Decommissioned USS Rodney M. Davis Blown Up as Part of Exercise

The United States, Australia, Canada, and Malaysia fired upon and destroyed my first sea-duty command, the former USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60) (named after a Marine sergeant who protected his men in Vietnam by throwing himself on a grenade) during the ongoing RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific exercises) conducted off the Hawaiian coast. While this is an unhappy moment personally, it is worth considering the purpose of RIMPAC and the Davis’s destruction in an age of heightened Chinese naval aggression, especially given the similitude between the RMD and the Chinese 054(A)-class frigates.

The U.S. Navy biennially hosts RIMPAC in Honolulu, whereupon allied navies’ vessels converge on Oahu to train as a group and visit one another’s ships — strengthening diplomatic ties through boozing and cruising; a time-honored naval tradition.

About the Author

Luther Ray Abel

Luther Ray Abel is an Associate Editor for National Review. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Luther is a proud native of Sheboygan, Wis.

Featured Tags

The United States, Australia, Canada, and Malaysia fired upon and destroyed my first sea-duty command, the former USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60) (named after a Marine sergeant who protected his men in Vietnam by throwing himself on a grenade) during the ongoing RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific exercises) conducted off the Hawaiian coast. While this is an unhappy moment personally, it is worth considering the purpose of RIMPAC and the Davis’s destruction in an age of heightened Chinese naval aggression, especially given the similitude between the RMD and the Chinese 054(A)-class frigates.

The U.S. Navy biennially hosts RIMPAC in Honolulu, whereupon allied navies’ vessels converge on Oahu to train as a group and visit one another’s ships — strengthening diplomatic ties through boozing and cruising; a time-honored naval tradition.