US Navy’s Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50) concluded more than 30 years of service to the Navy during a decommissioning ceremony led by Cmdr. Joel Rodriguez, commanding officer, held May 8 at Naval Station Mayport.
More than 400 crew members, plank owners, family members and friends gathered to bid farewell to the celebrated frigate. Among the ceremonial guests were Adm. Philip S. Davidson, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and retired Capt. Steve Fitzgerald, Taylor’s commissioning commanding officer.
The crew completed its final deployment Aug. 9, 2014, to the U.S. 6th and 4th Fleet areas of responsibility. During the deployment the ship conducted theater security cooperation, maritime security operations and partner-building exercises in the Mediterranean and Black Seas in support of Operation Active Endeavor. Mid-deployment, Taylor transitioned to the Caribbean in support of the Joint Interagency Task Force South counter-illicit trafficking mission.
The keel of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class Frigate was laid May 5, 1983, at the Bath Iron Works Shipyard in Bath, Maine. She launched Nov. 5, 1983 and commissioned Dec. 1, 1984.
Taylor is slated to be transferred for foreign military sales to Taiwan.
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Image: US Navy