Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Tags
Related Content
Topic
Document Type
  • Themed Collection
Wars & Conflicts
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC

USS Harold E. Holt (DE-1074/FF-1074)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Harold E. Holt (DE-1074/FF-1074)

USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) was built by Todd Shipywards, Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, CA laid down on 11 May 1968, launched on 3 May 1969 and delivered on 19 March 1971. USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) was commissioned 26 March 1971, decommissioned 2 July 1992 and struck 11 January 1995. Although not scheduled for deployment so soon after commissioning, USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) was sent to the Gulf of Tonkin on short notice soon after the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive began in the spring of 1972. During deployment, she served as PIRAZ escort and provided gunfire support near Quang Tri. She came under fire a number of times from shore batteries and sustained one mine hit with minor damage. She returned to Long Beach in late November 1972.

In May 1975, USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) was involved in the Mayaguez incident. During the recapture of the container ship Mayaguez, Marine crossing from USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) conducted the first hostile ship-to-ship boarding by the U.S. Navy since 1826.

On 21 March 1984, the Victor-class submarine K-314 collided with the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Sea of Japan. USS Kitty Hawk was not significantly damaged but the Soviet submarine could not get underway to proceed home for repairs under her own power. USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) stayed on scene for several days before the Soviets could send out a seagoing tug to bring her home. USS Harold E. Holt  (FF-1074) offered assistance several times after daybreak but was refused by K-314's captain.

On 10 July 2002, USS Harold E. Holt (FF-1074) was sunk as a target ship as part of the RIMPAC training exercises.