USS Exeter (NCC-1672)

The USS Exeter (NCC-1706) was one of the original twelve Constitution-class starships constructed in the 2240s, and went on to serve Starfleet well until the 2300s.

Construction History
Construction began on the USS Exeter at the Singapore Naval Yards, Earth, on March 11th 2246, just over two months after its sister-ship, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was commissioned. Construction was completed in February 2248, and the Essex began a number of shakedown cruises, under Captain Brittany Mendez, before being commissioned and beginning its first five-year mission in August 2248, again under Mendez's command. (USS Enterprise Heavy Cruiser Evolution Charts'').

Service History
The Exeter ' s first five-year mission began in 2248, and she was assigned to patrol Fleet Subquadrant 3 North. After completing its first mission and returning to Earth in 2253, the Exeter was dispatched on two more five-year missions (2254-2259 and 2259-2264, again under the command of Mendez. During the missions, the Exeter makes contact with dozens of races, including the Chyrellkans in 2259. (TOS novel: Renegade).

When the Exeter returned from its third five-year mission, Captain Mendez stepped down as commanding officer, and Captain Ronald Tracey assumed command, and began a fourth five-year mission in 2265.

In 2268, the Exeter visited the planet Omega IV on a survey mission. Captain Tracey led a landing party to the surface and discovered two groups of people, the Yangs and the Kohms, at war with each other. Tracey remained on the surface to talk to the Kohms while the rest of the landing party returned to the Exeter, the crew soon fell to a mysterious disease. Tracey survived on the surface, and believed that Omega IV was a fountain of youth and good health. His illusions were shattered, however, when the USS Enterprise responded to the distress call. (TOS episode: "The Omega Glory").

Following the incident on Omega IV, the Enterprise towed the Exeter to the nearest starbase where she was decontaminated and recrewed. The Exeter ' s new command was Captain Lyle Craig.

In 2269, the Exeter assisted the Enterprise, the USS Majestic and the USS Yorktown in keeping the experimantal transwarp drive from falling into enemy hands. (TOS novel: Fortunes of War, #2: Battlestations!).

Shortly after this incident, Captain Douglas Newman assumed command of the Exeter. The Exeter was ordered to participate in wargames with the USS Farragut and the Enterprise near Izell. The Enterprise was equipped with an experimental warp-powered shield technology. (TOS novel: First Frontier).