USS Cowpens in San Diego on 8 April 2013
History
United States
NameCowpens
NamesakeBattle of Cowpens
Ordered8 January 1986
BuilderBath Iron Works
Laid down23 December 1987
Launched11 March 1989
Sponsored byLucy Mustin
Commissioned9 March 1991
HomeportSan Diego
Identification
Motto
  • Victoria Libertatis Vindex
  • (Victory Vindicates Liberty)
Nickname(s)The Mighty Moo[1]
StatusSLEP (Service Life Extension Program)
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeTiconderoga-class cruiser
DisplacementApprox. 9,600 long tons (9,800 t) full load
Length567 feet (173 m)
Beam55 feet (16.8 meters)
Draft34 feet (10.2 meters)
Propulsion
Speed32.5 knots (60 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Complement30 officers and 300 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS Mk III helicopters.

USS Cowpens (CG-63) is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser in service with the United States Navy. The ship is named after the Battle of Cowpens, a major American victory near Cowpens, South Carolina, in the American Revolution. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Maine. Cowpens is stationed at Naval Base San Diego.

History

1980s and 1990s

Cowpens' keel was laid 23 December 1987, at Bath Iron Works; she was launched 11 March 1989, and sponsored by Lucy Mustin, wife of Vice Admiral Henry C. Mustin.[2] Cowpens was commissioned 9 March 1991 in Charleston, South Carolina,[1][3] In January 1993, Cowpens was one of four ships to launch Tomahawk missiles against a nuclear production facility in Iraq.[3][4]

In June 1994, Cowpens deployed with USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and her Battlegroup to the Korean Peninsula during the 1994 Nuclear Crisis in the region. On 12 July, she took part in a search for wreckage from NL-102, an F-14A from VF-51 that crashed the previous night aboard Kitty Hawk.[5][6] On 30 August, Cowpens was overflown by two ROCAF F-5 Tigers while moving to rejoin the Kitty Hawk Battlegroup following a port visit to British Hong Kong. Between 8-12 November, Cowpens and the Kitty Hawk Battlegroup joined with several JSMDF units to participate in ANNUALEX 06G. The Battlegroup returned on 22 December.[5]

Cowpens made another deployment with Kitty Hawk on 11 October 1996. While making her way to the Persian Gulf in late November, the ship avoided Typhoon Carlo. During mid-December, a visit to Bahrain was cut short as Cowpens was ordered to observe the firing of Iranian C-802 cruise missiles from Jask. In January 1997, the ship would win her fifth Battle E award.[7]

Cowpens's ELINT crew detected a Chinese-flagged vessel on 3 February 1997. The vessel was smuggling Iraqi oil illegally in violation of UN Sanctions and was seized by USS Nicholson (DD-982) and USS Cushing (DD-985) in coordination with HSL-16 Det.8.[8] On 8 February the ship took part in an exercise that successfully integrated the Kitty Hawk Battlegroup into the Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD), which included MIM-104 Patriot missile sites in Bahrain and USSPACECOM assets in space. The ship returned to San Diego on 11 April 1997.[8]

2000s

In August 2000, an Aegis fire controlman died when he fell from the main mast of Cowpens.[9]

In March 2003, Cowpens, assigned to Carrier Group Five, became the first United States Navy ship to launch ordnance in the opening stages of the Iraq War, firing Tomahawk cruise missiles.[10]

Cowpens in drydock in Yokosuka, 2004

This ship was one of several participating in disaster relief after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[11]

In June 2010, a quartermaster fell to his death from the bridge wing of Cowpens while the ship was in dry dock.[12]

2010s

Cowpens was scheduled to be decommissioned on 31 March 2013.[13] However, Cowpens was retained under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.[14][15] In February 2013, Cowpens was relieved by Antietam in a "hull-swap" at Yokosuka, Japan, in which the two crews swapped ships. Cowpens, previously deployed to Yokosuka, was then homeported at Naval Base San Diego, California.[16] On 5 December 2013, Cowpens was involved in a minor confrontation with a Chinese warship that was escorting the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning while conducting surveillance of Chinese ships in International waters in the South China Sea. After Cowpens refused a Chinese demand to leave the area, a Chinese amphibious transport dock crossed directly in front of Cowpens and halted.[17][18] The two vessels were barely 500 yards (460 m) away when the captain of Cowpens ordered "all stop".[19] Chinese admiral Yin Zhuo said that the Chinese action was intentional and that American ships sent to observe PLAN maneuvers would be "blocked".[20] Pentagon spokesman Steve Warren said that American procedures had not been changed in light of the incident, but defense analyst Tim Brown said that it reflected "a growing willingness by the Chinese to engage in potentially reckless behavior".[21]

