More pictures, history, and miscellaneous (of Downes and other ships) are available at the Destroyers Online website.

On 15 August 2003, Downes was sunk in a Sinking Exercise off the West Coast.  She was sunk by P-3 launched Harpoon Missiles.

DE-1070 firing an ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) From the Photo Album of James Handy more photos from the mid-1970's available at the above link	Downes before installation of hurricane bow Pudget Sound Washington, June 1, 1971: USS Downes on builders trials. National Archives
Downes after installation of Hurricane Bow (circa 1985)	Downes (Pre-1985)

Patch Scanned by Patrick Long

Pictures are linked to higher resolution pictures

USS Downes Welcome Aboard Pamplet (1984)

(Cover Scanned by Patrick Long)

    USS DOWNES (FF 1070) is a Knox-Class Fast Frigate especially designed for locating and destroying enemy submarines.  In addition to performing anti-submarine warfare (ASW), DOWNES is capable of such varied missions as surface action, Anti-missile defense, search and rescue, patrol, evacuation, blockade, visit and search or surveillance.  She is 438 feet long, displaces 4,000 tons under full load, has a beam of 47 feet and a draft of 26 feet.

    DOWNES is equipped with three modern long-range underwater sound detection (SONAR) systems, one hull-mounted, one variable depth, and a towed array passive sonar, as well as long-range air and surface search radar, modern communications equipment and a sophisticated electronic warfare system.  The DOWNES armament includes; one 5-inch 54 caliber gun for use as an anti-aircraft, anti surface weapon, or for shore bombardment; a NATO Seasparrow Missile System that may be directed at both enemy surface and air targets, and the Surface to Surface HARPOON Missile System capable of long range engagements of enemy surface units.  The ship also has four torpedo tubes, an anti-submarine rocket group (ASROC) and the LAMPS ASW Helicopter.

    DOWNES is manned by 16 officers and 260 enlisted men.  She has spacious modern living compartments, messing facilities, recreation and lounge areas, post office, ship’s store, laundry, barber shop, and dispensary.

    FF-1070 had her keel laid on 5 September 1968 by Todd Shipyards Corporation, Seattle, Washington, and was christened DOWNES on 13 December 1969 during launching by her sponsor Mrs. Philip L. Kelton, the great-granddaughter of the late Commodore John Downes.  The ship is powered by two combustion engineering boilers providing 1200 psi steam through turbines developing 40,000 shaft horsepower through a single screw.  DOWNES is capable of speeds over 27 knots.  Her distilling plant produces 24,000 gallons of fresh water daily for personal use and for feeding the ship’s boilers.  Two gyro-controlled fins protruding from the ship’s underwater hull actively stabilize the ship for fire control and for better control of the LAMPS helicopter.

    USS DOWNES (FF 1070) is the third ship of the fleet to be named in honor of Captain John Downes, USN.  Captain Downes, born in 1786, in Canton, Massachusetts, rendered distinguished service during the war with Tripoli in 1804 in the frigate CONGRESS, and was executive officer in ESSEX during the war of 1812.  He commanded EPERIVER, GUERRIERE, ONTARIO, and INDEPENDENCE, and the Boston Navy Yard, and was Commodore of the Pacific and Mediterrenean Squadrons.

    The first DOWNES (DD 45) was built by the New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey.  The destroyer was commissioned 11 February 1915, Lieutenant Commander A. W. Johnson, USN, commanding.  DOWNES (DD 45) had a length overall of 305 feet 3 inches, extreme beam of 31 feet 1 inch, normal displacement of 1,070 tons, mean draft of 9 feet 3 inches, designed speed of 29 knots, and a designated complement of 4 officers and 93 men.  Her initial armament was four 4-inch .50 caliber guns, and eight 8-inch torpedo tubes.

    The second DOWNES (DD 375) was built by Norfolk Navy Yard and was commissioned on 15 January 1937, Commander Clifford H. Roper, USN, commanding.  DOWNES (DD 375) had a length overall of 341 feet four inches, extreme beam of 35 feet, standard displacement of 1,500 tons, mean draft of 9 feet 10 inches, designed speed of 36.5 knots, and a designed complement of 8 officers and 150 men.  Her initial armament was five 5-inch .38 caliber guns and twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.  She was also equipped with four depth charge projectors.

    The officers and crew of DOWNES welcomes you aboard the “Finest, Fastest, Fairest Frigate in the Fleet”, and hope you enjoy your tour aboard.

Award	Date(s) of Awards
Navy Expeditionary Service Medal	15-APR-1979 06-JUN-1979 (Iran/Indian Ocean 06 Dec 1978 - 06 Jun 1979) 02-DEC-1980 25-FEB-1981 (Iran/Indian Ocean 21 Nov 1979 - 20 Oct 1981)
Humanitarian Service Medal	03-APR-1979 (Boat People 21 Jul 1979 - 30 Jun 1984)
Joint Meritorius Service Medal	07-MAR-1991 18-JUN-1991 13-OCT-1991 12-JAN-1992
Meritorious Unit Commendation	01-APR-1973 07-DEC-1976 10-NOV-1984 07-MAY-1985
Navy "E" Ribbon	01-JAN-1976 30-JUN-1977 01-JAN-1985 30-JUN-1986

Knox Class Line Drawing

    The 1052-Class Fast Frigates were the result of Congressional opposition to mounting costs of the Brooke FFG class Missile Frigate after only six Brooke class ships were built. Accordingly, their mission was altered to Anti-Submarine Warfare Escort from that of General Escort. The original designation of the 1052-Class was "Destroyer Escort" (DE) which was changed in June 1975 to "Fast Frigate" (FF), while retaining the original hull number.

    The 1052-Class has the distinction of being the last Destroyer-type ships built for the U.S. Navy equipped with boiler & steam propulsion.   This Class ran from 1052 (Knox) to 1097 (Moinester).

    The 1052-Class frigates, all of which have been retired, fulfilled a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys. The Knox-class frigates initially formed the backbone of the Innovative Concept Reserve Training Program. Under this program, the last eight ships remaining in service were designated Type II Reserve Training Frigates [FFT], while 32 other frigates were deactivated and designated Type III ships. The Type III ships can be completely reactivated in 180 days. Each of the eight Reserve Training Frigates ship had its own reserve crew, and was also assigned four "nucleus crews" which would man the 32 Type III ships. The Reserve Training Frigates ships were to be homeported in New York, Mobile and Ingleside Texas. The Reserve Training Frigates were all inactivated in 1994, and some of them have been disposed of through the Security Assistance Program (SAP) foreign military sale program. Replacing the Knox-class frigates in this role, by the year 2000, seven of the 10 FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry frigates in the Naval Reserve Fleet will be modernized to the Flight III baseline. These ships fulfill an important role in reducing the Active force's operational and personnel tempo by responding to contingencies such as the Haitian embargo, counter-narcotics operations, and overseas deployments, such as Carat 96 in the Western Pacific.