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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books Accidents aboard the Ship About the Ship's Name History Image Gallery to end of page |  |
USS COOK was the 32nd KNOX - class frigate. The USS COOK was the second ship of the Fleet to be named COOK and the first one to be named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Wilmer Paul Cook. Originally designated as destroyer escort (DE), the COOK was redesignated as frigate (FF) on July 30, 1975. Decommissioned on April 30, 1992, the COOK was leased to Taiwan in 1994. There she was recommissioned as HAE YANG. Stricken from the Navy list on January 11, 1995, the COOK was finally purchased by Taiwan on September 29, 1999.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: August 25, 1966 |
| Keel laid: March 20, 1970 | |
| Launched: January 23, 1971 | |
| Commissioned: December 18, 1971 | |
| Decommissioned: April 30, 1992 | |
| Builder: Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La. | |
| Propulsion system: 2 - 1200 psi boilers; 1 geared turbine, 1 shaft; 35,000 shaft horsepower | |
| Length: 438 feet (133.5 meters) | |
| Beam: 47 feet (14.4 meters) | |
| Draft: 25 feet (7.6 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 4,200 tons full load | |
| Speed: 27 knots | |
| Armament: one Mk-16 missile launcher for ASROC and | |
| Aircraft: one | |
| Crew: 18 officers, 267 enlisted |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS COOK. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS COOK Cruise Books:
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Accidents aboard USS COOK:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 1979 | off Point Loma, Calif. | USS COOK collides with the combat stores ship USS MARS (AFS 1) in fog south of Point Loma near San Diego while both vessels are proceeding toward the San Clemente Island operating area. The collision crushes approximately twenty feet of USS COOK's bow. Seven members of her crew are injured. USS MARS sustains a large opening in her side and other structural damage. |
back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Ship's Name:
Wilmer Paul Cook, born in Annapolis, Maryland, 1 October 1932, attended high school in Annapolis, Maryland, and one year of college at the University of Maryland before entering the Naval Academy in 1952. Following his commissioning in June 1956, he entered flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1957.
He became an expert in flying the A-4E, Douglas Skyhawk, and on one occasion he planned and flew across country record flight in the Skyhawk. He served in Attack Squadrons 125, 216, 192 and 112 and then joined Attack Squadron 155.
On two deployments to the Tonkin Gulf on the carriers CONSTELLATION (CVA 64) and CORAL SEA (CVA 43) he flew over 300 missions, risking his life countless times. When he lost his Squadron Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, he took command of Attack Squadron 155 and continued to lead his men on successful strikes against North Vietnamese targets.
On 22 December, 1967, Lieutenant Commander Cook perished when his plane, the "City of Annapolis," was hit by enemy fire while leading an air strike on supply routes between Vinh and Ha Tinh. An able veteran, he had been due for shore duty but chose to return to the war zone. His values and deep insight into his reasons for fighting were expressed in a conversation with his father, in which he said, "I'll always go where my country sends me and will always do whatever it asks. Perhaps what I am doing may keep my two sons from going to war." Prior to his death, he received numerous medals for his heroism in the line of duty in connection with air attacks on active North Vietnamese missile sites and patrol craft. His decorations for valor include three Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Navy Commendation Medals, and five Air Medals for Meritorious Achievement.
Lieutenant Commander Cook's remains were recovered in Vietnam in 1988, identified in 1989 and eventually committed to the Pacific from the ship that bore his name.
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS COOK History:
The contract for USS COOK was awarded on August 25, 1966. USS COOK belonged to the KNOX-class, which had been developed primarily for anti-submarine warfare and the protection of aircraft carrier groups, amphibious forces, logistics formations and merchant convoys. Avondale Shipyards laid her keel at Westwego, Louisiana, on March 20, 1970. She was launched on January 23, 1971, sponsored by Joan C. Nelson, the widow of Wilmer Cook, and was delivered to the Navy on December 9, 1971.
USS COOK was commissioned at the Boston Naval Shipyard on December 18, 1971, with Commander James R. Talbot in command. She was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 3 and was to be homeported at Long Beach, California. Her commissioning at Boston was followed by fitting-out work, trials and preparations for an extended shakedown voyage from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific by way of South America.