In September 2015, Cowpens transferred from Naval Surface Forces Command to Naval Sea Systems Command, where she will undergo a "modernization period", extending the serviceable life of the ship into the 2040s.[22]

In the US Navy's 2024 proposed budget, presented in 2023, Cowpens was again proposed for retirement. Navy Undersecretary Erik Raven stated that this was due to the ship's "material condition, life remaining, cost, ... time to upgrade ... and the warfighting value."[23]

Command history

In 1994, Cowpens was awarded the coveted U.S. Pacific Fleet Spokane Trophy for the top operational combat systems readiness performance in the fleet for a surface ship.

Captain Edward Moore Jr. was the first commanding officer of Cowpens. Vice Admiral Moore was Commander of Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, from August 1998 to May 2001.[3]

Captain W. Dallas Bethea was the second commanding officer of Cowpens. He relieved Captain Moore, who had just been promoted to rear admiral, on 2 February 1993 in Bahrain and was on board when the ship took part in the Tomahawk strike on 17 January. Captain Bethea often challenged other ships in the fleet to a 5-mile drag race and enjoyed an undefeated record. Captain Bethea previously commanded USS Gary (FFG 51) and played a significant role during Operation Praying Mantis, a punitive strike against Iran for damage done by an Iranian mine to USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58). He is prominently mentioned in the book Tanker War, which chronicles this tense conflict between Iran and the United States. During Captain Bethea's last year in command in 1994, Cowpens was awarded the coveted U.S. Pacific Fleet Spokane Trophy (citation below) for the top operational combat systems readiness performance in the fleet for a surface ship, the Secretary of the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, as well as her second consecutive Pacific Fleet Surface Force Battle Efficiency Award in addition to the Pacific Fleet Surface Force LAMPS Helicopter Ship Safety Award.

The officers and crew of the guided-missile cruiser Cowpens pose for a group photo under the ship, July 2010.

On 13 January 2010, the ship's commanding officer, Captain Holly Graf, was relieved of command by Rear Admiral Kevin Donegan, Commander, Carrier Strike Group Five, following the imposition of non-judicial punishment. The punishment followed an investigation which verified allegations of cruelty and maltreatment toward her crew and conduct unbecoming an officer – violations of articles 93 and 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, by Graf during her tenure as captain of Cowpens. The investigation was initiated after multiple allegations and complaints of physical and verbal abuse were made to Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Navy Inspector General by several members of the crew. Captain Graf was subsequently replaced as the commanding officer by Captain Robert Marin.[24][25][26] A subsequent Time article revealed that Graf had a history of abusive treatment of subordinates in earlier command and non-command assignments and that naval leaders had not acted on previous complaints about her behavior.[27] The US Navy forced Graf into early retirement in 2012, but allowed her to do so at her current rank of captain and under "honorable circumstances."[28]

On 10 February 2012, Cowpens' commanding officer, Captain Robert G. Marin, was relieved of command for inappropriate personal behavior after he had an adulterous affair with a fellow captain's wife.[29] Captain Paul Lyons, deputy commander Destroyer Squadron 15, temporarily assumed command.[30]

On 10 June 2014, the commanding officer of Cowpens, Captain Gregory Gombert, was relieved of command for poor performance in many inspections. Capt. Robert B. Chadwick II temporarily assumed command on that date.[31] Based on an official report, the Navy Times reported that Gombert took ill midway through the deployment and rarely left his quarters for nearly three months of the cruise. The report concluded Gombert had exaggerated the extent of his illness. It also noted accusations of an unduly familiar relationship between Gombert and a female Lieutenant Commander who was Chief Engineer, acting Executive Officer, and filling in for Gombert during his illness. The Command Master Chief was also relieved since he did not report the problems to higher authorities. At Admiral's non-judicial punishment in July 2014, Gombert was found guilty of five counts of failure to obey lawful orders and one count of conduct unbecoming an officer. The Chief Engineer was found guilty of two counts of failure to obey lawful orders and one of conduct unbecoming an officer. The Command Master Chief was found guilty of two counts of failure to obey lawful orders.[32] Gombert was the third commanding officer of Cowpens to be fired since 2010.[33]

In September 2014, Cowpens second-in-command, executive officer, was fired after being found guilty of Admiral's non-judicial punishment of drunken or reckless vehicle operation and conduct unbecoming an officer. He was the fourth member of Cowpens leadership team to be removed in 2014.[34]

