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Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

Ship's patches courtesy of Mike Smolinski

USS Moinester (DE 1097)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - K - I - A
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Joint Meritorious Unit Award - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row: Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (4) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Third Row: Humanitarian Service Ribbon - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon - CG Special Operations Service Ribbon
"Mare Est Vita Mea"
(The Sea Is My Life)
Specifications:
Class: Knox
Type: SCB No. 199C / 1964
Number in Class: 46
Displacement: 3020 tons (std), 4065 tons (full)
Length: 415' (wl), 438' (oa)
Beam: 46' 9" (extreme)
Draft: 24' 9" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 Combustion Engineering 1200psi boilers; 1 Westinghouse geared turbine; 35,000 shp; 1 shaft
Speed: 27 kts
Range: 4,500 nm @ 20 knots
Complement: 16 / 211
Missiles: 1 8-tube Mk25 Sea Sparrow BPDMS in DE 1052-1069, 1071-1083, 1 8-tube Mk29 NATO Sea Sparrow IPDMS in DE 1070, Harpoon missiles from modified ASROC launcher
Guns: 1 x 5"/54 cal. DP Mk 42 (600 rds)
ASW Weapons: 1 Mk16 ASROC launcher (16 missiles), 4-12.75" (324mm) Mk 32 (4x1 fixed) tubes / Mk 46 torpedos (6)
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
Fire Control Systems: Mk68 Mod. 11/13/14 Gun FCS, Mk114 Mod 14/16 ASW FCS
Helicopter: 1 - SH-2 LAMPS Helicopter
Moinester (DE 1097) Building and Operational Data:
  • 25 August 1966: Building contract awarded to the Avondale Shipyard, Inc.
  • 25 August 1972: Keel laid by the Avondale Shipyards, Inc., Westwego, La.
  • 12 May 1973: Launched and christened by sponsor Mrs. Gertrude Mahoney Moinester, mother of Lt.(jg) Moinester
  • 02 November 1974: Commissioned at Norfolk, Va., Cmdr. George W. Stewart in command, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 10 at Norfolk, Va.
  • 30 June 1975: Reclassified Frigate (FF 1097)
  • 31 December 1991: Reclassified Training Frigate (FFT 1097), assigned to the Naval Reserve Force, Atlantic, at Norfolk, Va.
  • 28 July 1994: Decommissioned at Mobile, Ala. after 19 years and 8¾ months of service, leased to Egypt, renamed Rashid (F962)
  • 01 November 1995: Struck from the NVR
  • 25 March 1998: Sold to Egypt, still in service
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Moinester
    0602109701

    Moinester

    		 96k Robert William Moinester was born on 15 July 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Robert and Gertrude Moinester. He entered the United States Naval Reserve on 21 July 1965 following graduation from St. John's University. After completion of training at the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, Lt.(jg) Moinester was assigned to the United States Naval Support Activity, Danang, in the Republic of Vietnam.

    On the morning of 31 January 1968, Lt.(jg) Moinester was serving as Officer in Charge of the Hue Ramp Detachment. Unaware that the city had been infiltrated by a large number of North Vietnamese Army units during the night, Lt.(jg) Moinester and his ramp personnel were enroute to their assigned work areas in Hue when they came under hostile mortar fire. Lt.(jg) Moinester organized his men into an infantry platoon and led them in house-to-house clearing operations under intense hostile fire. Observing enemy soldiers in a building to his front, he organized a frontal attack. Although Lt.(jg) Moinester was killed during the attack, the enemy were driven from their positions, sustaining heavy casualties. In addition to the Silver Star, Lt.(jg) Moinester was posthumously awarded the National Order of Vietnam and Gallantry Cross with Palm from the Republic of Vietnam.

    USS Moinester (DE 1097) was the first ship named in his honor.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Moinester
    0602109716    		 106k 02 November 1974: U.S. Naval Station, Norfolk, Va. - Taken at the commissioning ceremony for USS Moinester. S. Dale Hargrave
    Newport News, Va.
    Moinester
    0602109717    		 99k
    Moinester
    0602109718    		 89k
    Moinester
    0602109722    		 551k 10 September 1975: Chesapeake Bay, Va. - USS Moinester (FF 1097) underway in Chesapeake Bay.

    (U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 107442 by PH2 Dennis G. Keske, from the Naval History and Heritage Command)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Moinester
    0602109723    		 504k 10 September 1975: Chesapeake Bay, Va. - USS Moinester (FF 1097) underway in Chesapeake Bay.

    (U.S. Navy National Archives photo #K-110361 from the Naval History and Heritage Command)
    Moinester
    0602109702    		 109k date / location unknown -
    Moinester
    0602109703    		 66k 1977: location unknown

    (Photo ©Walter Bengtson)    		 Walter Bengtson
    Moinester
    0602109704    		 73k date / location unknown

    (Photo ©Ignacio F. Lopez)    		 Ignacio F. Lopez
    Spanish Navy (ret.)
    Moinester
    0602109715    		 171k undated ship portrait by © Atlantic Fleet Sales Robert M. Cieri
    Moinester
    0602109724    		 465k March 1981: Norfolk, Va. - USS Moinester (FF 1097) moored alongside an unknown tender at Naval Station Norfolk.

    (Heilenday photo #1 00046A from the Heilenday Collection)    		 Mark Heilenday
    Virginia Beach, Va.