USS COOK departed Boston on February 24, 1972, to begin her shakedown cruise. She arrived at Annapolis, Maryland, on February 25 for her first port visit. The call was particularly appropriate because Wilmer Cook had attended the United States Naval Academy there. The ship subsequently continued south for trials and training in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The programme included engineering tests, navigation, communications, gunnery, damage control and anti-submarine warfare exercises.
On March 14, 1972, while operating near Aruba, USS COOK received word that the Brazilian cargo ship BARAO DE MAUA had suffered a serious explosion and fire. Several cargo spaces were burning, and crewmen had been killed or injured. The Swedish merchant ship ANTONIA JOHNSON had already recovered survivors when USS COOK reached the area. Medical personnel from the destroyer escort assisted in treating the injured. Six men had been killed during the explosion and fire, two others died while abandoning the ship, and several survivors had suffered serious burns or other injuries. The incident gave the newly commissioned crew an early humanitarian assignment under difficult conditions.
USS COOK resumed her voyage and arrived at Recife, Brazil, on March 24 for refuelling. She reached Rio de Janeiro on March 27 and anchored there for a scheduled visit. The ship then continued south along the Atlantic coast of South America. Rather than passing through the Panama Canal, she proceeded through the Strait of Magellan and the channels of southern Chile before continuing north along the Pacific coast. On April 3, 1972, USS COOK began the passage through the Strait of Magellan and the restricted waterways of the Smyth Channel. The route involved narrow passages, strong currents, rapidly changing weather and demanding navigational conditions. After entering the Pacific, she reached Valparaiso, Chile, on April 11 and remained there until April 14. She then proceeded north and visited Callao, Peru.
USS COOK subsequently called at Acapulco, Mexico. She departed Acapulco on April 25, made a brief refuelling stop at Manzanillo on April 26 and continued toward southern California. Her arrival at Long Beach completed a shakedown voyage that had taken the ship from the North Atlantic through the Caribbean, down the eastern coast of South America, through the Strait of Magellan and northward along the Pacific coast.
On May 20, 1972, the city of Cypress, California, formally adopted USS COOK during its annual spring festival. The relationship established a continuing connection between the ship and the local community. During the following weeks, the destroyer escort conducted training in the southern California operating areas. On June 6, she rendezvoused with USS FOX (DLG 33) and the fleet oiler USS CACAPON (AO 52) for underway replenishment and additional training.
USS COOK began her post-shakedown availability at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard on June 26, 1972. Shipyard personnel corrected deficiencies discovered during the shakedown cruise, maintained machinery and weapons and completed alterations needed for regular fleet service. After leaving the yard, the ship conducted sea trials, refresher training and local operations from Long Beach during the remainder of the year. These activities prepared her for deployment to the western Pacific during the final phase of direct American naval involvement in the Vietnam conflict.
Commander Carl A. Nelson relieved Commander James R. Talbot as commanding officer on April 12, 1973. USS COOK departed Long Beach on May 9 for her first western Pacific deployment as part of a Destroyer Squadron 9 deployment group. The precise composition of the group changed during the passage and subsequent operations, but USS COOK operated with several destroyers, frigates and support ships assigned to the Pacific Fleet. The deployment began only a few months after the Paris Peace Accords of January 27, 1973, had formally ended direct United States combat operations in Vietnam. American naval forces nevertheless remained active in the region to support the ceasefire, remove mines from North Vietnamese waters and maintain aircraft carrier and surveillance forces in the western Pacific.
USS COOK arrived at Subic Bay in the Philippines on June 1, 1973. Subic Bay was the principal American naval repair, supply and logistical base in the western Pacific. After completing upkeep and preparations, the ship operated in the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, where she screened carrier and support formations. One of her principal assignments was service with the aircraft carrier USS CONSTELLATION (CVA 64). The carrier continued flight operations in the region while the United States monitored the implementation of the peace agreement and maintained a naval presence near Indochina. USS COOK provided anti-submarine protection, radar surveillance and plane-guard support and participated in replenishment and formation exercises with the carrier group.
