USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)

The USS "Blue Ridge" (LCC-19) is the lead ship of the two "Blue Ridge"-class command ships of the U.S. Navy. She is the third Navy ship named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, a range of mountains in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States.

The USS "Blue Ridge" was commissioned on November 14, 1970, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a command and control ship for the Navy. With accommodations for more than 200 officers and 1200 enlisted men, the ship provides all the services of a small town.

From 1971 until 1979, the "Blue Ridge" operated from San Diego, California, where she deployed to the Western Pacific, earning the Meritorious Unit Commendation and Navy Unit Commendation for the evacuation of Saigon in 1975.

Since October 1979, the "Blue Ridge" has been forward-deployed at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan as the flagship of the US Seventh Fleet. The "Blue Ridge" participates routinely in U.S. and allied training exercise each year with countries throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

The "Blue Ridge" performed a nine-and-one-half month deployment as flagship for the Commander, United States Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT) during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 through 24 April 1991, for which the warship earned another Navy Unit Commendation.

The "Blue Ridge" frequently makes port calls throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia. She made her historic port visit to Shanghai, Red China in 1989, 2001 and again in 2004. She also visited Vladivostok, Russia, in 1996, 2003 and 2006. The ship has been cited for rescues of refugees and merchant vessel sailors.

The "Blue Ridge" left Laem Chabang Port after a short visit to Asian University in Chonburi, Thailand on May 7, 2008, [ [http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000005903 pattayadailynews.com, ASIAN UNIVERSITY ENJOYS VISIT BY THE US NAVY] ] and docked in Manila, Philippines on May 22 for a 3 day goodwill visit, and also, for her crew to help construct Gawad Kalinga homes. [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/95711/US-Navy-ship-to-visit-Manila-on-goodwill-mission gmanews.tv/story, US Navy ship to visit Manila on 'goodwill mission'] ]

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b7/blue-ridge-iii.htm

External links

* [http://www.blue-ridge.navy.mil/ USS "Blue Ridge" official Web site]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/01/0119.htm navsource.org: USS "Blue Ridge"]

Notes