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Richard Nott Antrim (17 December 1907 - 7 March 1969) was born in Peru, Indiana and entered the Naval Academy in 1927, graduating on 4 June 1931. He served briefly in the llth Naval District before reporting to New York (BB 34) as fire control officer. Detached in April 1932, he received flight instruction at NAS Pensacola FL before serving in Salinas (AO 9), Nitro (AE 2), and Trenton (CL 11). Ordered to Quincy MA he assisted in fitting out Portland (CA 33) and served in her until the spring of 1936. He became assistant first lieutenant in Crowninshield (DD 134) before undergoing instruction in lighter-than-air flight at NAS Lakehurst NJ, receiving his naval aviator (LTA) designation. In the spring of 1938, Antrim arrived on the Asiatic Station and served as XO of Bittern (AM 36) before joining Pope (DD 225) as XO in December 1939. The outbreak of war in the Pacific in December 1941 found Antrim still serving in that capacity.
During her brief wartime career, Pope played a significant part in two major engagements fought by the Asiatic Fleet destroyers; the Battle of Makassar Strait and the Battle of Badoeng Strait, as well as in the last act following the Battle of the Java Sea. In the former, Pope delivered close-range attacks that delayed the Japanese landings at Balikpapan. During the action, Lt. Antrim "cooly selected targets for his guns and torpedoes, placing his shots so accurately in the midst of a large Japanese convoy" and thus inflicting damage to several enemy ships. After the Battle of Badoeng Strait, Pope's CO, Cdr. Welford C. Blinn, reported that Antrim was "highly deserving of commendation" citing Antrim as a "ready assistant in navigation, fire control, and torpedo fire," Blinn recommended him not only for a destroyer command but for a "decoration deemed appropriate." Antrim later received a Navy Cross for this service.
The Battle of the Java Sea (27 to 28 February 1942) ended all Allied hope of stemming the Japanese onslaught. The smashed Allied fleet attempted to escape the Japanese warships tightening the noose around Java. Among the small groups was one composed of HMS Exeter, the destroyer HMS Encounter, and Pope. The ships slipped out of Surabaya, Java, on the evening of 28 February, but were spotted the next day by Japanese aircraft. A surface force of cruisers and destroyers located the fleeing trio, and a fierce action ensued, with Exeter and Encounter going down. Pope, however, fought on, managing to make a temporary haven in a passing rain squall. (To Continue... Click on photo for remainder of Admiral Antrim's biography)
The first Antrim, (AK 159) is named for the county in Northwest Michigan; FFG 20, the second Antrim honors Rear Admiral Richard N. Antrim. |
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14 February 1979: Seattle WA - A bow view of the guided missile frigate USS Antrim (FFG 20) at 20 percent completion. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02746 by the Todd Pacific Shipyard Corp., from the Defense Visual Information Center) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - A view of the stern of the guided missile frigate Antrim on the ways prior to its launching at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11662 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - The launching party for Antrim are from left to right: Capt S. P. Passantino, Mrs. Carl R. Meurk, Mrs. Leonard Laylon, Mrs, Richard N. Antrim, Miss No Robertson, Mrs. William Walker, Radm Floyd H. Miller and Mr. Lance Antrim during the ship's launching ceremony at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11667 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - Mrs. Richard Antrim, sponsor, during the launching ceremony for Antrim at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11665 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - Mrs. Richard Antrim, sponsor, christens Antrim during its launching ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11666 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - A stern view of Antrim as it slides down the ways into Elliot Bay during its launching. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11661 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - Port bow view of Antrim as it slides down the ways during its launching. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11659 from the DVIC) |
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27 March 1979: Seattle WA - Port quarter view of Antrim as it is maneuvered into its berth after its launching. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11660 from the DVIC) |
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17 February 1981: Seattle WA - A starboard quarter view of Antrim at 90 percent completion. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02766 by the Todd Pacific Shipyard Corp., from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Off the coast of Seattle WA - A port bow view of Antrim as Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation conducts sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11668 from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Off the coast of Seattle WA - A port quarter view of Antrim on sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11669, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Off the coast of Seattle WA - An aerial port bow view of Antrim on sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11678, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Off the coast of Seattle WA - An aerial starboard side view of Antrim on sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11674, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Off the coast of Seattle WA - A starboard side view of Antrim on sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11675 from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Seattle WA - A starboard quarter view of Antrim tied up at a pier during the ship's commissioning. