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Clifton Albert Frederick (Ziggy) Sprague was born on 08 January 1896 in Dorchester, Mass. and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1918. He served in the USS
Wheeling (PG 14) and helped put USS Tennessee (BB 43) in commission before being designated a Naval Aviator in 1921. As an aviator he served in carriers
Lexington, Saratoga, and Yorktown. At the outbreak of war he commanded USS Tangier (AV 8) at Pearl Harbor and later commanded the Naval
Air Station at Sand Point, Wash. This was followed by a tour in command of USS Wasp (CV 18). In August 1944 he commanded Carrier Division 25, later serving also as Commander of Task
Unit 77.4.3 at the Battle Off Samar. His small force of six escort (or "Jeep") carriers, three destroyers, and three destroyer-escorts - known as "Taffy 3" - stood up against the might of the
Japanese Fleet and saved the lives of thousands of sailors and soldiers on the beaches of Leyte Island. For his "aggressiveness and courage" during that battle he was awarded the Navy Cross.
Following the war he commanded Joint Task Group 1.1.2 for the Pacific atomic bomb tests, Naval Air Basic and Advanced Training at Corpus Christi, Tex., Carrier Division 6, and was Commandant
of the 17th Naval District and the Alaskan Sea Frontier. He retired from the Navy in 1951. Vice Admiral Sprague died at his home in San Diego on 11 April 1955.
USS Clifton Sprague (FFG 16) (1981-1995) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo from the ship's Commissioning Booklet) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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17 November 1980: At sea - aerial port bow view of Clifton Sprague underway during sea trials.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-10713 by Bath Iron Works Corp., from the Defense Visual Information Center) |
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17 November 1980: At sea - aerial starboard view of Clifton Sprague underway during sea trials.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-10714 by Bath Iron Works Corp., from the DVIC) |
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17 November 1980: At sea - aerial starboard view of Clifton Sprague underway during sea trials.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-10712 by Bath Iron Works Corp., from the DVIC) |
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10 February 1981: Bath, Me. - Elevated bow view of the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate USS
Flatley (FFG 21), right, at 90 percent completion. The USS Clifton Sprague is
moored on the left.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-85-04476 by Bath Iron Works Corp., from the DVIC) |
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10 February 1981: Bath, Me. - Elevated stern view of the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate USS Flatley (FFG 21),
left, at 90 percent completion. The USS Clifton Sprague is moored on the right.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-85-04477 by Bath Iron Works Corp., from the DVIC) |
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10 April 1981: At sea - Aerial port beam view of the guided missile frigate USS Clifton Sprague, which is being used as a target for
F-105 Delta Dart aircraft, during exercise Gangbuster XI.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DF-ST-82-06880 by A1C Sheryl D. Barnett, from the DVIC) |
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01 September 1982: At sea - Aerial port beam view of Clifton Sprague underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-82-11540 from the DVIC) |
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01 September 1982: At sea - Aerial starboard beam view of Clifton Sprague underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-82-11541 from the DVIC) |
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01 September 1982: At sea - Aerial bow view of Clifton Sprague underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-82-11542 from the DVIC) |
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01 September 1982: At sea - Aerial port quarter view of Clifton Sprague underway.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-82-11543 from the DVIC) |
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05 May 1983: On the Kennebec River, Me. - An aerial starboard bow view of the Clifton Sprague underway during overhaul sea trials. The ship's
deck are covered by a thin layer of snow.
(U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-07310 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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undated image, probably after she was transferred to New York City for duty as a reserve training ship |
- |
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undated
(U.S. Navy photo) |
Wendell R. McLaughlin Jr. |
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September 1995: the Atlantic Ocean - USS Clifton Sprague (FFG 16) underway at sea.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 107566-KN from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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circa 1996: Baltimore, Md. - Two views of Clifton Sprague tied up in Baltimore after her decommissioning. The photos were taken by
Cody while on a Baltimore Inner Harbor Cruise. |
Cody Shaffer |
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USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) refuels TCG Gaziantep (F-490)
(x-USS Clifton Sprague FFG 16 ), a Turkish warship that participated with Patuxent in Exercise Phoenix Express 2007.
(Photo by Gillian Brigham from Sealift, the Magazine of MSC) |
Bill Gonyo
Downey, Cal. |
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circa 2007: The Turkish frigate TCG Gaziantep (F-490, ex-USS Clifton Sprague (FFG 16) underway, location unknown.
(Photo by DZ.K.K.) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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31 May 2010: Cartagena, Spain - The guided missile frigate TCG Gaziantep (F-490, ex-USS Clifton Sprague) underway off Cartagena.
(Photo courtesy Diego Quevedo Carmona) |
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25 June 2016" The Mediterranean Sea - The Turkish G-Class frigate TCG Gaziantep (F-490) is underway in formation with the Arleigh Burke-class
guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) during an exercise with the Turkish and United States navies.
(U.S. Navy photo #160625-N-OR652-213 by MC3 J. Alexander Delgado from America's Navy) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
| Clifton Sprague Memorabilia |
Commissioning
Booklet
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
| Welcome Aboard
Pamphlet (Circa 1982)
.gif)
Courtesy of
Robert M. Cieri
| Welcome Aboard
Pamphlet (Circa 1985)
.gif)
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
| Clifton Sprague
Cocktail Napkin
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
| Christmas Card from
Sprague CO
Inside of Card
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
| Ship's
Lighter
Courtesy of
Mike Smolinski
|
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