View source for Garcia-class frigate

{{Short description|Class of US Navy frigates}}
{{ref improve|date=January 2013}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = [[File:USS ALBERT DAVID (FF-1050) port bow view.jpg|300px|border|A ''Garcia''-class frigate: USS ''Albert David'' (FF-1050) in December 1975.]]
| Ship caption = USS ''Albert David'' underway in December 1975.
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Garcia'' class
| Builders = Various
| Operators = *{{naval|United States}}
*{{naval|Brazil}}
*{{naval|Pakistan}}
| Class before = *{{sclass|Bronstein|frigate|4}} (US)
*[[Marcílio Dias-class destroyer (1973)|''Marcílio Dias'' class]] (Brazil)
| Class after = {{sclass|Knox|frigate|4}}
| Subclasses = {{sclass|Brooke|frigate|4}}
| Built range = 1962&ndash;1968
| In commission range = 1964&ndash;1990 (USN)
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 
| Total ships completed = 10 + ''Glover''
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 10 + ''Glover''
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Frigate]]
| Ship displacement = 2,624 tons (light)
| Ship length = {{convert|414|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|44|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|24|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = 2 [[Foster Wheeler Corporation|Foster-Wheeler]] boilers, 1 steam turbine, {{convert|35,000|shp|kW|abbr=on}}, single screw
| Ship speed = {{convert|27|kn}}
| Ship range = {{convert|4,000|nmi|km mi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
| Ship complement = *16 officers
*231 enlisted
| Ship sensors = *[[AN/SPS-40]] air search radar
*[[AN/SPS-10]] surface search radar
*[[AN/SQS-26]] bow mounted sonar<ref name="p3">Polmar, Norman "The U.S. Navy: Sonars, Part 1" ''United States Naval Institute Proceedings'' July 1981 p.119</ref>
*[[Mark 56 Gun Fire Control System|Mark 56]] [[fire-control system]]
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = *2 × single [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/38 cal. Mk 30 guns]]
*1 × 8-tube [[ASROC]] Mk16 launcher (16 missiles)
*2 × triple {{convert|12.75|in|mm|abbr=on}} [[Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes|Mk 32]] torpedo tubes, [[Mark 46 torpedo|Mk 46 torpedoes]] (18 torpedoes)
*2 × Mk 25 twin torpedo tubes for [[Mark 37 torpedo|Mk 37 torpedo]] (fixed, stern) (removed later) (8 torpedoes)
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = [[Gyrodyne QH-50]] (planned) / SH-2 LAMPS
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}
'''''Garcia''-class frigates''' were [[United States Navy]] [[naval ship|warships]]. These [[frigate]]s were originally [[ocean escort]]s bearing the [[Hull classification symbol|hull classification]] DE until 1975. The ships were [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] between 1964 and 1968 and decommissioned between 1988 and 1990.

==Description==
Frigates fulfill a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) combatants for [[amphibious assault|amphibious expeditionary forces]], underway replenishment groups and merchant [[convoy]]s.

The ''Garcia'' class was a larger version of the {{sclass|Bronstein|frigate|4}}. The ''Garcias'' were accompanied by the similar [[Brooke-class frigate|''Brooke'' class]], which replaced the aft gun with a [[Mark 13 missile launcher|Mark 22 missile launcher]].

The ''Bronstein'' ocean escort was a response to the development of high speed nuclear [[submarine]]s in the late 1950s, but their speed was insufficient to keep pace with [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) groups and their gun (naval [[artillery]]) power was poor for general patrol tasks. The ''Garcia'' class rectified these issues by becoming the first ships of their type in the US Navy to use pressure fired boilers, which allowed them to generate much more power than the ''Bronsteins'' without an increase in size or weight of machinery.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Linder |first=Bruce |date=April 1989 |title=The Garcias and Brookes: One Last Look |url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/1989/april/garcias-and-brookes-one-last-look |access-date=10 April 2025 |website=U.S. Naval Institute}}</ref> The gun armament was increased in the ''Garcia'' class to two [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|Mk.30 5&nbsp;inch/38]] caliber guns. The ASW weapon system consisted of the SQS-26BX [[sonar]], Mk.112 [[ASROC]] [[rocket]] launcher, [[Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH|QH-50 DASH]] armed drones, and [[Mark 32 surface vessel torpedo tubes|Mk.32 torpedo tubes]] and was further reinforced with the addition of a pair of Mk.25 torpedo tubes for firing the much longer ranged [[Mark 37 torpedo]].

