CG-19 Dale
The fifth DALE (DLG-19) was laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, 6 September 1960; launched 28 July 1962; sponsored by Mrs. Daniel J. Flood, wife of Congressman Flood, Pennsylvania, 11th District; and commissioned 23 November 1963 at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Captain Robert R. Crutchfield USN, commanding.
Upon entering service she was assigned to the Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force U.S. Pacific Fleet. As a unit of the Pacific Fleet, DALE made five deployments to the far-east for duty with the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
During these deployments, she operated in support of U.S. military operations in South Vietnam.
DALE was decommissioned on 10 November 1970 for modernization to increase flexibility in combat systems. A major portion of the modernization was the installation of the Naval Tactical Data Systems (NTDS) which provides real time communications and information displays to ship and force commanders. Upon recommissioning on 11 December 1971, DALE was assigned to Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and homeported in Newport, Rhode Island.
DALE began her first Mediterranean Deployment in June 1973, participated in the multinational exercise "Swift Move" in northern European waters, and helped augment the Sixth Fleet during the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
In February 1974, DALE moved to her new homeport in Mayport, Florida. During 1974, DALE was selected as the operational platform for the newly deployed AN/SPS-49 two-dimensional air search radar, which took DALE to the Caribbean several times during 1974 and early 1975. On 30 June 1975 she was reclassified a guided missile cruiser (CG-19). In October 1975, DALE deployed again to the Mediterranean, participating successfully in several national and multinational exercises and earning praise from Commander, Sixth Fleet and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe on her departure for home.
Returning to Mayport in May 1976, DALE participated in the international Naval Review in New York Harbor celebrating the Nation's Bicentennial on July 4, 1976. Then DALE began a regular twelve-month overhaul at Charleston Naval Shipyard which upgraded DALE'S NTDS and Missile Fire Control Systems. Upon completion of the overhaul, DALE returned to Mayport and made preparations for another Mediterranean deployment in June 1978. DALE again had a very successful deployment and returned to Mayport in February 1979 with many commendations from both military and civilian authorities. In September 1979, DALE deployed to the North Atlantic for two months to serve as the flagship for the Commander Striking Force Atlantic Fleet for the NATO exercise "Ocean Safari." In January and February 1980 DALE participated in the Atlantic Fleet Readiness Exercise "READEX 1-80". DALE deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in March 1980 and, as a unit of the Sixth Fleet, served as flag ship for Commander-Destroyer Group Eight. A highlight of this deployment was a visit to the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania. DALE returned to Mayport in August 1980. The remainder of the year included two trips to the Caribbean for carrier support operations and participations in "COMPUTEX/ASWEX 1-81".
DALE entered Charleston Naval Shipyard in March 1981 to begin a Baseline Overhaul to update the ship's combat weapons systems and overhaul major engineering equipment. During the overhaul, which DALE completed a month early in February 1982, the 3"/50 caliber gun mounts were replaced with Harpoon missile systems, and the Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems were added to the port and starboard sides.
DALE completed Refresher Training in June 1982, and since that time has been involved with her continual cycles of inspections, and underway exercise periods
DALE was decommissioned and stricken from the Navy Register on 22 September 1994, then laid up with reserve fleet at Philadelphia PA.
In December 1999 she was towed to the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility ranges out of Naval Station Roosevelt Roads (NSRR), Puerto Rico, for use in the DD-21 Weapons Effect Test (WET). The WET program is designed to help the Navy and naval shipbuilders design ships with increased survivability against anti-ship missile attacks. This test involved two separate events.
On 17 December 1999, a 500 lb. WDU-40 SLAM-ER warhead was detonated in the aft portion of the ship. The DALE was located on the South Range, approximately 75 miles south of Roosevelt Roads. Then on 13 Jan 2000, F/A-18 pilots fired a tactical SLAM-ER and made a direct hit into the forward portion of the ship. SLAM-ER was chosen because of the missile's ability to precisely hit a pre-determined aimpoint on the ship. This event was off the North Range, approximately 160 miles north of Roosevelt Roads. For both tests, over 180 sensors were placed throughout the ship to measure the level of damage inflicted on the ship.
The missile was launched and controlled by Lt. Russ "Beacon" McCormack. Lt. Keith "Squishy" Henry and Lt. Scott "Squeeze" Topple flew in a second F/A-18 with a backup missile. All F/A-18 pilots were from the Weapons Test Squadron at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, Pt. Mugu, California. Mid-course updates of the target ship location were transmitted to the missile while it was in flight. This SLAM-ER capability allows it to engage moving targets from long standoff ranges. SLAM-ER transmits infrared imagery that allows the pilots to lock-on the seeker.
After the test, DALE was cleared for tow back to NSRR by Naval Sea Systems Command, Salvage representatives. Once at NSRR the damaged area of the ship would be thoroughly studied and documented. NVR reports that she was expended as a target, 6 Apr 2000.
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