(DE-1095: dp. 3,963 (f.); 1. 438'; b. 47'; dr. 25'; s. 27 k.; cpl. 245; a. 1 5", ASROC, LAMPS, 4 15.5" tt.; cl. Knox)
Quincy H. Truett was born in Quitman, Ga., on 3 April 1932. He enlisted in the Navy on 14 September 1951 at Jacksonville, Fla., and, during the later stages of the Korean War, saw duty in destroyers John W. Thomason (DD-760) and Floyd B. Parks (DD-884). Subsequently, he served successfully in Tulare (AKA-112), Chilton (APA-38), and Tawasa (ATF-92). From 1 August 1965 to September 1966, Truett served with the Naval Support Activity, Danang, in South Vietnam. Following a tour of duty with the Key West Test and Evaluation Detachment, he trained at the Naval Amphibious Base at Coronado, Calif., in preparation for his return to Vietnam. On 13 September 1968, Chief Boatswain's Mate Truett transferred to River Patrol Flotilla 5 and joined River Division 551.
On the night of 20 January 1969, his division was operating on the Kinh Dong Tien Canal. Truett was patrol officer for two of four river patrol boats escorting an armored troop carrier. The entire unit came under intense enemy fire, and the boat ahead of Truett's erupted in flames. When the blaze forced the patrol boat's crew into the water, Chief Truett ordered his own craft to the rescue. Seemingly oblivious to the enemy gunfire streaming at him, Chief Truett maintained a constant covering fire throughout the rescue of the crew of PER 8137. Though mortally wounded, Chief Truett continued to fight until the successful completion of the rescue. Chief Truett died of his wounds that same day. For his ". . . extraordinary heroism . . ." Chief Boatswain's Mate Truett was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
Truett (DE-1095) was laid down on 27 April 1972 at Westwego, La., by Avondale Shipyards, Inc.; launched on 3 February 1973; sponsored by Mrs. Geraldine Truett Walter; delivered to the Navy on 24 May 1974 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Va.; and commissioned there on 1 June 1974, Comdr. James W. Egerton in command.
On 20 August, Truett departed Hampton Roads and headed for the West Indies. After arriving at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 3 September, the ocean escort devoted the next six weeks to a feverish series of drills and exercises to prepare for duty in the Atlantic Fleet. On 8 October, Truett completed shakedown training and sailed for home. After a brief stop at St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, Truett returned to Norfolk on 18 October.
Following local operations in the Hampton Roads area and repairs at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Truett got underway in April 1975 to conduct further tests and to train some 40 officers attending the Surface Warfare School. In May, she embarked her LAMPS helicopter and its detachment of officers and men. On 24 May, the ocean escort cleared Norfolk to participate in Exercise "Solid Shield." After nine days of hard work, she returned to Norfolk to prepare for a "Unitas" deployment. During her stay at Norfolk, the Navy re-classified the ship as a frigate on 1 July 1975 and redesignated her FF-1095.
Twenty days later, the frigate left Norfolk and set a course for the Panama Canal. En route, she conducted exercises with units of the Colombian Navy. Truett transited the canal on 8 August and headed down the western coast of South America. For the duration of "Unitas XVI," she trained with units of various South American navies, among which were those of Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Venezuela. In the course of the deployment, she visited many ports and rounded Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. After conducting exercises with the navies of the east coast nations of South America, she made a brief stop at Trinidad before returning home to Norfolk on 8 December. During the first two months of 1976, she resumed normal operations out of Norfolk.
Between 3 and 21 March, Truett participated in an ASW and convoy operations exercise, "Safepass 76," with units of NATO's Standing Naval Force, Atlantic. Succeeding months were spent in preparation for the ship's forthcoming NATO deployment in the North Atlantic. Departing Norfolk on 14 June, Truett spent the next six months engaging in two major fleet exercises and visiting 20 ports from Norway to Portugal. The fleet frigate returned to Norfolk on 17 December and spent the remainder of the year enjoying a period of leave and a tender availability.
The greater part of 1977 was spent in priming the ship for deployment to the Mediterranean late in the year. During this workup period, Truett engaged in two major Atlantic Fleet exercises and underwent six inspections or qualifications. On 27 September, she departed for the Mediterranean and operations with the 6th Fleet which took her into the new year.
On 2 February 1978, Truett transited the Suez Canal and operated with the Middle East Force in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Ethiopian/Somalian crisis. Her operations there included a 56-day, continuous at-sea period. Returning to the Mediterranean in April, Truett arrived back in Norfolk on 25 April. The summer was spent conducting operations off the east coast, and the fleet frigate then proceeded to Braswell Shipyard, Boston, for a regular overhaul which commenced on 27 September. The ship remained there into 1979.
