The USS Hoel (DDG-13) was a Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer constructed by Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Bay City, Michigan. Laid down on August 3, 1959, and launched on August 4, 1960, the vessel was commissioned on June 16, 1962, under the command of Commander Allen W. Slifer. The ship measured approximately 390 feet in length, with a beam of 39 feet, and a displacement of about 4,500 tons. It was equipped with missile systems including ASROC and Tartar missiles, and featured advanced fire-control radars, which were installed during post-shakedown availability at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. USS Hoel’s service history was marked by active participation in the Vietnam War, where she served as a plane guard for aircraft carriers on Yankee Station, conducted Sea Dragon operations, and provided naval gunfire support. Notably, during her 1966 Western Pacific deployment, she engaged in search and rescue patrols off Da Nang, firing over 2,100 rounds of naval gunfire to destroy enemy structures and trench networks, and to support ground forces. The ship also rescued a pilot after an aircraft crash and screened the aircraft carrier Coral Sea. A significant event in her operational history was her participation in Operation Nimble Archer on October 19, 1987, when she helped destroy two militarized oil platforms in the Persian Gulf, firing nearly 400 rounds in the operation. The destroyer was decommissioned on October 1, 1990, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1992. Post-decommissioning, USS Hoel was sold to Charleston Shipbuilders Inc., which attempted to repurpose her power plant to generate electricity in Manaus, Brazil. This ambitious project faced technical difficulties and ultimately failed, leading to the cancellation of the contract. The vessel’s maritime significance lies in its active service during key Cold War and Vietnam War operations, as well as its later, though unsuccessful, attempt to be repurposed for civilian energy generation.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.