The Ford (FFG 54) is the 44th Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate and is named for Gunner's Mate Patrick O. Ford (1942-1968). He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for his heroism as a patrol river boatman in the Vietnam War. The keel was laid down on July 16, 1982, by Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp., Seattle Division. The ship was christened and launched on June 23, 1984, by Jonda McFarlane, wife of National Security Advisor Robert C. McFarlane. USS Ford was commissioned on June 29, 1985, at Naval Station Long Beach, Calif; Cmdr. Joseph F. Eckler is the first commanding officer.

September 20, 1999 USS Ford departed Naval Station Everett for a scheduled deployment as part of the Middle East Force (MEF) 99-3.

September 26, The guided-missile frigate pulled into Pearl Harbor, Hawaai, for a brief port call to refuel. Inport Singapore from Oct. 14-18; anchored off Phuket, Thailand, from Oct. 20-25; Entered the Arabian Gulf on Nov. 2 for Maritime Interception Operations (MIO); Inport Manama, Bahrain, from Nov. 4-7.

November 13, The Ford pulled into Jubail, Saudi Arabia, for a three-day port call. Port visit to Doha, Qatar, from Nov. 24-28.

December 11, FFG 54 moored at Mina Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., for a three-day port visit. Port call to Dubai from Jan. 6-11.

January 17, 2000 USS Ford moored at Mina Salman Pier in Manama, Bahrain, for a four-day port call. Inport Manama again from Jan. 30-31; Transited Strait of Hormuz southbound on Feb. 1.

February 14, The Ford arrived in Bunbury, Australia, for a five-day port visit. Port call to Devonport, Australia, from Feb. 24-29; Brief stop at Noumea, New Caledonia, to refuel from March 4-5; Inport Pearl Harbor from March 11-12.

March 20, USS Ford returned to Everett, Wash., after a six-month deployment in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR).

May 9, FFG 54 moored at Naval Magazine Indian Island in Port Hadlock, Wash., for ammo offload. Underway on May 10.

May 12, USS Ford moored at CFB Esquimalt near Victoria, B.C., Canada, for a three-day port call. Returned home on May 15.

May 23, The Ford entered the Todd Shipyard in Seattle, Wash., for a three-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). Underway for sea trials from July 25-26; Underway again on Sept. 8; Inport Naval Station San Diego, Calif., for training availability from Sept. 12-18.

September 19, The guided-missile frigate arrived in Naval Base Ventura County at Port Hueneme, Calif., for a six-day port call. Returned to Everett on Sept. 29; Underway for Type Training on Oct. 10; Inport Esquimalt, B.C., from Oct. 13-16; Underway for TSTA I from Nov. 28- Dec. 1; Underway for Engineering UD from Dec. 7-8.

April 27, 2001 Cmdr. David F. Matawitz relieved Cmdr. Thomas F. Nedervold as the 10th CO of Ford.

October ?, USS Ford departed Naval Station Everett for a six-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Maritime Security Operations in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

January 24, 2003 Cmdr. David A. Schnell relieved Cmdr. David F. Matawitz as commanding officer of the Ford.

June 10, The guided-miisle frigate pulled into Portland, Oregon, to participate in the annual Rose Festival.

April ?, 2004 USS Ford departed departed homeport for a scheduled deployment, with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Group, in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

June 16, The Ford is currently underway in the Gulf of Alaska participating in the annual air exercise Northern Edge, as part of the JCS CSG.

November 5, USS Ford returned to Everett after more than a five-month underway period in the western Pacific, Sea of Japan and South China Sea. During deployment, the Oliver Hazard Perry-class ship took part in exercises Northern Edge 2004, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) and Joint Air-Sea Exercise (JASEX) and also made various port visits including Banbury, Australia, in October.

November 9, Cmdr. Timothy B. Spratto relieved Cmdr. David A. Schnell as CO of FFG 54 during a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Station Everett.

January 6, 2006 USS Ford departed homeport for a scheduled deployment to conduct various anti-drug operations in the South American waters.

January 20, The guided-missile frigate rescued two civilian sailors at sea in the early morning hours of Jan. 19 in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, off the coast of Mexico.

January 21, USS Ford pulled into Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, for a brief port call.

July 3, USS Ford returned to Naval Station Everett after completing the six-month underway period in the Southern Command Area of Operations.

July 20, Cmdr. Michael J. Taylor relieved Cmdr. Timothy B. Spratto as CO of FFG 54.

September 22, The Ford commenced a nine-week Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) while pierside at Naval Station Everett.

May 4, 2007 USS Ford departed Everett for a scheduled deployment in support of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise.

