>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1968) Vol. 3, p.309.





HEPBURN





	Arthur Japy Hepburn, born 15 October 1877 in Carlisle, 

Pa., graduated from the Naval Academy 5 June 1897.  During 

the Spanish-American War, he served as Passed Midshipman in 

battleship IOWA (BB-4), and he participated in the defeat of 

Admiral Cervera’s Spanish Squadron off Santiago, Cuba, 

3 July 1898.  Commissioned Ensign 1 July 1899, during the 

next two decades he assisted in making oceanic surveys in 

the Pacific and performed a variety of duties ashore and 

afloat, including service in cruiser OLYMPIA (C-6), and 

battleships GEORGIA (BB-15) and SOUTH CAROLINA (BB-26).  

During World War I, he commanded the seized German liner 

KAISER WILHELM II and the Submarine Chaser Base, New London, 

Conn., until order to Europe in July 1918 to command the 

subchaser base at Queenstown, Ireland.  After the armistice, 

he served in scout cruiser CHESTER (CS-1), inspecting German 

naval ships and aircraft in accordance with naval terms of 

the Armistice.  From 1919 to 1922, he was Assistant Chief of 

the Bureau of Steam Engineering, and from 1922 to 1924, he 

served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Naval Detachment in 

Turkish Waters.  During the years prior to World War II, he 

served a wide variety of important posts both ashore and 

afloat.  He took command of battleship WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48) 

in May 1925; became Director of Naval Intelligence in July 

1926.  From 1927 to 1930, he served as Chief of Staff with 

Battle Fleet and U.S. Fleet and on 23 May 1931 took command 

of Submarine Forces, U.S. Fleet.  Between June 1932 and July 

1933, he served as naval member to the three-power 

Limitations of Arms Conference as Naval Adviser to the 

Geneva Delegation in Switzerland and to the American 

Representative at the London Naval Conference.



	After serving as Commander, 4th Naval District, and 

commanding destroyers of the U.S. Fleet, he became 

Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet 24 June 1936, service in the 

rank of Admiral.  Two years later, he headed a board which 

reviewed America’s national defense structure during the 

deteriorating international situation.  The “Hepburn Board 

Report” was the basis for the massive Shore Establishment 

expansion that took place prior to World War II.  In 1942, 

Admiral Hepburn was appointed Chairman of the General Board 

of the Navy, serving in that capacity throughout the war.  

He also served as a delegate to the Dumbarton Oaks meetings, 

which established guidelines for founding the United 

Nations.  Admiral Hepburn retired from active duty 

10 December 1945, and died 31 May 1964.





DE-1055

Displacement:  2,624 tons 

Length:  414’6”

Beam:  44’

Draft:  18’

Speed:  27.4 k.

Complement:  247

Armament:  1 5”; 4 21” torpedo tubes; 1 ASROC; 

	DASH drone helicopter

Class:  KNOX



	HEPBURN (DE-1055) was laid down 1 June 1966, by Todd 

Shipyard Corp., San Pedro, Calif.; and launched 25 March 

1967; sponsored by Mrs. Arthur J. Hepburn and Mrs. Joseph R. 

Barse.  Once completed and commissioned, she will possess 

the capabilities to screen, attack, and support ships and to 

operate effectively against submarines.  Operating either 

alone or with a hunter-killer group and equipped with the 

latest ASW equipment, the escort will be able to seek out 

and destroy enemy submarines.  Moreover, as is so important 

in these days of potential conflict, her ability to perform 

blockade, surveillance, search, and evacuation missions at a 

moment's notice will add readily to the Navy's deterrent 

force and assist in the continuing task of "keeping the 

peace."  Her commissioning is scheduled for 1969.



	[Commissioned on 3 July 1969, HEPBURN was reclassified 

a frigate (FF-1055) on 30 June 1975.  Decommissioned on 

20 December 1991 and stricken from the Navy Register on 

11 January 1995, former HEPBURN was transferred to Greece 

for spare parts in December 1998.]



K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.243.

“Conway’s All The World’s Fighting Ships, 1947-1995,” p.598.

Naval Institute “Proceedings,” May 1998, p.187.

“Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1999-2000,” p.277.



Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com