    Captain, USN (ret.)
    June 1974 - July 2004
    Moinester
    0602109705    		 132k 01 December 1981: In the Mediterranean - Port view of three U.S. ships, with "Med" lights strung up in the rigging, in port for a visit. The ships are, from front to back, the frigate Moinester, the guided missile destroyer USS Coontz (DDG 40) and the Sixth Fleet flagship, the destroyer tender USS Puget Sound (AD 38).

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-82-07028 by PH1 Douglas Tesner from the Defense Visual Information Center)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Moinester
    0602109706    		 189k 15 December 1981: In the Mediterranean - A port bow view of Moinester, taken from the guided missile destroyer USS Coontz (DDG 40). The two ships are practicing approaches for at-sea replenishments.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-82-07027 by PH1 Douglas Tesner from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109707    		 94k 15 December 1981: In the Mediterranean - Commander Sixth Fleet Vadm. William H. Rowden watches from the bridge of the guided missile destroyer USS Coontz (DDG 40) as the Moinester comes alongside. The ships are practicing approaches for at-sea replenishment.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-82-07024 by PH1 Douglas Tesner from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109708    		 78k 01 November 1984: The frigate Moinester and the guided missile destroyer USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG 23) participate in a composite training unit exercise.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-87-01934 by PH3 J. Alan Elliott from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109709    		 93k 01 August 1986: The Moinester participates in an underway replenishment with the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61).

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-87-07122 by PHC Jeff Hilton from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109710    		 112k 01 August 1986: A port quarter view of Moinester underway alongside the battleship USS Iowa (BB 61).

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-87-07126 by PHC Jeff Hilton from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109711    		 87k 01 December 1986: NavSta Norfolk, Va. - A bow view of the frigates USS Truett (FF 1095) and Moinester tied up at a pier.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-87-06727 from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109719    		 256k 02 October 1987: the Elizabeth River, Portsmouth, Va. - A port bow view of the frigate Moinester undergoing overhaul and modifications at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Corporation.

    (U.S. Navy photo VIRIN #DN-ST-88-08230 by Don S. Montgomery, USN (Ret.) from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Moinester
    0602109720    		 174k 08 March 1988: Naval Station, Norfolk, Va. - A mother and daughter await the arrival of the frigate Moinester at the ship's home port.

    (U.S. Navy photo VIRIN #DN-ST-88-04096 by PH1 Harold Gerstein from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Moinester
    0602109721    		 140k 08 March 1988: Naval Station, Norfolk, Va. - A young woman wearing a Navy cap awaits the arrival of the frigate Moinester at the ship's home port.

    (U.S. Navy photo VIRIN #DN-ST-88-04097 by PH1 Harold Gerstein from DefenseImagery.mil)
    Moinester
    0602109712    		 394k 01 February 1991: at sea - A starboard bow view of Moinester underway.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-91-05245 by PH2 Keske from the DVIC)
    Moinester
    0602109713    		 75k 1992: NavSta Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - moored at the Naval Base

    (Photo © James H. Hopper)    		 James H. Hopper III
    Commander, USN (ret.)
    Moinester
    0602109714    		 189k 01 April 1993: Mobile, Ala. - Moinester and USS Jesse L. Brown (FF 1089) are moored together at a pier at a Mobile shipyard.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-93-04164 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Moinester Memorabilia7
    Navy Times Ship in the
    Spotlight - © Mario DeMarco
    Moinester
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski    		 Supply Dep't
    Patch
    Moinester
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski
    Moinester History
    The USS Moinester (DE 1097) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site is not presently available.
    Moinester's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)  02 Nov. 1974 - 10 Jun. 1976Cmdr. George Wallace Stewart (Mass. Maritime Acad. '56)
    2.)  10 Jun. 1976 - 18 Aug. 1977Cmdr. Haig S. Alemian* (NROTC '61) (Weymouth, Mass.)
    3.)  18 Aug. 1977 - 01 Sep. 1977Lcdr. Thomas W. Wagner (acting CO)
    4.)  01 Sep. 1977 - 22 Oct. 1979Cmdr. Glenn E. Whisler Jr. (OCS '62) (Morgantown, W.V.) (ret. as Radm.)
    5.)  22 Oct. 1979 - 12 Aug. 1982Cmdr. Thomas Joseph Colavito (OCS '63) (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
    6.)  02 Aug. 1982 - 06 Dec. 1984Cmdr. Forrest Austin Horton (USNA '65) (Blue Hill, Me.)
    7.)  06 Dec. 1984 - 02 Feb. 1987Cmdr. Oliver K. Evans (OCS '65)
    8.)  02 Feb. 1987 - 12 Jan. 1989Cmdr. Earl Jay Fought (USNA '70) (Toler, Ky.)
    9.)  12 Jan. 1989 - 09 Jan. 1991Cmdr. Michael Gattrell Gaffney (USNA '71) (Lee's Summit, Mo.)
    10.) 09 Jan. 1991 - 21 Jan. 1993Cmdr. Pierre Grigsby Vining (USNA '73) (Syracuse, N.Y.)
    11.) 21 Jan. 1993 - 28 Jul. 1994Cmdr. Charles E. Morrison
    * Killed in an auto accident while on a port visit to Naples, Italy
    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, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
    Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.

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    This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski
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    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 25 September 2024