USS Jesse L. Brown (FF-1089)

USS "Jesse L. Brown" (DE/FF/FFT-1089) was a Sclass|Knox|frigate of the US Navy. She was named for Jesse L. Brown, the first African-American naval aviator in the US Navy. Mrs. Gilbert W. Thorne, Ship's Sponsor. This ship was eventually decommissioned and sold to the Egyptian Navy and was renamed the "Damyat".

"Jesse L. Brown", a 3963-ton "Knox"-class escort ship built at Westwego, Louisiana, was commissioned in February 1973. In July 1975, she was reclassified as a frigate and designated FF-1089. Her career was spent with the Atlantic Fleet, and included several deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf and northern European waters. Jesse L. Brown also participated in two joint operations with Latin American Navies, UNITAS XX in 1979 and UNITAS XXX a decade later.

"Jesse L. Brown" was operating off the Guantanamo Bay are during January 1979 when the DDG USS Farraguat mistakenly fired upon a Soviet Oceangoing tug and Foxtrot Class submarine being given to the Cuban Navy. The Farraguat mistook the radar return for the US Navy fleet tug and towed target. During the next approximate 48 hours, Jesse L. Brown and the other ships maintained General Quarters while a state of near war existed which included constant threat of attack by Cuban missile patrol boats and medium bombers.

"Jesse L. Brown" (in an episode foreshadowing her later service) was credited with a drug bust as a result of the rescue of an approximate 40' sailboat in Casco Bay, Maine while undergoing post yard refit sea trials from Bath Iron Works. The ship bears the marks of this operation to this day with visible dents in hull from the strikes from the large sailboat while transferring the seasick crew in heavy sea conditions. The sailboat crew was later transferred to a former Navy ATF Coast Guard Cutter out of Portland, Maine after a failed towing attempt of the sailboat where the sailboat towing chock tore free.

"Jesse L. Brown" frequently lived up to Her motto of "Versatility, Victory, Valor." In one episode during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, the JLB recovered an SH-3 Sea King that was unable to HIFR (Hot In-Flight Refueling) and was beyond Bingo fuel to her carrier. The CO, Commander Hank "Happy Hank" Walker ordered ship into the wind and recovered the Sea King onto the limited space flight deck. The flight deck on Knox Frigates was rated by weight and size to UH-1 helicopters. The Sea King landed with her tail wheel in the safety nets with less then 18"of clearance between her rotors and the collapsed helicopter hanger. Quick repairs by the helo crew and ship crew allowed the hose to connect and she was able to lift off and properly refuel airborne.

"Jesse L. Brown" and her crew were the original ship who was to have escorted three Pegasus class Patrol Hydrofoils from Roosevelt Roads PR to Key West, FL. By using the frigates HIFR system as an underway replenishment refueling rig to refuel three hydrofoils underway instead of mooring alongside.

"Jesse L. Brown' ' served as the US Liaison and on scene commander for rescue attempts and subsequent body recovery for a diving bell from the oil exploration ship "MV Woodeco 5" from Phillips Petroleum of the coast of the Ivory Coast during October 1979 after concluding Unitas XX and while opertaing as part of the West Africa Training Cruise 1979.

During the later 1980s and early 1990s, she engaged in counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean area.

"Jesse L. Brown" was transferred to the Naval Reserve in January 1992, and was redesignated FFT-1089. Based in Mobile, Alabama, after October 1992, she was actively involved in training reservists while participating in operations in the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico area. In 1993, she transited the Panama Canal and paid a visit to Ecuador. "Jesse L. Brown" was decommissioned in July 1994 and transferred to the Egyptian Navy, in which she serves as "Damietta" (F-961).

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

References : [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/06021089.htm USS "Jesse L. Brown" on NavSource.org]

External links

* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/FFT1089.htm Naval Vessel Register FFT1089]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-j/de1089.htm US Navy History - USS Jesse L. Brown images]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/06021089.htm Navsource images]