View source for USS Claude V. Ricketts

{{short description|Charles F. Adams-class destroyer}}
{{For|United States Navy ships named ''Ricketts''|USS Ricketts (DE-254)}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[File:USS Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5) underway off the Virginia Capes in 1986.jpg|300px|USS Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5) underway off the Virginia Capes in 1986]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Claude V. Ricketts'' underway in 1986
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1992}}
|Ship name=''Biddle''
|Ship namesake=[[Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)|Nicholas Biddle]]
|Ship ordered=28 March 1957
|Ship builder=[[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]]
|Ship laid down=18 May 1959
|Ship launched=14 June 1960
|Ship acquired=2 May 1962
|Ship commissioned=5 May 1962
|Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NDRO
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Oscar}}
*[[Hull number]]: DD-955
|Ship renamed = ''Claude V. Ricketts''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header = yes
|Ship namesake = [[Claude V. Ricketts]]
|Ship decommissioned=31 October 1989
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 June 1990
|Ship reclassified=DDG-5, 23 April 1957
|Ship honours=[[#Awards|See ''Awards'']]
|Ship fate=[[Ship breaking|Scrapped]], 8 November 2002
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Charles F. Adams|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=3,277 tons standard, 4,526 full load
|Ship length={{convert|437|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|47|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|15|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse]] steam turbines providing {{convert|70000|shp|MW|abbr=on}}; 2 shafts
*4 × [[Foster Wheeler Corporation|Foster-Wheeler]] {{convert|1275|psi|abbr=on}} boilers
|Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4500|nmi|km}} at {{convert|20|kn|km/h}}
|Ship complement=354 (24 officers, 330 enlisted)
|Ship sensors=*AN/SPS-39 3D air search radar
*AN/SPS-10 surface search radar
*[[AN/SPG-51]] missile fire control radar
*AN/SPG-53 gunfire control radar
*AN/SQS-23 Sonar and the hull mounted SQQ-23 Pair Sonar for DDG-2 through 19
*AN/SPS-29 Air Search Radar
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*1 [[Mk 11 missile launcher]] for [[RIM-24 Tartar]] [[Surface-to-air missile|SAM]] system, or later the [[RIM-66 Standard]] (SM-1) and [[Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon antiship missile]]
*2 × [[5"/54 caliber Mark 42 gun|5"/54 caliber Mark 42 (127&nbsp;mm) gun]]
*1 × [[RUR-5 ASROC]] Launcher
*6 × 12.8 in (324&nbsp;mm) ASW Torpedo Tubes (2 x [[Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes]])
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=None
|Ship motto=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Biddle''/''Claude V. Ricketts'' (DD-995/DDG-5)''', was a [[Charles F. Adams class destroyer|Charles F. Adams-class]] [[guided missile destroyer]] of the [[United States Navy]].  She was the third US Naval ship named after [[Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)|Nicholas Biddle]], one of the first five captains of the [[Continental Navy]].

Originally to be designated as '''DD-955''', the ship was laid down as '''DDG-5''' by the [[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]] at [[Camden, New Jersey]] on 18 May 1959, launched on 4 June 1960 and commissioned as USS ''Biddle'' on 5 May 1962, at [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]]. ''Biddle'' was renamed to ''Claude V. Ricketts'' on 28 July 1964 in honor of Admiral [[Claude V. Ricketts]], who had died on 6 July 1964.

== Service history ==
[[File:USS Biddle (DDG-5) underway during trials in 1962.jpg|thumb|left|''Biddle'' during sea trials, 1962.]]

=== As USS Biddle ===
''Biddle'' operated in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea as part of the [[United States Second Fleet|Second Fleet]] until the end of 1963. ''Biddle'' participated in naval activity near Cuba in weeks before the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].<ref name="History" />

A [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] was awarded for service from 19 August 1962 to 28 September 1962.<ref name="Unit awards" /> ''Biddle'' made her first deployment to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] at the close of 1963 returning to Norfolk in March 1964.<ref name="History" />

=== Mixed manning experiment and the decade that followed ===
From June 1964 to end of 1965 ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was part of a mixed-manning experiment for a proposed [[Multilateral Force]] (MLF). Its crew consisted of 10 officers and 164 crew from the US Navy with the remainder filled by sailors from [[West Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Greece]], the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[Turkey]]. Though the MLF never was created, [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[Paul Nitze]] stated that the project on ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was successful.<ref>{{cite journal |last= Lundquist |first= Edward |journal= Sea Classics |url= https://www.questia.com/read/1P3-1095088451 |title= Mixed Manning Demonstration was a Success: Guided-Missile Destroyer Sailed with Multinational Crew |date= September 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://navysite.de/cruisebooks/ddg5-65/index.html |title= Cruise book for Mixed Manning demonstration |website= navysite.de }}</ref> The ship's crest includes the NATO insignia.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://navysite.de/dd/ddg5.htm |title= Image of the Crest |website= navysite.de }}</ref> A [[Navy Unit Commendation]] was awarded for the 18-month period.<ref name="Unit awards" />

