'' Stephen W. Groves '' ( FFG-29 ) is the first ship of that name in the U.S. Navy . A previous ship named for Ensign Groves , destroyer escort , , was canceled in 1944 prior to completion . Assigned to Destroyer Squadron 14 and home-ported at Naval Station Mayport , Florida . During her maiden voyage , '' Groves '' was assigned to units in support of US Marines stationed at the airport in Beirut , Lebanon . Arriving shortly after the barracks bombing in 1983 , she was assigned to host the helicopter detachment from , enabling '' New Jersey '' to utilize all three of her turrets for attacking targets in the Beqaa Valley . Additionally , '' Groves '' protected '' New Jersey '' and other surface units from air threats . She tracked unidentified submarines , monitored Yasser Arafat 's transit from Beirut to Cyprus , and entered Beirut harbor with other units to conduct direct fire support against units hostile to USMC positions . '' Groves '' was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for these actions
barracks bombing in 1983
1983 Beirut barracks bombings
USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29)