boarded three boats, disrupting more than of cocaine destined for the United States with a street value of $272 million. On the night of 8 January 2013, Gary encountered a small vessel loaded with cargo. The boat displayed several indicators that she was involved in illicit trafficking, and the VBSS team and the Coast Guardsmen boarded the vessel. While they searched the boat, she suffered a temporary steering casualty, rendering her dangerous to operate. Gary rigged a tow until the Americans and the mariners restored the boat's steering. The intervening time enabled the boarders to complete their search and they failed to discover any narcotics on board, and the vessel resumed her voyage two days later. The ship capped her deployment by seizing an additional vessel smuggling more than of cocaine valued at $81 million. "It was a complex operation," Lt. (j.g.) Christian Gotcher, the ship's navigation officer, recalled, "involving a law enforcement boarding, boat and helicopter searches, precision driving, detainee handling, and multiple deck operations, but Garys crew proved they were fully capable of handling it and scored a big win." Gary was decommissioned on 23 July 2015 at Naval Base San Diego, California. The ship was inactivated on 5 August 2015 and then prepared for transfer to Taiwan. The Republic of China Navy inaugurated the ship as the ROCS Feng Jia (PFG-1115) on 8 November 2018. References External links Yokosuka Naval Base Community Website navysite.de: USS Gary MaritimeQuest USS Gary FFG-51 pages Eye on the Fleet Photo Gallery USS Gary News USS Gary command histories at the Naval History & Heritage Command Cold War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States Ships built in Los Angeles 1983 ships Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates of the United States Navy