The USS Ainsworth (DE/FF-1090) was a Knox-class frigate laid down in 1971, launched in 1972, acquired, and commissioned in 1973. After training, the ship had overhaul delays from Middle East tensions, then navigated around South America before returning to the US in 1974. From 1975 to 1979, the vessel conducted Caribbean and Mediterranean deployments, NATO exercises, training missions, and underwent periodic overhauls. Reclassified as frigate FF-1090, she sailed to Europe, the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf, supporting fleet operations, and was part of extended readiness patrols and multinational exercises with allied naval forces. Between 1980 and 1986, she carried out Middle East, Mediterranean, and NATO deployments, supported Lebanon peacekeeping operations, underwent further repairs and upgrades, and escorted carrier battle groups. The frigate also operated training missions and readiness exercises while operating extensively from Norfolk, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Persian Gulf. In 1990, she was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and was reclassified as a training frigate (FFT-1090), together with eight ships of her class. The USS Ainsworth was decommissioned and leased to Turkey in 1994, and stricken from the Register a year later. Like all Navy ships built before the 1980s, frigates were also constructed with numerous asbestos products, placing crew members at a high risk for exposure and developing related diseases later in their lives.
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