The De Wert (FFG 45) is the 35th Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate and is named for Hospitalman Richard De Wert (1931-1951) who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 7th Marines during the Korean War. The keel was laid down on June 14, 1982, by the Bath Iron Works, in Bath, Maine; The ship was christened and launched on December 18, 1982, by Rita C. Kennedy. USS De Wert was commissioned on November 19, 1983, at Bath shipyard; Cmdr. Douglas M. Armstrong is the first commanding officer.

From February 19-26, 2001, the De Wert was underway for a brief port visit to Key West, Fla. Underway again on March 13.

March 16, USS De Wert pulled into Boston, Mass., for a three-day port visit to participate in the St. Patrick's Day festivities. Brief stop at Naval Station Newport, R.I., on March 19 to embark students from the Surface Warfare Officer School (SWOS) for school ship training at the Narragansett Bay; Departed Newport on March 23; Port visit to New York City, N.Y., from March 24-27; Inport Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va., for ammo offload from March 28-30; Returned to Mayport on April 1; Underway for local operations on April 12; Underway for INSURV assessment on April 18.

April 25, Cmdr. James R. Boorujy relieved Cmdr. Thomas K. Shannon as the 12th CO of De Wert.

April 30, The guided-missile frigate commenced a three-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). Underway for sea trials on July 20; Underway for ammo onload at NWS Yorktown from Aug. 14-22; Underway for local operations from Aug. 28-29, Sept. 4-6 and Oct. 9-10; Underway for CART II from Oct. 11-12; Underway for Limited Type Training in the Jacksonville Op. Area from Oct. 15-18 and 23-25th; Underway for local operations from Oct. 30- Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-9; Underway for DLQs and routine training from Jan. 15-18, 2002; Underway for local operations from Feb. 8-15 and 19-22nd; Underway for ammo onload at NWS Yorktown on March 15; Inport Port Canaveral, Fla., for Seafest from March 21-25; Returned home on March 26.

March 28, FFG 45 departed Mayport for Week One workups with the HSL-46 Det. 8; Commenced Group Sail operations on April 1; Inport Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, on April 7 and 12-15th; Returned home on April 22; Underway for a Friends and Family Day Cruise on May 17; Underway for navigation check ride from June 18-21; Underway for deck landing qualifications from June 25-28.

July 23, USS De Wert departed Naval Station Mayport for a scheduled deployment as part of the NATO's Immediate Reaction Force, Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) in support of Operation Active Endeavour. Transited Strait of Gibraltar on Aug. 3.

August 5, The guided-missile frigate pulled into La Spezia, Italy, for a three-day port visit. Inport Aksaz Naval Base, Turkey, from Aug. 15-18; Inport Rota, Spain, 22-29 and Sept. 13-17.

September 26, The De Wert pulled again into Naval Station Rota for a week-long port call after participated in exercise Neo Tapon. Anchored off Gaeta, Italy, from Oct. 5-6; Anchored off Izmir, Turkey, from Oct. 16-18; Inport Aksaz Naval Base from Oct. 23-26.

November 4, USS De Wert pulled into Souda Bay, Greece, for a week-long port call. Inport Aksaz again from Nov. 23-26.

December 4, FFG 45 arrived again at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Crete for a two-day port call.

December 20, USS De Wert returned to Mayport after a six-month deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR).

January 3, 2003 Cmdr. Matthew E. Loughlin relieved Cmdr. James R. Boorujy as CO of the USS De Wert.

February 18, The De Wert commenced a five-month Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA). Entered the dry-dock at Atlantic Marine shipyard in Jacksonville, Fla., on April 28; Undocked and returned to Naval Station Mayport on June 25; Underway for sea trials on July 15; Anchored at ATG-2 on July 16 for onload; Underway for local operations on July 17.

July 25, USS De Wert arrived in Bucksport, Maine, for a three-day port visit. Returned home on Aug. 1.

