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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive


Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Meyerkord (DE-1058)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - L - J - Y
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2)
Second Row: National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal - Vietnam Service Medal w/ 2 stars
Third Row: Humanitarian Service Medal - Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 3 stars - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal


Class: Knox (As Built)      FY / SCB No.: 64/199C
Displacement: 3020 tons (std), 4065 tons (full)    Dimensions: 438'(oa), 415" (wl) x 46' 9" x 24' 9"
Armament: 1 x 5"/54 Mk 42, 1 ASROC Mk16 (16 missiles), 4-324mm Mk 32 (4x1 fixed) tubes / Mk 46 torpedos
Machinery: 2 CE 1200psi boilers; 1 Westinghouse geared turbine; 35,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 27 knots    Range: 4,500 nm @ 20 knots    Crew: 13 / 211
Radars: AN/SPS-10 (surface), AN/SPS-40 (air), AN/SPS-58 threat warning in some ships
Sonars: AN/SQS-26CX, AN/SQS-35 IVDS in FF-1052, 1056, 1063-1071, 1073-1076, 1078-1097

Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Todd Shipbuilding, San Pedro CA on 1 September 1966
Launched 15 July 1967, Commissioned 28 November 1969
Reclassified Frigate (FF 1058) on 30 June 1975
Transferred to Naval Reserve Force at San Diego CA, 30 September 1989
Decommissioned 14 December 1991, Stricken 11 January 1995

Fate: Scrapping contract awarded 14 December 2000 to Ship Dismantlement and Recycling, Inc.,
San Francisco CA, for 3.3 million dollars. Removed from Navy custody 30 January 2001

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By And/Or Copyright
Meyerkord 11k Harold Dale Meyerkord was born 9 October 1937 at St. Louis, Mo. He graduated from Navy Officer Candidate School at Newport, R.I. on 14 June 1960 and was assigned to the heavy cruiser Los Angeles (CA-135). He reported to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 13 July 1964. He was Senior Naval Adviser to the South Vietnamese 23d River Assault Group, responsible for suppressing Vietcong terror in South Vietnam’s "rice bowl"; the group probed the Delta waterways, engaging Vietcong guerrillas in operations in which Lieutenant Meyerkord distinguished himself for coolness, resourcefulness, and concern for his men. While leading his assault group into Vietcong-held territory 16 March 1965, Lieutenant Meyerkord’s patrol was ambushed. Though wounded, he steadfastly returned the enemy’s fire until hit again, this time mortally. Lieutenant Meyerkord’s heroism was recognized by posthumous award of the Navy Cross. He was also awarded the Air Medal for completing 20 low-level aerial reconnaissance missions under enemy fire.

USS Meyerkord (DE-1058) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

(Photo from The Virtual Wall, Vietnam Veteran's Memorial)
Bill Gonyo
Meyerkord 134k June 1972: Portland OR - USS Meyerkord (DE-1058) in floating drydock no. 2 at the Northwest Marine Iron Works, Swan Island, Portland, Oregon during an emergency yard period. An unusual epoxy paint has been applied below the waterline. Note the starboard stabilizing fin at 7 o’clock. (Photo © Michael Schibly) Mike Schibly
Meyerkord 56k 1972: off the coast of Viet Nam - Taken from USS Passumpsic (AO-107), while Meyerkord made her approach. (Photo © Ralph Turner) Ralph Turner
Meyerkord 233k October 1972: Gulf of Tonkin - (US Navy photo #KN-21692 by PH1 Coan flying from USS Saratoga CVA-60 from the Naval Photographic Center, Series 428-2, National Archives, College Park, MD) Mike Schibly
Meyerkord 51k late 1972: off the coast of Viet Nam - Naval Gunfire Fire Support mission, Vietnam, during the Ceasefire Campaign. (Photo © Michael Schibly)
Meyerkord 206k June 1973: the Rose Festival at Portland, Oregon - Meyerkord is inboard, alongside the seawall, immediately forward of the Coast Guard cutter. (Photo © Michael Schibly)
Meyerkord 179k February or March 1975: South China Sea - Taken from USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). (Photo © Phil Toy) Phil Toy
Meyerkord 183k March 1975: the Gulf of Siam - Taken during Operation Eagle Pull, the ships of TG 76.4 gathered around USS Vega (AF-59) for replenishment. The flagship USS Okinawa (LPH-3), Vancouver (LPD-2), Ramsey (DEG-2) and Meyerkord (DE-1058) are in attendance. Richard Spring
CMDCM(SW/AW),
USN(Ret.)
Meyerkord 113k 1977: San Diego Harbor - Taken while on a harbor tour cruise. John W. Robbins
Meyerkord 18k 24 April 1979: At sea - An aerial starboard beam view of Meyerkord underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-86-11684 from the Defense Visual Information Center ) Navsource
Meyerkord 174k 24 April 1979: At sea - An aerial starboard beam view of Meyerkord underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-86-11683 from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 135k 1 July 1982: San Diego CA - Stern view of the frigates USS Bagley (FF-1069), with opened helicopter hangar, and Meyerkord docked next to the destroyer tender USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82-10509 by Norman Polmar from the DVIC)
Meyerkord 143k 14 April 1983: At sea - An aerial port bow view of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) underway with Meyerkord to starboard. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-04672 by PH2 D. Smith from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 161k 14 April 1983: At sea - An aerial port bow view of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) underway with Meyerkord to starboard. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-04673 by PH2 D. Smith from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 143k 14 April 1983: At sea - An aerial starboard bow view of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) underway with Meyerkord to starboard. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-04674 by PH2 D. Smith from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 126k 15 April 1983: At sea - Aerial starboard bow view of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB 62) (right) and Meyerkord. The ships are part of a task group underway off the coast of California. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-83-08974 by PH1 S. Smith from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 146k 15 April 1983: At sea - Aerial starboard bow view of the battleship USS New Jersey (BB 62) (right) and Meyerkord. The ships are part of a task group underway off the coast of California. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-83-08979 by PH1 S. Smith from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 129k 1 February 1991: NavSta Pearl Harbor HI - Meyerkord departs from the naval station. (US Navy photo DVID #>DN-SC-92-04475 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 96k 6 June 1991: Portland OR - Pacific Fleet ships tied up at a dock during Portland's annual Rose Festival include, left, back to front, the destroyer USS David R. Ray (DD-971), the frigates Meyerkord and USS Marvin Shields (FF-1066); right, back to front, the guided missile destroyers USS Semmes (DDG-18) and USS Parsons (DDG-33) and the frigate USS Barbey (FF-1088). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-92-08271 by PH1 Alex Hyde from the DVIC )
Meyerkord 149k 6 June 1991: Portland OR - Pacific Fleet ships tied up at a dock during Portland's annual Rose Festival include the destroyer USS David R. Ray (DD-971), the frigates Meyerkord and USS Marvin Shields (FF-1066). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-92-08273 by PH1 Alex Hyde from the DVIC )

Meyerkord Memorabilia
Ship's Plaque
Meyerkord
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
Ship's Lighter
Meyerkord
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski

View the USS Meyerkord (DE-1058), DANFS history entry
located on the US Naval Historical Center web site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information

None
Note About Contacts

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
Questions section on Navsource's Main Page for that information.


Additional Resources
Bob Keniston's USS Meyerkord Page
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
USS Meyerkord Page on Destroyers Online
USS Meyerkord Page on Military.Com
USS Meyerkord Page on Navysite

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Page Last Updated 1 May 2008