According to Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze, Admiral [[Claude V. Ricketts]] had made great contributions to the concept of mixed manning and a Multilateral Force. Because of this, he thought it appropriate to rename USS ''Biddle'' in Ricketts' honor while the ship was conducting a mixed-manning experiment on 28 July 1964.<ref name="History">{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/1/307045140/ |year= 1981 |title= Claude V. Ricketts – Ship's history |journal= USS Claude V. Ricketts Cruise Book |publisher= U.S. Navy Cruise Books, 1918–2009 via Fold3.com |page= 2 }}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="1987-1988">{{cite journal |url= https://www.fold3.com/image/307382333/ |year= 1988 |title= The Man – Claude V. Ricketts |journal= USS Claude V. Ricketts Mediterranean Cruise Book |publisher= U.S. Navy Cruise Books, 1918–2009 via Fold3.com }}{{subscription required}}</ref>

Her visit to [[Washington, D.C.]] in October 1964, was memorialized by painter, [[Gerard Richardson]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NH 64581-KN|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-64000/NH-64581-KN.html|website=[[Naval History and Heritage Command]]|publisher=[[United States Navy]]|access-date=27 April 2016}}</ref>

After the manning experiment, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' made deployments to the Mediterranean Sea from 1966 to 1973. She also made a northern European cruise in July 1972. ''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in August 1973 and returned to Norfolk in January 1974. Shortly after her return, the ship entered the [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]] for a ten-month overhaul returning to service in January 1975. She completed refresher training and ship trials in the Caribbean Sea from March to May 1975.<ref name="History" />

=== Belknap collision ===
[[File:DN-SN-87-07340 USS Claude V. Ricketts damaged by firefighting of USS Belknap.jpeg|thumb|left|Damage received while fighting fires on ''Belknap''.]]
In July 1975, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea.<ref name="History" /> ''Claude V. Ricketts'' served as the rescue unit and tied up alongside [[USS Belknap (CG-26)|USS ''Belknap'' (CG-26)]] after her collision with [[USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)|USS ''John F. Kennedy'' (CV-67)]] on the night of 22 November 1975.  ''Belknap'' was ablaze with exploding [[ammunition]] from the storage lockers for her two 3-inch guns, but the crew of the ''Claude V. Ricketts'' battled the conflagration for 7 hours and limited the damage, evacuating the injured while fragments from exploding ammunition showered down upon her decks. In the end, CG-26 was knocked and melted nearly to her main deck. Seven crew members aboard ''Belknap'' and one aboard ''John F. Kennedy'' were killed. A [[Navy Unit Commendation]] was awarded for service during the time period.<ref name="Unit awards" /> ''Claude V. Ricketts'' returned to Norfolk in January 1976.<ref name="History" />

{{stack|[[File:USS Guam (LPH-9) and USS Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5) en route to Mombasa in 1976.jpg|thumb|''Claude V. Ricketts'' and {{USS|Guam|LPH-9}} visit Kenya, 1976.]]}}
On October 4, 1976, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. There was also a trip to [[Kenya]] to commemorate the 13th anniversary of their independence. Just six weeks after returning to Norfolk, the ship deployed for a six-week operation with the [[Brazilian Navy]].<ref name="History" /> A [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] was awarded for service from 1 October 1976 to 30 September 1977.<ref name="Unit awards" /> From September 1977 to October 1978, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was in the [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]] for an overhaul. She returned to Norfolk in April 1979 after refresher training and trials.<ref name="History" />

=== Iran Hostage Crisis ===
''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed for seven months to the US [[Middle East Force]] and [[United States Sixth Fleet|Sixth fleet]] at the start of September 1979. During the first part of the cruise, the ship made ports of call to [[Djibouti]], Kenya, and Karachi, Pakistan <ref name="History" /> On 4 November 1979, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was making a port visit to [[Karachi]], [[Pakistan]]{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} when [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line|radical students]] invaded and occupied the [[Embassy of the United States, Tehran|US Embassy in Tehran]], [[Iran]] and took the embassy staff hostage initiating the [[Iran hostage crisis]]. ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was immediately tasked to proceed to the Persian Gulf area of operations to join with {{USS|La Salle|AGF-3}} and remained continuously at sea for more than 10 weeks over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Holidays.Finally after 72 days of being at sea, ended with a two-day visit in Sitra, Bahrain <ref name="History" /> ''Claude V. Ricketts'' was back in the Mediterranean Sea in February 1980 and returned to Norfolk in April 1980.<ref name="History" /> A [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]] was awarded for service relating to the crisis from 21 November 1979 to 2 February 1980.<ref name="Unit awards" />

