Rex Frost

USS Constellation

U.S. Navy

The USS Constellation was a wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy. It was launched in 1797 and served in both the Quasi-War and the Barbary Wars. The ship is often considered one of the earliest frigates built for the US Navy and played a significant role in protecting American merchant vessels from attacks by pirates and privateers. The USS Constellation has since been preserved as a museum ship in Baltimore, Maryland, where visitors can learn about its history and tour the decks.

USS Maddox (DD-731) was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy in 1944. She served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during World War II, providing fire support at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and participating in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine operations. After the war, Maddox was modernized and saw further service during the Korean War, supporting United Nations forces along the Korean Peninsula. Most notably, USS Maddox became famous for her involvement in the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in August 1964, which played a key role in escalating U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.