From September 18-19, the guided-missile frigate was underway for Command Assessment of Readiness and Training (CART) II. Underway again on Sept. 23; Underway for a Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) I from Sept. 30- Oct. 2 and Oct. 7-9; Underway for DLQs from Oct. 21-23; Underway for TSTA II from Oct. 27-31; Underway Demonstration from Nov. 3-4; Underway for Final Evaluation Problem (FEP) and Multi-Sail operations at AUTEC range from Nov. 14-21; Underway for DLQs from Dec. 15-16.

From January 20-23, 2004, the De Wert was underway for routine training in the Jacksonville OPAREA. Underway for the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) CSG's FEP as part of opposition forces from Jan. 28- Feb. 2; Underway for Week One workups from Feb. 16-20; Underway for the USS John F. Kennedy CSG's COMPTUEX as part of opposition forces from Feb. 20- March 18; Underway for local operations from March 22-25; Underway for Surge Readiness Pulse from March 26-2?; Underway for a Friends and Family Day Cruise on April 19; Underway for navigation check ride rehearsal on May 21; Underway again on May 23.

May 26, FFG 45 moored at Homeport Pier in Staten Island, New York, for a week-long port visit to participate in Fleet Week celebration. Returned home on June 4; Underway for nav check ride from June 10-11.

June 15, USS De Wert departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment in support of counter-narcotics operations in the U.S. 4th Fleet AoR. Inport Cozumel, Mexico, from June 19-21; Intercepted a "go-fast" vessel on June 25.

June 26, The De Wert moored at Vasco Nunez de Balboa Naval Base for a brief stop to refuel after transiting Panama Canal. Port visit to Manta, Ecuador, from July 3-6; Inport Balboa, Panama, again from July 16-19 and 28th.

August 9, USS De Wert arrived in Acapulco, Mexico, for a three-day port visit. Brief stop in Vasco Nunez de Balboa on Aug. 21; Inport Balboa again for a liberty visit to Panama City from Aug. 28-29; Transited Panama Canal on Aug. 30; Returned to Mayport for Intermediate Maintenance Availability (IMAV) on Sept. 10.

September 12, Cmdr. Mark J. De Clue relieved Cmdr. Matthew E. Loughlin as CO of the FFG 45.

September 24, USS De Wert departed Naval Station Mayport for the second part of deployment in support of UNITAS 46-05. Brief stop in Guantanamo Bay to embark U.S. Coast Guard team on Sept. 28; Port visit to Cartagena, Colombia, from Oct. 2-5.

October 11, The De Wert pulled into Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands, for a four-day visit to St. Thomas Island.

November 1, The guided-missile frigate pulled into Montevideo, Uruguay, for a four-day port call before participating in UNITAS Atlantic Phase. More than 2,000 people, 10 ships, two submarines and 11 aircraft from Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Spain and the United States will participate in a three-week exercise of the coast of South America. Inport Montevideo again from Nov. 16-18.

November 18, USS De Wert arrived in Buenos Aires, Brazil, for a four-day port visit. Brief stop in Fortaleza, Brazil, on Dec. 1; Returned to homeport on Dec. 10.

From January 14-15, 2005, the De Wert was underway for local operations. Commenced a two-month SRA on Feb. 9; Underway for sea trials from April 14-15; Underway for local operations from May 3-5 and 10-12th; Underway for CART II from May 18-19; Underway for Commanding Officer's Time from June 6-9, 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30th; Underway Demonstration (UD) on July 12; Underway for local operations from July 26-27 and Aug. 3-4.

September 8, USS De Wert emergency sortied from Naval Station Mayport to avoid the Hurricane Ophelia. Inport Naval Station Norfolk, Va., for "safe haven" from Sept. 11-16; Returned home on Sept. 18; Underway for Week One workups from Nov. 15-18; Underway for a Friends and Family Day Cruise on Dec. 1.

December 5, USS De Wert departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment as part of the Joint Interagency Task Force, South and U.S. Naval Forces, Southern Command.

December 6, The De Wert pulled into Naval Air Station Key West, Fla., for a brief port call. Transited Panama Canal on Dec. 11.