The destroyer escort was also assigned to Task Force 78 during Operation End Sweep. Under the Paris Peace Accords, the United States had agreed to remove mines laid by American aircraft in North Vietnamese ports and coastal waters during 1972. Minesweeping helicopters and surface craft operated near Haiphong and other coastal areas while supporting ships provided surveillance, communications, logistics and protection. USS COOK served as an air-surveillance and defensive picket for the minesweeping force. Her radar and communications equipment helped monitor the surrounding air and surface picture, while her weapons and anti-submarine systems contributed to the protection of the ships and aircraft carrying out the clearance work. The operation was politically sensitive because it required American forces to work close to the North Vietnamese coast after the formal end of direct hostilities.
During the deployment, USS COOK operated with a variety of Seventh Fleet units and repeatedly used Subic Bay as her principal support base. She also visited ports in Japan and underwent periods of upkeep. In July, she was directed toward Yokosuka but was temporarily recalled for duties associated with Task Force 78. She refuelled at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, during movements between operating areas.
After Operation End Sweep ended, USS COOK resumed carrier escort, anti-submarine and surveillance duties. She continued operating in the Gulf of Tonkin and western Pacific before returning to California later in 1973.
USS COOK spent much of early 1974 in maintenance and training along the west coast. Her activities included anti-submarine warfare exercises, gunnery, missile training, helicopter operations, engineering drills and fleet manoeuvres. On June 25, she proceeded north in company with the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS LONG BEACH (CGN 9). The ships visited Everett and Seattle, Washington, before returning to regular Pacific Fleet operations.
During the second half of 1974, USS COOK prepared for another western Pacific deployment. Commander Carl A. Nelson remained in command when the ship departed Long Beach on December 5 in company with the destroyer USS EDSON (DD 946). The political and military position in Southeast Asia had deteriorated substantially since her previous deployment. Although United States combat forces had withdrawn, the governments of Cambodia and South Vietnam were under increasing military pressure, and American naval forces remained available for evacuation and contingency operations.
USS COOK crossed the Pacific and operated from Subic Bay and other western Pacific ports during the opening months of 1975. Commander Jerry C. McMurry relieved Commander Carl A. Nelson on April 4, 1975. By that time, Khmer Rouge forces were closing on Phnom Penh, while North Vietnamese forces were advancing rapidly through South Vietnam. On April 12, 1975, American forces conducted Operation Eagle Pull, the helicopter evacuation of the United States Embassy and designated Cambodian civilians from Phnom Penh. USS COOK served with Task Force 76, the naval force positioned in the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea to support the operation. The principal helicopter flights were conducted from amphibious ships, while escorts such as USS COOK provided radar surveillance, communications, anti-submarine protection and defence of the formation.
After the evacuation of Phnom Penh, the situation in South Vietnam deteriorated rapidly. USS COOK and other ships of Task Force 76 moved toward waters off the Vietnamese coast. By April 20, the force was operating approximately twelve miles off Vung Tau. The waters around the ships became increasingly crowded with South Vietnamese naval vessels, merchant ships, fishing boats and other craft carrying military personnel, government officials and civilians attempting to escape. Operation Frequent Wind began on April 29, 1975. Marine Corps and Air Force helicopters evacuated Americans and designated South Vietnamese from landing zones in Saigon to ships offshore. At the same time, large numbers of South Vietnamese military helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft independently flew toward the American fleet. The volume of arriving aircraft exceeded the capacity of the principal receiving ships. Although USS COOK had only a relatively small flight deck intended for one SH-2 helicopter, she accepted helicopters carrying evacuees. After their passengers had disembarked, aircraft that could not be retained had to be removed from the deck so that additional helicopters could land. Similar measures were taken aboard other escorts and amphibious ships throughout the formation. The ship's crew provided temporary shelter, food, water and medical assistance while continuing to man operational and defensive stations.
After the helicopter evacuation ended, USS COOK assisted ships and smaller craft carrying refugees away from the South Vietnamese coast. She received evacuees and provided supplies and other support to vessels in the surrounding waters. The extensive organization, repair and navigation of the main group of former Republic of Vietnam Navy ships was carried out principally by other assigned vessels, especially USS KIRK (DE 1087), while USS COOK performed the specific support and refugee-assistance duties assigned to her.
From May 19 through May 21, 1975, USS COOK searched for and monitored additional vessels carrying refugees. She then resumed operations with the aircraft carrier USS HANCOCK (CVA 19). Her assignment with the carrier continued until June 5, when she began the voyage home in company with the ammunition ship USS FLINT (AE 32). USS COOK arrived at San Diego on June 23.