June 18, The Ford arrived in Sattahip for the Thailand phase of CARAT 2007 exercise. The Philippine phase ended on June 8.

July 2, The guided-missile frigate pulled into Kemaman, Malaysia, for the third CARAT phase.

August 3, The Ford arrived in Muara, Brunei, for the fifth phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercise.

August 17, FFG 54 is currently participating in a week-long exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT) 2007.

September 20, USS Ford returned to homeport after a four-and-a-half-month underway period.

January 25, 2008 Cmdr. John D. Wilshusen relieved Cmdr. Michael J. Taylor as commanding officer of USS Ford.

May 28, FFG 54 recently arrived in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, for the first phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2008.

July 20, USS Ford, along with USS Tortuga, (LSD 46), USS Jarrett (FFG 33) and USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50) arrived in, Surabaya, Indonesia, to participate in a week-long Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) between the U.S. and Indonesian navies.

August 18, The closing ceremony of the 14th CARAT exercise was held in Brunei on Aug. 10.

September 28, USS Ford returned to Everett, Wash., after a five-month deployment.

May 8, 2009 The Ford recently departed Naval Station Mayport in support of Southern Seas 2009, in the waters surrounding Latin America and the Caribbean.

June 11, FFG 54 recently pulled into Callao Naval Base in Peru for a scheduled port visit.

August 27, Cmdr. Cord H. Luby relieved Cmdr. John D. Wilshusen as the 15th CO of Ford during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship off the coast of Panama City.

October 20, USS Ford returned to homeport after a six-month deployment in the U.S. 4th Fleet AoR. The ship intercepted $425 million in cocaine and assisted in a number of search and rescue missions off the coasts of Panama, Colombia and Guatemala.

June 9, 2010 USS Ford pulled into CFB Esquimalt in Victoria, Canada, to participate in International Fleet Review.

June 24, The guided-missile frigate arrived in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to participate in RIMPAC 2010.

April 4, 2011 Cmdr. Donald M. Foss relieved Cmdr. Cord H. Luby as CO of the Ford during a change-of-command ceremony on board the ship at Naval Station Everett.

May 9, USS Ford departed Everett for a scheduled western Pacific deployment.

June 7, FFG 54 recently arrived in Kuantan, Malaysia, to participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise. The ship previously visited Hawaii, Guam and Japan; Inport White Beach, Okinawa, from June 22-23; Inport Sasebo, Japan, from June 24-28.

July 2, USS Ford arrived in Vladivostok, Russia, for a three-day port call to celebrate the Day of the city and 4th of July.

September 10, The Ford anchored off the coast of Phuket, Thailand, for a five-day port visit.

September 23, The guided-missile frigate completed at-sea phase of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh 2011, in the Bay of Bengal.

October 1, USS Ford pulled into Kochi, India, for a four-day port call.

October 11, FFG 54 anchored off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka, for a three-day port visit.

November 17, USS Ford returned to Naval Station Everett after a six-month deployment.

March 2, 2012 The Ford successfully transited from Everett to Naval Base San Diego, Calif., using 25,000 gallons of a 50/50 algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76 blend in the ships LM 2500 gas turbines.

October 2, Cmdr. Joseph T. Shuler relieved Cmdr. Donald M. Foss as CO of the USS Ford.

October 14, The guided-missile frigate is currently participating in a Task Group Exercise (TGEX) with the Canadian naval forces, off the coast of Vancouver Island, through Oct. 22.

From January 22-25, 2013, USS Ford was underway for local operations.

April 29, The Ford departed homeport to participate in a biennial joint training exercise Trident Fury, off the coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, from May 3-14.

April 30, USS Ford moored at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt, B.C., for a three-day port call. Returned to Everett, Wash., on May 14; Underway for a plank owner's cruise on July 9.

From July 22-26, FFG 54 was underway for the last time, before being decommissioned in October, in support of CNO project and to offload ammunition at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Wash.

August 1, Capt. William M. Triplett relieved Capt. Mark A. Johnson as Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, during a change-of-command ceremony on board the USS Ford.

October 31, USS Ford (FFG 54) was officially decommissioned during a ceremony at Naval Station Everett, after more than 28 years of active service. The ship will be towed to Bremerton, Wash., on Nov. 6 for storage.

August 23, 2019 The ex-USS Ford departed Bremerton, under tow by USNS Sioux (T-ATF 171), en route to its final resting place of Guam; Anchored off Oahu, Hawaii, for a brief stop before underway again, under tow by USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51), on Sept. 9.

October 1, The ex-USS Ford was sunk during a sinking exercise (SINKEX), as part of a bilateral exercise Pacific Griffin 19, approximately 170 n.m. off the coast of Guam.