December 13, An SH-60B, assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48 Det. 9, crashed in international waters west of Colombia just after taking off from the flight deck of De Wert, at approximatelly 5.30 a.m. Search and rescue efforts for a helicopter and its three crew members have been officially terminated at approximately 6:15 p.m., after exhaustive efforts by U.S. and Colombian Navy air and surface assets.

December 20, The guided-missile frigate arrived in Guayaguil Bay, Ecuador, for a brief port call to offload drugs, migrants and detainees that were apprehended from the "go-fast" vessel on Dec. 18.

December 23, USS De Wert moored at Vaco Nunez de Balboa for a three-day liberty visit to Panama City. Brief stop in Manta, Ecuador, on Jan. 5, 2006; Seized 3500 pounds of cocaine on Jan. 14; Inport Balboa, Panama, from Jan. 20-21 and 27-30th; Transited Panama Canal northbound on Jan. 31; Inport Guantanamo Bay from Feb. 4-5; Anchored off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from Feb. 6-7.

February 10, The De Wert returned to homeport for a two-week mid-deployment CMAV.

March 3, USS De Wert arrived in Willemstad, Curacao, for a three-day port visit. Inport Colon, Panama, from March 17-20 and 27-28th; Brief stops in Colon on April 3 and 10th.

April 15, FFG 45 pulled into Oranjestad, Netherlands Antilles, for a three-day visit to Aruba Island. Port visit to Miami, Fla., from April 24-27.

April 28, USS De Wert returned to Naval Station Mayport after a five-month deployment in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

August 3, Cmdr. William R. Campbell relieved Cmdr. Mark J. De Clue as the 15th CO of De Wert.

May 19, 2007 USS De Wert departed homeport for a scheduled deployment as part of Surface Strike Group (SSG) 07-2.

June 1, FFG 45 pulled into Aarhus, Denmark, marking the beginning of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2007. This year’s participants include the United States, Denmark, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. After the exercise, De Wert is scheduled a four-day port visit in Kiel, Germany, where the officers and crew will have the opportunity to experience the annual "Kiel Week." The guided-missile frigate will return to Mayport at the beginning of July, and will deploy later in the month to conduct counter-narcotic operations.

August 23, Coordination between U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, and crews from a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion and USS De wert, resulted in the seizure of an estimated $352 million of cocaine during an interdicted and boarding operation on a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel on Aug. 19 in the eastern Pacific.

December 10, USS De Wert recently arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, for a scheduled port call.

March 14, 2008 FFG 45 pulled into Boston for a four-day port visit due to St. Patrick's Day weekend celebration.

May 27, USS De Wert, commanded by Cmdr. Jim Kirk, anchored off the coast of Roatan, Honduras, for a goodwill port call. The ship is currently deployed for counter-illicit trafficking operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.

July 18, While on patrol in the eastern Pacific Ocean, USS De Wert with embarked detachments, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 46 Det. 1, Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) 103, and Colombian Navy ship Buenaventura interdicted two go-fast vessels July 11, each carrying over one ton of cocaine.

September 20, The guided-missile frigate intercepted a fishing vessel carrying over three metric tons of cocaine in the eastern Pacific.

October 6, USS De Wert returned to Naval Station Mayport after four-and-a-half month counter-illicit deployment. She departed on May 23 and succeeded in intercepting 8.1 metric tons of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of $180 million and also visited several ports including Salaverry, Peru; Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama; and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles.

October 27, 2009 USS De Wert provided assistance to a Yemeni-flagged dhow Al Faris while the ship was on routine patrol in the Red Sea. The guided-missile frigate is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR).

February 25, 2010 FFG 45 recently departed Aqaba, Jordan, after a goodwill port visit.

March 18, USS De Wert returned to Mayport after a six-month underway period in support of counter-piracy and maritime security operations.

May 26, The De Wert pulled into New York City to participate in Fleet Week New York, May 26-June 2.

April 7, 2011 Cmdr. Vince W. Baker relieved Cmdr. Sean G. McLaren as CO of the USS De Wert during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship at Naval Station Mayport. FFG 45 successfully completed a four-month dry-docking availability at Earl Ship Repair Florida in March.