On June 30, 1975, USS COOK was reclassified from destroyer escort DE 1083 to frigate FF 1083 as part of a Navy-wide revision of surface-warship designations. After returning from deployment, USS COOK underwent upkeep and resumed training from the west coast. Her activities during late 1975 and early 1976 included anti-submarine exercises, gunnery, engineering training and helicopter operations. These preparations led to her third western Pacific deployment.
USS COOK departed California on April 13, 1976. She arrived at Subic Bay on May 15 and entered the normal cycle of training, escort, surveillance and maintenance that characterized Seventh Fleet deployments during the period. After local operations, she accompanied the aircraft carrier USS MIDWAY (CV 41) during exercises in the Sea of Japan. Following a brief visit to Yokosuka, USS COOK proceeded to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for anti-submarine warfare exercises with the Republic of China Navy. The ship later visited Hong Kong and continued operations from Subic Bay. Her assignments included independent steaming, carrier support, anti-submarine exercises and training with allied naval forces.
By the middle of the 1970s, the strategic emphasis of the Pacific Fleet had changed. The Vietnam War had ended, but the United States continued to maintain treaty commitments to Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and other regional partners. Soviet naval activity in the Pacific and Indian oceans was increasing, while political uncertainty persisted across Southeast Asia. USS COOK's deployments therefore combined readiness training, surveillance and the maintenance of a continuing American naval presence. The frigate returned to the United States later in 1976. On December 22, the embarked helicopter detachment reached a total of 1,083 accident-free landings aboard the ship, a number corresponding to her hull number. Helicopter operations were central to the KNOX-class' anti-submarine mission because the aircraft could search for and attack submarines at distances beyond the reach of the ship's own sonar and weapons.
USS COOK continued local operations during early 1977. Vice Admiral William R. St. George visited the ship on March 2. Commander Joseph B. Famme relieved Commander Jerry C. McMurry as commanding officer on June 3. During June, the frigate participated in anti-submarine exercises involving coordination among surface ships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters. Later in 1977, USS COOK began an extended overhaul that lasted for nearly fourteen months. The work removed her from normal deployment availability and included substantial maintenance of the steam propulsion plant, electrical systems, weapons, sonar, hull and accommodation spaces. Lengthy overhauls were necessary for KNOX-class frigates because their high-pressure engineering plants and complex sonar installations required extensive periodic maintenance.
The overhaul continued through much of 1978. While USS COOK remained in the yard, she hosted personnel from visiting allied ships. On February 28, 1978, Canadian naval personnel visited the frigate. On September 28, she received personnel from the British frigates HMS LEANDER, HMS JUNO and HMS HERMIONE, which were visiting the west coast. Additional Canadian visitors were received during the following week. After the overhaul was completed, USS COOK conducted sea trials, refresher training and weapons qualification. The programme rebuilt the crew's proficiency after the long yard period and tested the reliability of the repaired machinery, weapons and sensors. The ship spent the remainder of 1978 conducting local and fleet training in preparation for renewed overseas service.
On February 1, 1979, USS COOK transferred from Destroyer Squadron 3 to Destroyer Squadron 15. On May 14, 1979, USS COOK collided with the combat stores ship USS MARS (AFS 1) in fog south of Point Loma near San Diego while both vessels were proceeding toward the San Clemente Island operating area. The collision crushed approximately twenty feet of USS COOK's bow. Seven members of her crew were injured. USS MARS sustained a large opening in her side and other structural damage.
The accident led to investigations of navigation, communications and command decisions aboard both ships. USS COOK entered the Long Beach Naval Shipyard on June 1 for approximately one month of emergency hull repairs. Commander Joseph B. Famme was relieved of command on July 5 as a consequence of the collision, and Commander Michael B. Ferguson succeeded him. Following repairs, USS COOK resumed sea trials and operational training. Her return to service coincided with increasing political tension in the Middle East. The Iranian Revolution had overthrown Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi early in 1979, and the seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran on November 4 began a hostage crisis that would continue for 444 days. American carrier groups and escort ships were deployed for prolonged periods in the Indian Ocean and northern Arabian Sea.