Awards

According to the US Navy unit awards website, Cowpens and her crew received the following awards:

References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

  1. 1 2 "Our Ship". USS Cowpens (CG-63). Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "USS Cowpens Launched at BIW for U.S. Navy". Maritime Reporter. June 1989.
  3. 1 2 3 "Biography of Vice Admiral Edward Moore, Jr". US Navy. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Tomahawks Smash into Iraq" (PDF). Seattle Post-intelligencer. 18 January 1993. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  5. 1 2 USS Cowpens CG-63 - 1994 Command Operations Report (PDF). United States Navy. 1995.
  6. ↑ "US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos--Third Series (160007 to 163049)". www.joebaugher.com. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  7. ↑ USS Cowpens CG-63 - 1996 Command Operations Report. United States Navy. 1997.
  8. 1 2 USS Cowpens CG-63 - 1997 Command Operations Report (PDF). United States Navy. 1998.
  9. ↑ "Cowpens Ship History, year 2000" (PDF). 2000.
  10. ↑ Brown, Michael (20 March 2003). "USS Cowpens Launches First Missiles in Operation Iraqi Freedom". US Navy. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  11. ↑ Rabiroff, John. "U.S. military delivers 40 tons of supplies to hardest-hit areas," Stars and Stripes (US). 17 March 2011.
  12. ↑ "Navy IDs Cowpens sailor who died". Navy Times. 30 June 2010.
  13. ↑ "11 ships to be decommissioned in fiscal 2013 – Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq". Navy Times. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  14. ↑ "US Navy to retain four Ticonderoga-class cruisers in service". Naval-Technology.com. 28 September 2012, and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, p. 5.
  15. ↑ Navy decides not to scrap SD warship by Gary Robbins, U-T San Diego, 15 April 2013.
  16. ↑ Kelly, Paul (6 February 2013). "USS Antietam and USS Cowpens Complete Hull Swap in Japan". US Navy. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  17. ↑ Thayer, Carl (17 December 2013). "USS Cowpens Incident Reveals Strategic Mistrust Between U.S. and China". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  18. ↑ Alexander, David (14 December 2013). "U.S., Chinese warships narrowly avoid collision in South China Sea". Reuters. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  19. ↑ Starr, Barbara (13 December 2013). "U.S., Chinese warships come dangerously close". CNN. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  20. ↑ Carter, Liz (16 December 2013). "Chinese Admiral to U.S. Navy: 'We Will Block You'". foreignpolicy.com. Foreign Policy. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  21. ↑ Ramirez, Luis (16 December 2013). "Pentagon Downplays Near-Collision in South China Sea". voanews.com. Voice of America. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  22. ↑ LaGrone, Sam (28 September 2015). "Guided Missile Cruiser USS Cowpens Ceremonially Enters Modernization Period, USS Gettysburg to Follow This Week". U.S.Naval Institute. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  23. ↑ Fabey, Michael (15 March 2023). "Pentagon budget 2024: US Navy targets ships for early retirement". Janes. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  24. ↑ Carter, David, J., "Admiral relieves Cowpens captain", Stars and Stripes, 16 January 2010.
  25. ↑ Ewing, Philip, "Cruiser CO relieved for ‘cruelty’", Navy Times, 16 January 2010.
  26. ↑ "Cruiser CO relieved for 'cruelty' – Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq". Navy Times. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  27. ↑ Thompson, Mark, "The Rise and Fall of a Female Captain Bligh", Time, 3 March 2010.
  28. ↑ Slavin, Erik, "Navy to let ousted captain of Yokosuka-based ship to get 'honorable' retirement", Stars and Stripes, 8 January 2012.
  29. ↑ Wellman, Sam (7 June 2012). "Report details CO's affair with captain's wife". Navy Times. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  30. ↑ Slavin, Erik (10 February 2012). "Commanding officer of Yokosuka-based USS Cowpens fired". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  31. ↑ "Cruiser CO, CMC canned for poor performance". Navy Times. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  32. ↑ Larter, David (4 August 2014). "Cowpens' bizarre cruise". Navy Times.
  33. ↑ Robson, Seth (10 June 2014). "3rd Cowpens commander fired since 2010; CMC relieved". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  34. ↑ Larter, David (19 September 2014). "Cowpens XO canned for drunken driving". Navy Times. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The official U.S. Navy awards site". US Navy. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  36. ↑ "Commander, Destroyer Squadron 21 (COMDESRON TWENTY-ONE)". US Navy. March 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
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