and her 20-mm. battery had been removed. In 1960 the addition of an ASROC launcher enhanced her antisubmarine capabilities.

On 10 May 1960, an 83-foot Cuban vessel harassed the NORFOLK to no effect as she patrolled the Florida Straits in Cuban waters with THE SULLIVANS. In the Fall of 1961, she took part in UNITAS II as flagship for the commander of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 2. During the operation, she performed ASW training exercises with the navies of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The NORFOLK repeated that cruise over the next five years during which she served as command flagship for the South Atlantic forces and once for the commander of the fleet’s cruiser-destroyer forces.

She joined LANTFLEX 66 as flagship between 28 November and 16 December 1966 and during that exercise, she shadowed the Russian trawlers REPITER and TEODILIT. During UNITAS VIII in the fall of 1967, she exhibited her antisubmarine capabilities as flagship again for the commander of the South Atlantic forces. From 17 April to 15 October 1968, the NORFOLK served as flagship for the commander of the Middle East force. On that mission, she visited Bahrain, French Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Seychelles, Mauritius, the Malagasy Republic, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Mexico, and the Panama Canal Zone. In late October 1968, she returned to Norfolk where she decommissioned on 15 January 1970 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 1 September 1974, the NORFOLK was stricken from the U.S. Naval Vessel Register and sold for scrap.

It is noteworthy that before the NORFOLK was scrapped, two of her 3-inch/70 caliber anti-aircraft mounts were saved and put on display at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida. When the center was closed, the Boca Raton Community High School’s NJROTC took custody of the mounts, which now stand near the east end zone of the school’s football field. Fittingly, the NORFOLK’s bell has been preserved in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 1975 the bell has been located at the Elizabeth River waterfront end of St. Paul Boulevard; at Town Point Park; and most recently, at Wisconsin Square, just north of the museum ship USS WISCONSIN.

USS NORFOLK DL-1 Ship History

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, August 2015

The second Norfolk (DL-1), projected as hunter-killer ship (CLK-1), was laid down 1 September 1949 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden. N.J.; launched 29 December 1951; sponsored by Miss Betty King Duckworth; and commissioned 4 March 1953, Capt. Clarence Matheson Bowley in command.

The first major U.S. warship built since World War II, Norfolk was authorised in 1947 as an anti-submarine hunterkiller ship which could operate under all weather conditions and would carry the latest radar, sonar, and other electronic devices. As a large destroyer leader designed on a light cruiser hull, she could carry a greater variety of detection gear than a destroyer.

After her Caribbean shakedown cruise (February 1954), Norfolk was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and between 1955 and 1957 served successively as flagship for Commander Destroyer Flotillas 2, 4, and 6. During 1956 and 1957 she acted as flagship for Commander Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet. In June 1957, Norfolk participated in the International Fleet Review as flagship for Admiral Jerauld Wright, Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic.

By 1959 Norfolk’s 8 3″ 70 cal. guns had been replaced by 8 3″ 50 cal. guns and her 20mm. battery had been removed. In 1960 the addition of an ASROC launcher enchanced her antisubmarine capabilities.

On 10 May 1960, an 83-foot Cuban vessel harassed Norfolk while she was patrolling the Florida Straits with The Sullivans (DD-537) in international waters.

In Fall 1961 she took part in UNITAS II as flagship for Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 2. During the operation she performed ASW training exercises with the navies of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Norfolk repeated this cruise over the next five years during which she served as flagship of Commander South Atlantic Forces except in 1962 when she was flagship for Commander Cruiser Destroyer Forces Atlantic Fleet.

Norfolk joined LANTFLEX 66 as flagship between 28 November and 16 December 1966. During this exercise she was shadowed by the Russian trawlers Repiter and Teodilit. She proved her antisubmarine capabilities again as flagship for Commander South Atlantic Forces during UNITAS VIII in Fall 1967.

Norfolk was assigned to Commander Middle East Forces as flagship (17 April-15 October 1968). On this mission she visited Bahrain, French Somaliland, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia. Kenya, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Malagasy Republic, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Mexico, and Panama Canal Zone. In October 1968 Norfolk returned to Norfolk where she decommissioned 15 January 1970 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.