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82-00666 by JOC B.A. Cornfeld, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Seattle WA - A U.S. Navy color guard parades the colors on the pier during the commissioning of Antrim. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82-00670 by JOC B.A. Cornfeld, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Seattle WA - Cdr William H. Wright IV, commanding officer, speaks during the commissioning of Antrim. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82--00671 by JOC B.A. Cornfeld, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Seattle WA - Spectators sit on chairs on the pier next to Antrim during the ship's commissioning ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82-00664 by JOC B.A. Cornfeld, from the DVIC) |
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19 May 1981: Seattle WA - Capt Stephen J. Duich, left, chief staff officer to Commander Destroyer Squadron Eight, and Cdr William H. Wright IV, commanding officer, salute while on the speakers platform at the commissioning of the guided missile frigate USS Antrim (FFG 20). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-82-01212 by JOC B.A. Cornfeld, from the DVIC) |
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1 July 1982: at sea - A port bow view of three guided missile frigates: USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7), USS Antrim (FFG 20) and USS Jack Williams (FFG 24) underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-82-09444 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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18 May 1983: At sea - A port bow view of Antrim underway during exercise Distant Drum. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-02018 from the DVIC) |
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18 May 1983: At sea - A port bow view of Antrim underway during exercise Distant Drum. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-92-01087 from the DVIC) |
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30 June 1987: Bordeaux, France - A port bow view of Antrim underway on the Garonne River. Crew members of Antrim will participate in the ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the entry of the United States into World War I. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-10253 by PH3 Janice Shipley, from the DVIC) |
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30 June 1987: Bordeaux, France - French sailors stand by on the pier as Antrim prepares to dock at a wharf. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-10254 by PH3 Janice Shipley, from the DVIC) |
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July 1987: Bordeaux, France - US Navy sailors stand at parade rest next to a distinguished guest during the ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the entry of the United States into World War I. The sailors are crew members aboard the guided missile frigate USS Antrim (FFG 20) and are standing beside a monument honoring French and American military cooperation over a period of 200 years. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-10247 by PH3 Janice Shipley, from the DVIC) |
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July 1987: Bordeaux, France - French and US guests stand at attention during the ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the entry of the United States into World War I. Guests include crew members of the guided missile frigate USS Antrim (FFG 20). (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-10248 by PH3 Janice Shipley, from the DVIC) |
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July 1987: Bordeaux, France - A French naval officer looks on as Antrim prepares to depart. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-87-10250 by PH3 Janice Shipley, from the DVIC) |
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16 July 1991: Mayport FL - A harbor tug sprays water in welcome as the Udaloy class guided missile destroyer Simferopol enters port. Moored to a pier in the background are Antrim, left, and the Soviet Slava class guided missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov. The Simferopol and Marshal Ustinov are in Mayport, along with one other Soviet ship, for a four-day goodwill visit. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-92-02091 by PH3 Jeffery Rex, from the DVIC) |
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5 February 1994: Mayport FL - A port side view of Antrim tied up at a pier at the naval station. Several other U.S. Navy ships are in the background. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-94-02383 by OS2 John Bouvia, from the DVIC) |
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8 October 1994: Tampa FL - A starboard side view of Antrim tied up to the water front. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-95-01279 by OS2 John Bouvia, from the DVIC) |
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February 1996: Pascagoula MS - Antrim, USS Stephen Groves (FFG 29), and USS Flatley (FFG 21) tied up at the Naval Station. (Photo taken by Doug Bremenkamp of Gulfport MS) |
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12 January 2004: Toulon France - The Turkish guided missile frigate TCG Giresun (F-491)(ex-USS Antrim (FFG 20) (Photo by Guy Schaeffer, authorized for publication on Navsource) |
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