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This page documents the life of USS Thomas C. Hart (DE/FF-1092) in her service to the Turkish
Navy. TCH was leased/transferred to the Turkish government 30 August 1993. The KNOX class frigates in the custody of
Turkey have been reclassified as TEPE class. I have exchanged a few emails with Mr. C. Devrim Yaylali in the past and
he indicated he believes the TEPE class frigates may soon be eliminated from the Turkish Naval inventory. TCH will then
face an uncertain future. Perhaps someone has some later information? If so, please let us know. Wouldn't
it be great to get her back?
Click to View Info on Turkish Navy
| photo from AFSOUTH website |
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| photo taken during nato exercise 2000 - credit unknown |
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| Hart CO's attend decommissioning and transfer to Turkey |
TCH CO's attend ship's decommissioning
30 August 1993 (L-R) Captain John F. Bennett,
Jr., USN (ret) (1977-79); Captain John D. Rohrbough, USN (ret) (1975-77); Captain F. Richard Whalen, USN (ret) (1981-83);
Captain Ronald J. Forst, USN (ret) (1973-75); Captain Louis A. Nick Jr., USN (1985-87); Captain James D. Stevens, USN (1987-89).
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| photo credit C. Devrim Yaylali |
Here she is under Turkish Flag. TCH is now known as TCG Zafer F-253!
To visit the Unofficial Turkish Navy Website operated by C. Devrim Yaylali, click the photo of Zafer!
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| Photo from Militaryphotos.net |
TCG Zafer F-253 (inboard) andTCG Muavenet F-250 - October 2006 |
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| Photo by Guy Schaeffer, from the collection of Paolo Marsan) |
Zafer - 2001 Toulon, France
We all know the Navy is a small world, right? Former HART skipper Capt
Dick Whalen, USN (Ret) reports he received email last spring from his son, Todd, a Navy Commander who was then XO of DDG
GONZALES on deployment in the Med. Todd relayed that, as his ship was pulling into Aksaz, Turkey, he spotted 3 Turkish frigates
with familiar hull forms, one of which was TCG ZAFER. Quick check of Janes confirmed it was in fact USS THOMAS
C. HART! He later met the then-CO (CDR Salik Kula) at a NATO reception, who advised that he was a member of
the HART Assn. Both ships proceeded to duke it out in a NATO exercise the following week.... No reports of who won....She
sails ON!"
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