USS Preble (DDG-46)

USS Preble (DLG-15/DDG-46) was a destroyer in the United States Naval Service. She was the fifth ship named to honor after Commodore Edward Preble (1761–1807). Preble was laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, 16 December 1957. She was launched 23 May 1959 and sponsored by Mrs. Ralph E. Wilson. Preble was commissioned in the Boston Naval Shipyard 9 May 1960, Commander Edward G. Fitz-Patrick in command. She was decommissioned 15 November 1991 and struck 20 November 1992 to be scrapped.

History
After shakedown off the East Coast, Preble transited the Panama Canal and arrived San Diego 2 September. After exercises along the coast of California, she got underway 27 February 1961 en route to the Far East for a six-month tour with the 7th Fleet. She returned to San Diego 28 September to rejoin the 1st Fleet. She remained in the eastern Pacific through 1963 and on 26 February 1964 departed California for another tour of duty in the Far East, 13 March – 20 July.

Rotated regularly to WestPac over the next five years she spent much of her deployed time with the 7th Fleet off the coast of Vietnam. During these tours she served as plane guard for carriers in the Tonkin Gulf, patrolled on SAR, and bombarded enemy positions along the coast. On 19 June 1968 Navy Lt.jg. Clyde Everett Lassen of Helicopter Squadron 7, embarked aboard USS Preble, and his crew flew a hazardous rescue operation deep into North Vietnam to evacuate two downed US Navy pilots. Lassen was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Returning from WestPac in July 1968, she operated briefly along the California coast and in December got underway for Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. There for an extensive overhaul, she decommissioned 31 January 1969, recommissioned 23 May 1970, and returned to the Pacific Fleet.

On 24 January 1973, the United States Seventh Fleet reported that the Preble's torpedo tubes and three antennae were damaged by North Vietnamese artillery while the ship was operating off Quảng Trị Province just below the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.

Decommissioned on 15 November 1991 and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 20 November 1992, Preble was transferred to the James River Reserve Fleet on 30 June 1993. Preble was sold for scrap to J&L Metals of Wilmington, NC on 15 April 1994. Repossessed from the scrap yard and resold on 10 February 1999 to International Shipbreakers of Brownsville, Tx for $85,000, Preble was repossessed for a second time on 10 July 2000 after the scrap yard failed to take delivery of the ship in a timely manner. A contract to dismantle Preble was issued on 20 March 2002 to Metro Machine of Philadelphia, Pa for $3,400,000. Preble was completely dismantled on 10 February 2003.