Garcia class frigates were United States Navy warships. These frigates were originally ocean escorts bearing the hull classification DE or DEG until 1975. The ships were commissioned between 1964 to 1968 and decommissioned between 1988 to 1990.

Description

The Garcia class was a larger version of the Bronstein class.

The Bronstein ocean escort was a response to the development of high speed nuclear submarines in the late 1950s. They were powered by steam engines instead of diesel engines and incorporated a first class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon system: the SQS-26BX sonar, MK 112 ASROC rocket launcher, and MK 32 torpedo tubes. Gun (naval artillery) armament (MK 33 3 inch/50 caliber) was changed in the Garcia class to two MK 30 5 inch/38 caliber guns.

There were two distinct breeds of ships bearing the DE hull classification, the World War II destroyer escorts (some of which were converted to DERs) and the postwar DE/DEG classes, which were known as ocean escorts despite carrying the same type symbol as the WWII destroyer escorts. All DEs, DEGs, and DERs were reclassified as FFs, FFGs, or FFRs on June 30, 1975 by the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification.

After decommissioning, USS Bradley (FF-1041), USS Davidson (FF-1045), USS Sample (FF-1048), and USS Albert David (FF-1050), were transferred to the Brazilian Navy, as the Pernambuco (D 30), Paraíba (D 28), Paraná (D 29), and Pará (D 27), respectively. was a Garcia class modified for research use, commissioned as AGDE-1 in 1965, redesignated AGFF-1 in 1975, and redesignated FF-1098 in 1979.

Units

Ship Name	Hull No.	Builder	Commission– Decommission	Fate	Link
Garcia	FF-1040	Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco	1964-1989	Disposed of by Navy title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 03/28/1994
Bradley	FF-1041	Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco	1965-1988	Sold to Brazil as Pernambuco (D 30)
Edward McDonnell	FF-1043	Avondale Shipyard, Louisiana	1965-1988	Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, 08/21/2002
Brumby	FF-1044	Avondale Shipyard, Louisiana	1965-1989	Disposed of by Navy title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 09/28/1994
Davidson	FF-1045	Avondale Shipyard, Louisiana	1965-1988	Sold to Brazil as Paraiba (D28)
Voge	FF-1047	Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Michigan	1966-1989	Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, 01/19/2001
Sample	FF-1048	Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, Seattle	1968-1988	Sold to Brazil as Paraná (D 29), 2001
Koelsch	FF-1049	Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Michigan	1967-1989	Disposed of by Navy title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 09/28/1994
Albert David	FF-1050	Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company Seattle	1968-1989	Sold to Brazil as Pará (D 27), 2001
O'Callahan	FF-1051	Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Michigan	1968-1988	Disposed of by Navy title transfer to the Maritime Administration, 03/28/1994
Glover	FF-1098	Bath Iron Works	1965-1990	Disposed of, sold by DRMS for scrapping, 04/15/1994

Gallery

See also

• Destroyer escort DE
• Frigate FF
• List of frigates of the United States Navy
• List of frigates by country and by frigate class

Notes

External links

• Garcia-class frigates at Destroyer History Foundation
• Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships from Naval Historical Center - information about person whom ship was named after plus early ship history
• Garcia picture
• Voge
• Sample
• Koelsch
• Albert David picture
• O'Callahan
• Frigate from Naval Vessel Register - all these ships have been decommissioned - see link for status
• The Garcia class from Destroyers OnLine - pictures, history, crews
• Destroyer Escort Sailors Association more information and history about DEs
• USS Voge former crewmember's site with pictures (archive link, was dead)