There were two distinct breeds of ships bearing the DE hull classification, the [[World War II]] [[destroyer escort]]s (some of which were converted to DERs) and the postwar DE/DEG classes, which were known as [[ocean escort]]s despite carrying the same type symbol as the World War II destroyer escorts. All DEs, DEGs, and DERs were reclassified as FFs, FFGs, or FFRs on 30 June 1975 by the [[United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification]].

After decommissioning, {{USS|Bradley|FF-1041|2}}, {{USS|Davidson|FF-1045|2}}, {{USS|Sample|FF-1048|2}}, and {{USS|Albert David|FF-1050|2}} were transferred to the Brazilian Navy, as ''Pernambuco'' (D 30), ''Paraíba'' (D 28), ''Paraná'' (D 29), and ''Pará'' (D 27), respectively. ''Pará'' (D 27) remained in reserve till 2015, but appears to have been scrapped since.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://warsearcher.com/shipsearcher/brazilian-navy-current-and-retired/brazilian-navy-frigates/|title=Brazilian Navy – Frigates|date=13 May 2020 |access-date=4 Sep 2023}}</ref>
{{USS|Glover|FF-1098|2}} was a ''Garcia''-class frigate modified for research use, commissioned as AGDE-1 in 1965, redesignated AGFF-1 in 1975, and redesignated FF-1098 in 1979.