[[File:Standing Naval Force Atlantic ships underway 1982.jpg|thumb|''Claude V. Ricketts'' (second from front) operating with [[Standing Naval Force Atlantic]], July 1982.]]
''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed to Northern Europe in January 1981 and operated with the [[Standing Naval Force Atlantic]]. The ship visited 8 countries and 15 different cities and conducted exercises from [[Gibraltar]] to [[Norway]], north of the [[Arctic Circle]] and west to [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]. She returned to Norfolk in June 1981.<ref name="History" /> A [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] was awarded for service from 7 January 1981 to 24 June 1981.<ref name="Unit awards" />

==== Lebanon ====
During late 1983 and early 1984, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed in support of operations of the coast of [[Lebanon]] in the months after the [[1983 Beirut barracks bombing]]. The [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] was awarded for three time periods relating to Lebanon during this deployment.<ref name="Unit awards" />

[[File:Three destroyers awaiting to be scrapped at Baltimore in 1994.jpeg|thumb|right|''Claude V. Ricketts'' (front) awaits her fate at Baltimore, 1994.]]
''Claude V. Ricketts'' deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in late 1987 and returned to Norfolk, 29 March 1988.<ref name="1987-1988" />

=== Decommissioning ===
''Claude V. Ricketts'' was decommissioned on 31 October 1989 at Norfolk Naval Station, Norfolk, VA, stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 1 June 1990 and sold for scrap on 15 April 1994, to NR Acquisitions of NYC and towed to Bethlehem Steel's old Fairfield yard in Baltimore, MD for scrapping by Wilmington Resources, Inc. of Wilmington, NC. Sale price $184,550.66.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}  The scrap contract was terminated on 1 October 1996, and the Navy repossessed the ship on 18 October, and returned to NISMF Philadelphia and the ship was resold to [[Metro Machine, Incorporated]], of [[Philadelphia]]  [[Pennsylvania]] on 5 December 2001 . Scrapping was completed on 8 November 2002.

== Awards ==
According to the Navy Unit awards list, ''Claude V. Ricketts'' and her crew received the following awards:
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]], for service from 19 August 1962 to 28 September 1962, for Cuba (3 Jan 61 – 23 Oct 62)<ref name="Unit awards">{{cite web |url= https://awards.navy.mil |title= Unit Awards for USS Claude V. Ricketts |website= awards.navy.mil |access-date= 3 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041014224730/https://awards.navy.mil/ |archive-date= 14 October 2004 }}</ref>
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]], for service from 1 June 1964 to 1 December 1965,<ref name="Unit awards" /> Mixed manning experiment
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]], for service from 22 November 1975 to 23 November 1975,<ref name="Unit awards" /> ''Belknap'' collision
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]], for service from 1 October 1976 to 30 September 1977<ref name="Unit awards" />
* [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]], for service from 21 November 1979 to 2 February 1980, relating to Iran/Indian Ocean (21 Nov 79 – 20 Oct 81)<ref name="Unit awards" />
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]], for service from 7 January 1981 to 24 June 1981<ref name="Unit awards" />
* [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]], for service from 30 July 1981 to 20 December 1981<ref name="Unit awards" />
* [[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]], for service from 5 November 1983 to 13 December 1983, 4 January 1984 to 3 February 1984 and 9 February 1984 to 28 February 1984, relating to Lebanon (1 Jun 83 – 1 Aug 84)<ref name="Unit awards" />
* [[Coast Guard SOS Ribbon|Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon]], for service from 1 July 1987 to 30 September 1987<ref name="Unit awards" />

== See also ==
For other ships named ''Biddle'', see {{USS|Biddle}}. As of 2015, there have been no other ships named for Claude V. Ricketts.

== References ==
{{reflist}}
*{{Naval Vessel Register|hull=DDG-5}}
*{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/biddle-iii.html|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/claude-r.html}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5)}}
*[https://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/destroyers/pages/uss_biddle_ddg_5_page_1.htm MaritimeQuest USS Biddle/USS Claude V Ricketts DDG-5 pages]
*{{navsource|05/01005}}
*[https://ussclaudevricketts.navy/ USS Claude V. Ricketts DDG-5/USS Biddle DDG-5 Crew Members website]
*[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/present-the-undoing-the-netherlands-and-the-multilateral-force Article on the Multilateral Force the USS Claude V Rickett's involvement.]

{{Charles F. Adams class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5)}}
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation]]
[[Category:1960 ships]]
[[Category:Charles F. Adams-class destroyers]]