USS Taylor Heads for Repairs Following Grounding

(Jan. 8, 2014) The guided-missile frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50) departs Naval Station Mayport in Florida for a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. U.S. Navy Photo

The USS Taylor on Friday departed the Turkish port of Samsun for the first time since the February 12 grounding that left the ship with a damaged propeller.

The U.S. Navy said that the Taylor left with the assistance of a tug from Donjon Towing Company and is headed for Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Greece for repairs. The repairs will include the replacement of the propeller blades and propeller hub, which were damaged when the ship went aground as it was preparing to moor.

The USS Taylor was one of the two security vessels that the U.S. had on standby in the Black Sea during the Sochi Olympic Games.

Taylor’s commanding officer was subsequently relieved duty last week due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, the navy said in a statement.

Repairs are expected to take several weeks before the ship is able to continue its scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th and 5th Fleet areas of operations, the navy said.

This is Taylor’s final deployment as the ship is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2015.

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