August 10, USS De Wert departed Mayport for a scheduled deployment in support of counter-piracy and maritime security operations as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1.

August 24, The guided-missile frigate pulled into Souda Bay, Grece, for a routine port call.

October 10, USS De Wert responded to a distress call after eleven Somali pirates captured the Italian M/V Montecristo. After RFA Fort Victoria arrived early Tuesday evening, she deployed NATO boarding teams and De Wert communicated with the pirates, forcing them to surrender without violence.

November 26, The De Wert recently pulled into Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for a scheduled port visit.

December 28, FFG 45 pulled into Port Louis, Mauritius, for a goodwill port visit.

February 14, 2012 USS De Wert departed Augusta Bay, Italy, to participate in a NATO's largest Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercise Proud Manta 2012, Feb. 14-26.

March 10, USS De Wert returned to Naval Station Mayport after a seven-month deployment in support of operations Active Endeavour and Ocean Shield. The ship traveled more than 50,000 miles and visited 10 different countries.

April 17, The De Wert arrived in New Orleans, La., for a six-day port visit to commemorate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 during the Fleet Week.

April 25, The guided-missile frigate pulled into Port Everglades, Fla., for a five-day port visit to participate in the 22nd Broward Navy Days' Fleet Week.

June 8, Cmdr. Joseph C. Thomas relieved Cmdr. Vince W. Baker as CO of FFG 45 during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship at Mayport.

July 16, USS De Wert departed homeport for a 73-day cruise through the Great Lakes to commemorate the bicentennial of the War of 1812 in cities in America and Canada.

July 20, USS De Wert, along with USS Hurricane (PC 3), arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for a three-day port visit.

July 26, The De Wert arrived in Quebec City, Quebec, for a four-day port visit.

July 30, USS De Wert, along with USS Hurricane and HMCS Ville de Quebec (FFH 332), moored at Qlock Tower Jetty in Montreal for a four-day port visit.

August 8, FFG 45 moored at Liquid Pier 5 on Jones Island in Milwaukee, Wis., for a five-day port visit. The ship made a brief stop at Detroit, Mich., on Aug. 7.

August 14, USS De Wert anchored off the coast of Chicago, IL., for a six-day port visit. USS Hurricane moored at Navy Pier; Another brief stop at Detroit on Aug. 22 to refuel.

August 23, USS De Wert moored at Maritime Plaza in downtown Toledo, Ohio, for a four-day port visit.

August 27, USS De Wert, along with USS Hurricane and USCGC Katmai Bay (WTGB 101), pulled into Cleveland, Ohio, for an eight-day port call.

September 4, The guided-missile frigate moored at Nicholson Dock, just south of the Ambassador Bridge, for a six-day port visit to Detroit. Brief port call to Ashtabula, Ohio, from Sept. 10-11.

September 11, The De Wert moored at Gateway Terminal in Lackawanna, New York, for a six-day port visit to Buffalo. Brief stop in Halifax, N.S., on Sept. 23 to refuel; Returned home on Sept. 27.

July 12, 2013 USS De Wert, with an embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46 Det. 3, departed Mayport for a scheduled Middle East deployment in support of Operation Ocean Shield, as part of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1.

July 31, FFG 45 arrived in Naval Support Activity Souda Bay at Crete, Greece, for a brief port call. Inport Djibouti in August.

September 14, USS De Wert pulled into Muscat, Oman, for a three-day port call.

November 10, The De Wert recently pulled into Victoria, Seychelles, for a liberty port visit. Concluded counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 3.

December 9, The guided-missile frigate moored at Santa Apolonia Passenger Terminal in Lisbon, Portugal, for a three-day port visit. Brief stop at Funchal, Portugal, to refuel on Dec. 14.

December 23, USS De Wert returned to Naval Station Mayport after more than a five-month deployment.

April 4, 2014 USS De Wert was decommissioned, after more than 30 years of servise, during a ceremony at Naval Station Mayport. The ship will be towed to Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Office Philadelphia and offered for foreign military sale.