USS COOK deployed to the western Pacific and Indian Ocean during 1980. An unexpectedly early departure on February 28 required her to assume assignments that had been planned for the frigate USS REASONER (FF 1063). She eventually operated in support of American carrier forces at the area in the northern Arabian Sea commonly known as Gonzo Station. Ships stationed there maintained surveillance and readiness while the United States considered military and diplomatic responses to the hostage crisis. USS COOK's duties included anti-submarine screening, radar surveillance, escort operations and participation in carrier-group exercises. The extended time at sea placed heavy demands on crews and machinery, while the limited availability of nearby American bases made underway replenishment and support locations such as Diego Garcia and Al Masirah particularly important.
The unsuccessful American attempt to rescue the hostages in April 1980 increased the requirement to maintain naval forces in and around the Arabian Sea. USS COOK remained part of the broader American naval presence during the crisis before eventually returning to the Pacific coast.
Commander Robert H. Joyce relieved Commander Michael B. Ferguson on July 23, 1981. USS COOK departed on another western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment on August 20. The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, the Iran-Iraq War and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz gave the deployment a strong Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea emphasis. The frigate operated from western Pacific ports before continuing through Southeast Asian waters toward the Indian Ocean. During October, she was ordered toward waters near Socotra, an island close to the entrance of the Gulf of Aden and then controlled by the Soviet-aligned government of South Yemen. Soviet naval vessels used facilities and anchorages in the region.
On October 21, 1981, USS COOK observed a Soviet FOXTROT-class submarine being towed near Socotra. The encounter gave the ship an opportunity to gather visual and electronic information concerning Soviet submarine activity. After completing the surveillance assignment, she returned to Gonzo Station and resumed escort and screening duties in the northern Arabian Sea. USS COOK used Diego Garcia and other facilities supporting operations in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. She arrived at Sembawang Naval Shipyard in Singapore on December 29, 1981, for maintenance. Singapore provided an important repair and logistical location between the Indian Ocean and western Pacific operating areas.
The deployment continued into 1982 before USS COOK returned to San Diego. She entered a selected restricted availability on June 28, 1982. The yard period concentrated on repairs and alterations that could be carried out without a full overhaul. After leaving the yard, the ship conducted sea trials, refresher training and local exercises. Commander Donald J. Degreef relieved Commander Robert H. Joyce on July 2, 1983. During 1983, USS COOK conducted another western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment. The international environment remained tense. The Soviet Union continued its war in Afghanistan, the Iran-Iraq War threatened oil production and shipping in the Persian Gulf region, and American carrier and surface forces maintained a continuing presence in the Indian Ocean.
USS COOK crossed the Pacific and operated from Subic Bay and other Seventh Fleet facilities. Her duties included aircraft carrier screening, anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and independent operations. She visited Diego Garcia from July 17 through July 20, 1983, before returning to operations in the Indian Ocean and northern Arabian Sea. The ship's sonar, helicopter capability and endurance made her useful for monitoring submarines and protecting carrier and logistics formations over large ocean areas. The deployment also required repeated underway replenishment and lengthy periods far from major repair facilities. After completing the cruise, USS COOK returned to San Diego and prepared for a major overhaul.
USS COOK entered overhaul on December 12, 1983. The work continued until September 6, 1984. Machinery, hull, electrical, weapons, communications and sensor systems received extensive maintenance. The overhaul also included alterations intended to keep the frigate compatible with developing fleet weapons and electronic equipment. Following the yard period, USS COOK conducted trials and a progressive work-up during the remainder of 1984 and the opening months of 1985. Engineering, navigation, damage control, anti-submarine warfare, gunnery and helicopter operations had to be recertified before the ship could deploy again.
USS COOK departed San Diego on July 24, 1985, for another western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment. She again operated across the large area between East Asia, the Arabian Sea and the western Indian Ocean. Commander Robert E. Lang relieved Commander Donald J. Degreef on October 19 while the deployment was in progress. The Iran-Iraq War remained a major regional concern. Both belligerents were attacking oil facilities and merchant ships associated with their opponent, creating increasing danger to neutral shipping. American naval forces monitored the conflict while maintaining carrier and surface groups in the Arabian Sea. USS COOK visited Mombasa, Kenya, during the deployment. She departed Mombasa on October 14 and proceeded toward Al Masirah, Oman, to rendezvous with other American naval units. Mombasa provided rest and logistical support on the East African coast, while Al Masirah served as a support location for forces operating near the Arabian Peninsula.
