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Frank Herman
Schofield, born on 4 January 1869 at Jerusalem, N.Y., graduated from the
Naval Academy on 6 June 1890 and was commissioned Ensign in 1892. During the
Spanish-American War, he served in Hawk, participating in the blockade of
Cuban ports and in the capture of four enemy ships. Between 1898 and 1917, he
served in various capacities afloat and ashore including duty in the Office
of the Chief of Naval Operations. After American entry into World War I, he
was ordered to London, where he served on the staff of Commander, U.S. Naval
Forces, European Waters until December 1918. He then assumed duties on the
United States Naval Advisory Staff to the Peace Commission in Paris. Awarded
the Navy Cross for his World War I and Peace Commission service, he was
detached from the Naval Advisory Staff in May 1919 and, in July, returned to
sea duty as commanding officer of the battleship, Texas.
During the 1920's, he served on the General Board from 1921 to 1923; was
promoted to Rear Admiral in 1924; commanded Destroyer Squadrons, Battle Fleet,
from 1924 to 1926; headed the War Plans Division of the Office of the Chief
of Naval Operations from 1926 to 1929; was a member of the Naval Advisory
Staff, Geneva Conference in 1927; and commanded Battleship Division 4, Battle
Fleet in 1929. In 1930, he was commissioned Commander in Chief, Battle Force,
with the accompanying rank of Admiral; and in 1933, after 47 years of
service, he retired. Rear Admiral Schofield died at Bethesda, Maryland, on 21
March 1942.
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Schofield (DEG/FFG
3) was laid down on 15 April 1963 by the Lockheed Shipbuilding and
Construction Co., Seattle, Wash.; launched on 7 December 1963; sponsored by
Mrs. F. Perry Schofield; and commissioned on 11 May 1968, Comdr. Earl H.
Graffan in command.
Following shakedown, Schofield conducted training exercises, both
independently and with her squadron, Destroyer Squadron 23, out of her home
port of Long Beach. With the new year, 1969, she participated in 1st Fleet
exercises; and, at the end of March, she headed across the Pacific for her
first WestPac deployment.
On 24 April, the guided missile escort ship joined the 7th Fleet. On 7 May,
she commenced operations with Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) in the Gulf of
Tonkin. A week later, she put into Subic Bay; then, after upkeep, she joined
other 7th Fleet units in Operation "Sea Spirit," a combined SEATO
exercise terminated on 3 June by the collision of USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754)
and HMAS Melbourne.
On 17 June, the DEG moved back into the Gulf of Tonkin, remaining into July.
On the 6th, she departed the area and headed for Japan where she participated
in a joint United States Navy-Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force exercise;
then, toward the end of the month, she again set a course for the South China
Sea.
Schofield returned to the Gulf of Tonkin on the 27th and, for the next two
weeks, operated with Kearsarge (CVS-33). A visit to Hong Kong followed. On 22
August, she returned to Subic Bay; and, in early September, she moved north
for patrol duty in Taiwan Strait. On the night of the 8th, she steamed to the
assistance of Warbler (MSC-206) caught in heavy seas 70 miles away and unable
to transfer fuel to her engine. By the time the DEG arrived, the minecraft
was dead in the water. At daybreak, however, Schofield took the MSC in tow
and headed for Kaohsiung, whence she returned to patrol duty.
Three days later, Schofield continued north to Japan; participated in HUK
exercises; then sailed for Hong Kong, where, for two weeks, she served as
station ship. On 23 October, she returned to Japan; and, on 6 November, she
headed home.
Arriving on the 21st, the DEG remained in port for most of the remainder of
the year. In January 1970, she resumed her antisubmarine warfare exercises
off the California coast. Early on the morning of the 9th, the exercises with
her squadron and Hornet (CVS-12) were interrupted to assist a merchant
tanker, SS Connecticut, reported to be sinking approximately 200 miles away.
En route to the scene, Schofield refueled Hornet helicopters delivering
rescue personnel and equipment to the tanker. Two of Schofield's men, EMCS P.
L. Kidd and BT1 A. E. Personette, were transferred to the tanker. The
tanker's master commended the work in saving the ship.
When Schofield arrived on the scene late in the afternoon, the situation was
under control. That evening, the exercises were resumed. At mid-month,
Schofield returned to Long Beach and entered the naval shipyard there for a
yard period which took her into March. Squadron exercises, target ship duty,
missile firing exercises, and a reservist training cruise followed. In July,
she again entered the shipyard for boiler overhaul work; and, in October, she
resumed her 1st Fleet operating schedule.
On 7 January 1971, Schofield headed west. Into February, she conducted
exercises in Hawaiian waters, then returned to the west coast for Operation
“Admixture,” a joint United States-Canadian exercise. During the exercise,
the DEG added mothership duties for the experimental hydrofoil, Highpoint
(PGH-1), to her helicopter inflight refueling, plane guard, and escort
responsibilities.
The exercise was completed on 4 March. Schofield then returned briefly to
Long Beach; and, on the 11th, she departed the California coast for the
western Pacific. Steaming in company with ASW Group 3, she joined the 7th
Fleet on the 26th. On 3 and 4 April, she operated off the Vietnamese coast;
and, on the 7th, she arrived in Subic Bay.
Five days later, the group got underway for Singapore, whence they proceeded
into the Indian Ocean for ASW exercises. At the end of the month, the ships
sailed for Hong Kong; and, on the 11th, they got underway for Japan.
After repairs at Yokosuka, Schofield participated in the first major United
States task force exercise in the Sea of Japan in several years; then, on 17
June, she sailed for home. Proceeding north, she participated in ASW
exercises between Attu and Kamchatka. On 5 July, she arrived at Long Beach.
In August, she began preparations for her first major overhaul. On 1 September,
she shifted her home port to San Diego; and, on 8 September, she entered the
Long Beach Naval Shipyard for an extended overhaul which took her into 1972.
The overhaul was completed on 6 June 1972, and Schofield sailed to her new
home port, San Diego. The next three months were spent in refresher training
and various exercises, including two successful launchings of her TARTAR
missiles at the Pacific Missile Range.
On 9 September, Schofield departed San Diego for her third tour with the 7th
Fleet. After brief stops at Pearl Harbor, Midway Island, Guam, and Subic Bay,
P.I., the DEG joined TU 77.0.1 in the Tonkin Gulf on 8 October. She received
her first bombardment mission of the deployment 20 days later and fired all
night. On 30 October, she departed the area for Kaohsiung and a period of
upkeep. She was back on station in the Tonkin Gulf from 9 November to 8
December for another line period. The DEG then visited Hong Kong and Sasebo
before returning to the firing line on New Year's Day, 1973.
Schofield acted as a picket ship until mid-January when she was assigned to
provide fire support. She fired daily missions until the 26th when she
departed for Subic Bay. She returned to Yankee Station on 13 February and
learned that, due to the cessation of hostilities, her WestPac deployment was
to be reduced one month. On 15 February, she sailed for Yokosuka and San
Diego, arriving at her home port on 9 March.
During a period of restricted availability between April and September,
Schofield received extensive helicopter facilities to enable her to operate
the SH-2 LAMPS (Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System) helo. She held sea
trials in October, firing exercises in early November; and, on the 23d, she
was underway for the western Pacific.
Scliofield participated in exercises at Pearl Harbor and Midway Island before
entering Subic Bay on 18 December. Four days later, she departed for
Singapore with orders to continue from there to the Indian Ocean and conduct
surveillance operations. She returned to San Diego on 6 June 1974 and is
operating from that port as of July 1974.
Schofield received four battle stars for service in Vietnam.
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