{{-}}

==Ships==
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Hull no.
!Crest
!Builder
!Commission–<br />decommission
!Fate
!Link
|-
|{{USS|Garcia|FF-1040|2}}
|FF-1040
|[[File:USS Garcia (DE-1040) insignia 1964.png|50px]]
|[[Bethlehem Steel]], San Francisco
|1964&ndash;1989
|Sold for scrapping, 29 March 1994
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1040}}]
|-
|{{USS|Bradley|FF-1041|2}}
|FF-1041
|
|Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco
|1965&ndash;1988
|Sold to Brazil as ''Pernambuco'' (D 30), decommissioned 2004, scrapped 2013
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1041}}]
|-
|{{USS|Edward McDonnell|FF-1043|2}}
|FF-1043
|
|[[Avondale Shipyard]], Louisiana
|1965&ndash;1988
|Sold for scrapping, 21 August 2002
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1043}}]
|-
|{{USS|Brumby|FF-1044|2}}
|FF-1044
|[[File:USS Brumby (DE-1044) insignia, in 1965 (NH 64833-KN).png|50px]]
|Avondale Shipyard, Louisiana
|1965&ndash;1989
|Sold for scrapping, 9 September 1994
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1044}}]
|-
|{{USS|Davidson|FF-1045|2}}
|FF-1045
|
|Avondale Shipyard, Louisiana
|1965&ndash;1988
|Sold to Brazil as ''Paraiba'' (D28), decommsissoned 2002, sank under tow 2005
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1045}}]
|-
|{{USS|Voge|FF-1047|2}}
|FF-1047
|[[File:USS Voge (DE-1047) insignia, in 1966 (NH 65418-KN).png|50px]]
|[[Defoe Shipbuilding Company]], Michigan
|1966&ndash;1989
|Sold for scrapping, 19 January 2001
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1047}}]
|-
|{{USS|Sample|FF-1048|2}}
|FF-1048
|[[File:USS Sample (DE-1048) insignia, in 1967 (NH 68122-KN).png|50px]]
|[[Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company]], Seattle
|1968&ndash;1988
|1989 to Brazil as ''Paraná'' (D 29), sold for scrapping in 2004
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1048}}]
|-
|{{USS|Koelsch|FF-1049|2}}
|FF-1049
|
|Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Michigan
|1967&ndash;1989
|Sold for scrapping, 9 September 1994
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1049}}]
|-
|{{USS|Albert David|FF-1050|2}}
|FF-1050
|[[File:USS Albert David (DE-1050) insignia, circa in 1971 (NH 78942-KN).png|50px]]
|Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company Seattle
|1968&ndash;1989
|1989 to Brazil as ''Pará'' (D 27), scrapped 2015
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1050}}]
|-
|{{USS|O'Callahan|FF-1051|2}}
|FF-1051
|
|Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Michigan
|1968&ndash;1988
|Sold for scrapping, 29 March 1994
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=FF1051}}]
|-
|{{USS|Glover|FF-1098|2}}
|FF-1098
|[[File:USS Glover (FF-1098) Crest.png|50px]]
|[[Bath Iron Works]]
|1965&ndash;1990
|Sold for scrapping, 15 April 1994
|[{{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=AGFF1}}]
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:USS Davidson (FF-1045) underway on 1 July 1986 (6421920).jpg|''Davidson'' with vertical bridge structure
File:USS Koelsch (FF-1049) underway.jpg|''Koelsch'' with angled lower bridge structure for automatic ASROC loading. All units ''Voge'' and later were similarly equipped
File:USS Sample (FF-1048) underway at sea on 1 July 1986 (6421927).jpg|''Sample'' with two gun mounts
File:USS Glover (FF-1098) underway at sea on 1 June 1982 (6349647).jpg|''Glover'' with only one gun mount
File:USS Bradley (DE-1041) firing Sea Sparrow testing BPDMS.jpg|''Bradley'' with [[RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]] BPDMS installed. Installed and removed c.1967-1968.
File:USS Bradley (DE-1041) stern view with torpedo tubes c1965.jpg|Stern view of ''Bradley'', note torpedo tubes installed in the [[Transom (nautical)|transom]], later removed.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of frigates of the United States Navy]]
*[[List of frigates#United States|List of frigates]] by country and by frigate class

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Garcia class frigates}}
*[http://destroyerhistory.org/coldwar/garciaclass/ ''Garcia''-class frigates] at [https://web.archive.org/web/20090219202357/http://destroyerhistory.org/ Destroyer History Foundation]
*[[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]] from [[Naval Historical Center]] - information about person whom ship was named after plus early ship history
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20040314041440/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/g1/garcia.htm Garcia] picture
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20040314003748/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/v4/voge.htm Voge]
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20040329014127/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s3/sample.htm Sample]
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20040301001923/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/k5/koelsch.htm Koelsch]
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20040221130230/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a5/albert_david.htm Albert David] picture
**[https://archive.today/20121212211636/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o1/ocallahan.htm O'Callahan]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20161006105417/http://www.nvr.navy.mil/NVRSHIPS/S_FF.HTM Frigate] from [[Naval Vessel Register]] - all these ships have been decommissioned - see link for status
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040803053848/http://destroyersonline.com/usndd/classgarcia.html The Garcia class] from Destroyers OnLine - pictures, history, crews
*{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20121205094431/http://www.desausa.org/ Destroyer Escort Sailors Association]}} more information and history about DEs
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20021015135449/http://www.geocities.com/bigwulfe/voge.html USS Voge] former crewmember's site with pictures ([[Internet Archive|archive]] link, was [[Dead link|dead]])

{{Garcia class frigate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia Class Frigate}}
[[Category:Garcia-class frigates| ]]
[[Category:Cold War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States| Garcia]]
[[Category:Vietnam War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States| Garcia]]
[[Category:Frigate classes]]