The deployment included anti-submarine screening, surveillance, battle-group operations and exercises with American and allied forces. USS COOK returned to San Diego after completing the cruise and resumed maintenance and local training. A selected restricted availability began on May 5, 1986. Technical problems and additional work delayed the ship's return to unrestricted operations until September 11. The availability addressed the continuing demands of maintaining an older steam-powered frigate whose propulsion plant, sensors and weapons had been subjected to repeated long-distance deployments.
After leaving the yard, USS COOK completed trials and refresher training. She then prepared for another deployment as United States naval attention increasingly concentrated on the Persian Gulf. The Iran-Iraq War had expanded into the Tanker War, during which merchant ships, terminals and oil facilities were attacked by aircraft, missiles, mines and small craft.
USS COOK departed on another western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployment on May 8, 1987, operating with the carrier battle group centred on USS CONSTELLATION. Other escorts included USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50), USS CROMMELIN (FFG 37) and USS OUELLET (FF 1077). The group conducted a transit exercise while crossing the Pacific and transferred to the Seventh Fleet for operations in Asian and Indian Ocean waters. During the passage through the Strait of Malacca, USS COOK conducted joint exercises with the guided missile cruiser USS FOX. The confined strait was one of the world's most important maritime routes and required careful navigation while also providing a useful environment for coordinated surveillance and surface operations.
USS COOK reached Diego Garcia on June 1, 1987. She operated there with ships including USS CONSTELLATION, the fast combat support ship USS CAMDEN (AOE 2) and USS OUELLET. The battle group subsequently conducted operations in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.
The deployment began shortly after the Iraqi attack on USS STARK (FFG 31) on May 17, 1987, in which 37 American sailors were killed. The incident increased concern about the vulnerability of warships and merchant vessels in and around the Persian Gulf. USS COOK and other ships of the battle group conducted exercises and rehearsals connected with the expanding requirement to protect shipping and support American forces in the region.
Operation Earnest Will began on July 24, 1987, when the United States started escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers through the Persian Gulf. USS COOK operated within the broader naval force supporting security in the Arabian Sea and approaches to the Gulf. She participated in training and rehearsals connected with convoy protection and responses to possible air, missile, mine or small craft attacks. The frigate continued operating with the USS CONSTELLATION battle group through the summer. She also visited Australian waters, including Bunbury in Western Australia. USS COOK returned to the United States later in 1987.
After leave and upkeep, the ship returned to sea on November 15, 1987, for patrols in southern Californian and adjacent waters. A United States Coast Guard law-enforcement detachment embarked for operations directed primarily against maritime drug smuggling. The mission reflected the increasing use of Navy ships to support federal law-enforcement agencies while remaining under naval command.
Commander Richard W. Kalb relieved Commander Robert E. Lang on January 13, 1988. USS COOK then entered a dry-docking selected restricted availability lasting nearly three months. The work included maintenance of the underwater hull, propulsion plant and associated equipment before the frigate returned to training.
During 1988, USS COOK participated in the multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise. She operated with a surface group centred on the battleship USS MISSOURI (BB 63). The exercise brought together ships, submarines and aircraft from the United States and allied Pacific nations. It included anti-submarine warfare, air defence, surface engagements, amphibious operations, replenishment and command-and-control training. For USS COOK, it provided an opportunity to operate with a battleship surface group and to practise the coordinated employment of sonar, helicopters and surface weapons.
The frigate continued local operations and deployment preparations through the remainder of 1988. On February 24, 1989, USS COOK began her ninth and final western Pacific deployment with the active fleet. She operated as part of the battle group centred on the aircraft carrier USS RANGER (CV 61) and remained overseas until August. The deployment took place after the ceasefire between Iran and Iraq and after the conclusion of Operation Earnest Will on September 26, 1988. American naval forces nevertheless retained a substantial presence in the region because of continuing political instability, the residual danger from mines and the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and its approaches.
