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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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Reasoner (DE-1063)

1971-1995

Frank Stanley Reasoner -- born on 16 September 1937 in Spokane, Wash.  -- enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1955, and reached the rank of sergeant prior to entering the U.S. Military Academy in 1958. At West Point, he won four consecutive brigade boxing championships. Graduating in June 1962, he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

Arriving in Vietnam in April 1965, 1st Lt. Frank Reasoner died in action near Danang, Vietnam, on 12 July. That day he led a five-man reconnaissance patrol into enemy-controlled territory. He killed two enemy soldiers, and destroyed an automatic weapons position. He died as he aided a wounded Marine. For his bravery in battle and his concern for the wounded, Frank Reasoner was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.

(DE-1063: displacement 4,100 (full load); length 438'; beam 46'9"; draft 24'9"; speed 27 knots; complement 220; armament 1 5-inch, 1 ASROC, 4 Mark 32 torpedo tubes; class Knox)

Reasoner (DE-1063) was laid down 6 January 1969 by Lockheed Shipbuilding & Construction Co., Seattle, Wash.; launched 1 August 1970; cosponsored by Mrs. James C. Curry and Mrs. Robert Svinger. Reasoner was commissioned 31 July 1971, Cmdr. Francisco Velazquez-Suarez, USN, commanding.

Reasoner was homeported at San Diego, Calif. where she spent the remainder of 1971. On 22 January 1972, she moved to Long Beach, Calif., for an extended period of modification and equipment additions. She departed from Long Beach 9 November and returned to San Diego. After refresher training in the southern California operations area and two months of normal operations around San Diego, Reasoner sailed for her first deployment - in the western Pacific.

After six months employment in the Far East, she returned to San Diego in late September 1973.

Decommissioned on 28 August 1993, the ship was transferred to the government of Turkey.

Reasoner was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 January 1995.

Update, 1973-1995, pending.

23 September 2005

Published: Tue Jan 19 12:13:00 EST 2016