McGrath’s command of USS Jarrett ends on 4 September 2000, concluding her historic warship command tour.
On 4 September 2000, Capt. Kathleen McGrath concluded her tour as commanding officer of the frigate USS Jarrett (FFG‑33), ending her historic tenure as the first woman to command a U.S. Navy warship.[12]
McGrath had taken command in December 1998 and led Jarrett through routine operations and a high‑visibility mission to the Persian Gulf to intercept ships smuggling Iraqi oil in 2000.[5][15] The change‑of‑command on 4 September 2000 marked the completion of this groundbreaking command tour, closing a nearly two‑year period in which a woman stood at the helm of a front‑line combatant ship.
According to recollections preserved in naval commentary, her tenure was characterized by professionalism, strong seamanship, and effective leadership, qualities that helped disarm critics who doubted women’s suitability for combatant command.[12] By the time she handed over Jarrett, McGrath had firmly demonstrated that a woman could meet the operational standards demanded of frigate commanders.
Historically, the end of her command is significant because it transformed her groundbreaking appointment from an experiment into a completed, successful tour. This date signifies that a woman‑commanded warship had deployed, executed missions, and returned under her leadership without incident, setting a practical precedent for future female ship commanders. McGrath’s service on Jarrett thus moved women’s naval leadership from symbolic firsts into sustained operational reality.[5][12]