USS COOK conducted anti-submarine screening, surface surveillance, escort and battle-group duties in the western Pacific and Indian Ocean. She used the established network of American and allied support locations and operated with other ships of the USS RANGER battle group. The deployment ended in August 1989.
The same year brought a direct connection between the frigate and her namesake. The Vietnamese government transferred human remains believed to be those of Wilmer Cook to American custody on December 15, 1988. The remains were formally identified on September 26, 1989. A memorial ceremony was held aboard USS COOK on November 24, 1989. Commander Richard W. Kalb and members of the crew commemorated the aviator for whom the ship had been named. On November 27, Wilmer Cook's cremated remains were committed to the Pacific from USS COOK.
On October 1, 1989, USS COOK transferred from the active fleet to the Naval Reserve Force at San Diego. The change reflected the Navy's effort to retain useful older frigates at reduced operating cost while providing training opportunities for reservists. A smaller active-duty nucleus crew maintained the ship and was supplemented by selected reservists during drills, training periods and operations. Commander Larry E. Penix relieved Commander Richard W. Kalb on January 20, 1990. USS COOK continued to operate from San Diego with a mixed active and reserve crew. Her duties included local training, readiness exercises, anti-submarine warfare and support for Coast Guard law-enforcement operations.
By May 11, 1990, the frigate had returned to maritime law-enforcement patrols off Baja California. Coast Guard personnel provided legal authority and specialist experience for boarding suspected vessels, while USS COOK supplied endurance, radar coverage, communications, boats and accommodation. These patrols supported efforts to intercept illegal narcotics moving by sea toward the United States.
The collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe during 1989 and the continuing reduction of Soviet military activity changed the strategic background of the ship's final years. The Cold War requirements that had justified a large force of ocean escorts were diminishing, while newer frigates and destroyers provided more modern machinery, weapons and sensors with lower maintenance demands. USS COOK nevertheless remained operational during 1991. On January 15, she proceeded north toward the Nanoose operating area in Canadian waters. The range near Vancouver Island was used for acoustic and anti-submarine warfare testing and training. She continued reserve training, fleet exercises and local operations from San Diego during the year.
The ship's final period of service was increasingly devoted to maintaining crew proficiency and preparing for inactivation. USS COOK began her formal decommissioning availability on January 27, 1992. Weapons, ammunition and sensitive equipment were removed, machinery was preserved and records and stores were transferred. The crew prepared the frigate for inactive status while completing administrative and material inspections. USS COOK was decommissioned at San Diego on April 30, 1992, with Commander Larry E. Penix as her final commanding officer. Her United States Navy career had lasted more than twenty years and included nine major western Pacific and Indian Ocean deployments.
Her decorations included the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Battle Efficiency awards, the Navy Expeditionary Medal with one service star, the National Defense Service Medal with one service star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two service stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal with two service stars and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. The humanitarian awards reflected, in particular, her participation in the evacuation and refugee-assistance operations of 1975.
Although decommissioned, COOK was retained for transfer to an allied navy. She was leased to Taiwan on May 31, 1994. The transfer, preparation and subsequent entry into Republic of China Navy service were separate stages. After the necessary work and acceptance procedures, the former USS COOK entered Taiwanese service as ROCS HAI YANG, with the hull number FF 936. The United States removed COOK from the Naval Vessel Register on January 11, 1995. ROCS HAI YANG joined other former KNOX-class frigates acquired by Taiwan and collectively designated as the CHI YANG-class. Taiwan required long-range escorts for patrol, anti-submarine warfare and protection of the sea routes surrounding the island. The former American frigates offered large hulls, substantial endurance, sonar systems and helicopter facilities.
Taiwan purchased the ship outright on September 29, 1999. ROCS HAI YANG remained in service for approximately two decades, substantially extending the useful life of a hull commissioned by the United States in 1971. Increasing age, the cost of maintaining the steam propulsion plant and the growing difficulty of obtaining spare parts eventually led to her retirement. ROCS HAI YANG was decommissioned at Kaohsiung on May 1, 2015. She remained in Taiwanese custody after retirement and was subsequently prepared for use as a target ship. On July 1, 2020, the former USS COOK was sunk during a Republic of China live-fire exercise off southeastern Taiwan. Aircraft and other participating forces attacked the unmanned ship with live weapons until she sank.
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