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Frank Stanley Reasoner was born 16 September 1937 in Spokane, Washington. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps from Kellogg, Idaho in 1955, and reached the rank of sergeant prior to entering the United States Military Academy in 1958. At West Point, he won four consecutive brigade boxing championships. Graduating in June 1962, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. In April 1965 he arrived in Vietnam as commanding officer of A Co., 3rd Recon Bn, 3rd Marine Division. 1st Lt. Frank Reasoner died in action near Danang, Vietnam, on 12 July 1965. On that day he led a five-man reconnaissance patrol into enemy-controlled territory. Ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force, 1Lt. Reasoner boldly shouted encouragement to his men, and virtually isolated from the main body, he organized a base of fire for an assault on the enemy positions. The slashing fury of the Viet Cong machinegun and automatic weapons fire made it impossible for the main body to move forward. Repeatedly exposing himself to the devastating attack he skillfully provided covering fire, killing at least 2 Viet Cong and effectively silencing an automatic weapons position in a valiant attempt to effect evacuation of a wounded man. As casualties began to mount his radio operator was wounded, and 1LT Reasoner immediately moved to his side and tended his wounds. When the radio operator was hit a second time while attempting to reach a covered position, 1LT Reasoner, courageously running to his aid through the grazing machinegun fire, fell mortally wounded. For his bravery in battle and his concern for the wounded, Frank Reasoner was awarded the Medal of Honor.
USS Reasoner (DE-1063) was the first ship named in his honor.
(Photo and a more complete biography at the The Official Site of the Medal of Honor.) |
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18-22 July 1973: Hong Kong ....Great Liberty! |
Bill Bayard GMT2 |
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Picture scanned from my Reasoner Maiden Voyage '73 Book. |
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circa 1977-1979: Pearl Harbor HI |
Dr. Kenneth Hartman |
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1977: San Diego - Taken while on a San Diego Harbor tour cruise. |
John W. Robbins |
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Scanned from 1978 cruise book, taken at Rabaul. |
Joseph E. Sullenger
OSC, USN (ret.) |
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Reasoner showing hull number 1065 vice 1063, with USS Stein (FF-1065) across the pier. We (Reasoner) had just returned from a FLEETEX where we were the "bad guys" and had painted a "5" over our "3." Stein was in the same FLEETEX and the "good guys" never took a shot at us. When we returned from the FLEETEX it was night and the XO of Dixie (AD-14) kept trying to ward us off saying Reasoner, not Stein has the tender availability. The crew thought up the idea which was great ... as was the crew. |
Keith Ott
Captain, USN (ret.) |
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date / location unknown |
Ken Wilson |
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15 October 1982: At sea - Aerial starboard bow view of the Knox class frigate USS Reasoner (FF-1063) underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-85-07606 by PHAN Mellendorf, from the Defense Visual Information Center) |
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15 October 1982: At sea - Aerial starboard side view of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41), background, underway with their task groups. Reasoner is underway in the foreground. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-85-07595 by PHAN Mellendorf from the DVIC) |
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1 February 1990: San Diego Harbor CA - Pleasure craft sail near Reasoner. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-90-06642 by PHCS Terry C. Mitchell from the DVIC) |
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1 May 1990: At sea - The amphibious assault ship USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), top, and Reasoner sail alongside one another during the multinational Exercise RimPac '90. The Pacific Rim nations of Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. are participating in the annual naval and amphibious exercise. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-91-05081 from the DVIC) |
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2 August 1990: At sea - A starboard quarter view of Reasoner underway north of Diego Garcia en route to the Persian Gulf after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-06591 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC) |
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2 August 1990: At sea - Underway north of Diego Garcia are the frigates Reasoner, background, and USS Brewton (FF-1086). The ships are en route to the Persian Gulf after the invasion of Kuwait. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-05665 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC) |
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2 August 1990: At sea - A port bow view of Reasoner underway north of Diego Garcia en route to the Persian Gulf. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-05659 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC) |
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14 June 1991: At sea off San Diego - An aerial overhead shot of Reasoner underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-10035 by PH2 Mark Correa from the DVIC) |
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14 June 1991: At sea off San Diego - An aerial bow of Reasoner underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-10034 by PH2 Mark Correa from the DVIC) |
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14 June 1991: At sea off San Diego - An aerial port view of Reasoner underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-04-10033 by PH2 Mark Correa from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - Bunting decorates Reasoner as sailors man the rails aboard the vessel during her decommissioning/transfer ceremony. Following her decommissioning from US naval service, the Reasoner is being transferred to the Turkish navy and will be known as the frigate TCG Kocatepe (F-252). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06106 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - A U.S. Navy/Turkish color guard presents the colors during the decommissioning/transfer ceremony for Reasoner, moored to Pier 13 in the background. Upon being decommissioned from U.S. naval service, the Reasoner is being transferred to the Turkish navy as the frigate TCG Kocatepe (F-252). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06107 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - A U.S./Turkish color guard stand in formation during the decommissioning/transfer ceremony for Reasoner. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06112 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - U.S. and Turkish navy personnel stand in formation during the decommissioning/transfer ceremony for Reasoner. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06111 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - Officers stand on the stern of Reasoner as the national ensign is lowered during the decommissioning/transfer ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06109 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - An officer carries the national ensign down the gangway of the former frigate USS Reasoner following the ship's decommissioning from U.S. naval service. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06110 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
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28 August 1993: NavSta San Diego - The Turkish flag is raised on the stern of the former frigate USS Reasoner following the vessel's decommissioning from U.S. naval service and its transfer to the Turkish navy as the frigate TCG Kocatepe (F-252). The frigate has a 20mm Mark 15 Phalanx close-in weapons system mounted on the stern. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-93-06108 by PH2 M.C. Farrington from the DVIC) |
