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Goldsborough III (DDG-20)

(DDG-20: dp. 4,500 (f.); l. 437'; b. 47'; dr. 22'; s. over 30 k.; cpl. 354; a. Tar. mis. 25"; cl. Charles F. Adams)

Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough, born 18 February 1805 in Washington, D.C., was appointed Midshipman 28 June 1812, but did not serve until 13 February 1816 when he reported for duty at the Washington Navy Yard. He led a four-boat night expedition from Porpoise in September 1827 to rescue British merchant brig Comet from Mediterranean pirates. In 1830 he was appointed first officer in charge of the newly created Depot of Charts and Instruments at Washington, the rude beginning of the United States Hydrographic Office. It was Goldsborough who suggested creation of the depot and initiated the collection and centralization of the instruments, books and charts that were scattered among several Navy yards. After 2 years he was relieved by Lt. Charles Wilkes.

Goldsborough led German emigrants to Wirt's Estates near Monticello, Fla., in 1833; then took leave from the Navy to command a steamboat expedition and later mounted volunteers in the Seminole War. After cruising the Pacific in frigate United States, he participated in the bombardment of Vera Cruz in Ohio. He served consecutively as: commander of a detachment in the expedition against Tuxpan; senior officer of a commission which explored California and Oregon (1849-1850) ; Superintendent of the Naval Academy (1853-1857) ; and commander of the Brazil Squadron (1859-1861). During his command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron October 1861 to September 1862, he led his fleet off North Carolina, where in cooperation with troops under General Burnside, he captured Roanoke Island and destroyed a small Confederate fleet. After special administrative duties in Washington, D.C., he took command of the European Squadron in the last year of the Civil War, returning to Washington in 1868 to serve as Commander of the Washington Navy Yard until his retirement in 1873. Rear Admiral Goldsborough died 20 February 1877.

III

The third Goldsborough was launched 15 December 1961 by the Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock Co., Seattle, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. Alan Bibb, wife of U.S. Senator Bibb of Nevada; commissioned in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 9 November 1963, Captain Charles D. Allen, Jr., in command.

Goldsborough joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet 25 December 1963, as a unit of Cruiser-Destroyer Force with homeport at Pearl Harbor.

After shakedown out of Puget Sound, the new guided missile destroyer arrived Pearl Harbor 14 February 1964. Following qualification and acceptance tests, she sailed 18 April for Sydney, Australia, for the Coral Sea celebration and returned Pearl. Harbor 1 June. She operated in Hawaiian waters in the summer and early fall, then got underway 23 November for Yokosuka and her first West-Pac deployment. After operations strengthening the 7th Fleet during the escalating war in Vietnam, Goldsborough returned to Pearl for ASW training.

The guided missile destroyer headed for the Orient once more 9 February 1966 to bolster the 7th Fleet. In April she provided gunfire support for Operation "Binh Phu I" firing 594 rounds of 5" ammunition at Viet Cong troop concentration and buildings. During the last half of the month she screened attack carriers at Yankee Station. Next came SEATO exercises in May and duty as station ship at Hong Kong in June. On 26 June Goldsborough was again off Vietnam on picket station. She sailed for Hawaii 16 July and reach Pearl Harbor on the 23d.

A month later she entered the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for overhaul and extensive modification to prepare for resumed action in 1967.

Published: Mon Jul 13 12:02:01 EDT 2015