P From: Commqnding Officer, USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC 9) To: ~ire4tor of Naval History (0-09BH), Washington Navy Yard 28 Mar 97 Subj : CCIMM+?D HISTORY (OPNAVINST Ref : (a) OPNAVINST 5750.2E i -- - -, Encl: () Portrait of Captain T. P. Labrocque, USN (2) Official Biography of Ca tain T. P. Labrecque, USN (3) Teruo Itors Retirement C remony Brochure (4) Qopies of Family Ties fo Calendar Year 996 (5) ~ladivostok, Russia Port Visit Guide (6) ~hronological List of Si nificant Events, Calendar Year 996. Per :eference (a), the Command istory for January 996 through 3 December 996 is submitted: a. Command Organization: (LCC 9) Commanding Officer: Captain. @. Labrecque from 9 to present. b. The mission of USS BLUE RID E (LCC 9) is to support the staff of Commandel: of SEVENTH Fleet. One sp cific support mission is to "show the flag" in ports of the SEVENTH Fleet Area of Responsibility. Additionally, the SEVENTH Fleet Flagship is designed o serve many purposes, depending on the crises. Specifically, it is design d to be the flagship for C7F as a CJTF or CCNCC, to aacommodate JFACC Afloat, to serve as a SACC for MEF size landing, and to be a combined operations cen er. c. Eiumn)ary of operations: USS BLUE RIDGE commenced 996 pierside in Yokosuka, Jqpan. The new year kick d off with the traditional poetic midwatch entry and blowing of the ship's whi On 2 February, BLUE RIDGE pulled into Yokosuka. The crew spent four days in hom4port then got underway on 6 Fbbruary to head for Hong Kong via the Taiwan Strajts. The ship enjoyed a four day port visit pierside in Hong Kong. On 6 February, BLUE RIDGE got underway from Hong Kong and headed for Darwin, Australia. The first day underway the ship conducted an underway replenishment with USNS PECOS. The ship arrived in Darwin on 29 February. During the month of February, the ship was visited by the Chief Minister of Northern Te%ritory; Northern Command, Staff Administrator Northern Territory; Staff Northern Territory Coonawarra; Staff Northern Territory Palmerstown; Commodore Royal Australian Navy; Assistant Secretary Royal Defense Force; Brigadier Royal Australian Army; and the Australian American Association.
Subj: 9 COW HISTORY (OPNAVINST PORT 5740-) The shhp got underway from ahw win, Australia on 4 March. On March, the ship arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia. On 4 March, the ship got underway and headed fbr Sambawang, Singapore via the Singapore Straits. The ship moored in Selnbawang on 22 March and was able to have a 5 day availability while inport. On 26 March, the ship got underway and headed back to Yokosuka to begin the Selected Restricted Avz.ilability 28. Throughout the month of March, BLUE @DGE trained intensely for the scheduled Operation Propulsion Plant Examination in the beginning of April. Due to plant casualties the exam was cance.lled. On 5 April, the ship returned to Yokosuka. On 22 April, Selected Restricted Availability 28 official y began. The month of April saw the following VIPs visit BLUE RIDGE: Sh'p Repair Facility; Mr. Navy; Battle Force Seventh Fleet; religious ministries, Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet; USS INDEPENDEIqCE; Naval Forces Japan; F eet Activities Yokosuka; Public Works Center; and bubmarine Force Seventh Fleet. Through the month of May the hip pressed on through the Selected Restricted Availability. BLUE RIDG conducted daily fire drills and frequent security alegt drills. The month o May saw the following distinguished guests visit BLUE RIDGE: Commander leet Activities, Yokosuka; Deputy CINCPACFLT; $ubmarine Force Seventh Fleet; and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy. \ On :L June, BLUE RIDGE set sa'l to test out the repairs completed during Selected Iiesfricted Availability 28. The two day sea trials and Tiger Cruise went well and was enjoyed by family ambers and friends. From the 3th through 6th BLUE RIDGE remained in ort Yokosuka. On the morning of the 7th BLUE RIDGIC d+parted Yokosuka, in fo, and headed to Apra Harbor, Guam. Enroute BLUE RIDGE and the JMSDF shi Marakumo demonstrated leap frogs, flaghoist drill, and radio drills. June 7th through 20th BLUE RIDGE Russia to celebrate the
i Subj: COW HISTORY (OPNAVINST PORT 5740-) The thi-ee day transit to Ota ended on August. The crew enjoyed a three day vigit in Otaru and then c ntinued on to Sasebo, Japan on 4 August. Along the wav to Sasebo, a JMSDF sh p conducted leap frogs, radio drills, and a dry UNREP. The ship moored in Sa ebo on 7 August. The expected three day visit was extended to a six day por visit due to a typhoon to the South. BLUE RIDGE gbt underway on 2 Augus heading for Okinawa, Japan to pick up embarkees for exercise ULCHI FOCUS NS. The ship arrived in Okinawa on 5 August to repuel, pick up embarkees then continue on to Chinhae, Korea. On 7 August, BLUE RIDGE arrived in Ch'nhae for a three day port visit. ULCHI FOCUS LENS officially began on 20 A gust. On the 20th, BLUE RIDGE got underway to a modified location in he Sea of Japan off the coast of South Korea. BLUE RIDGE conducted seven ays of flight operations, man overboard drills, and engineering casualty co trol drills while off the coast of South Korea. On 27 August, BLUE RIDGE mo red in Pusan, South Korea for two days while exercise ULCHI FOCUS LENS cont.inued. On 29 August, BLUE RIDGE got underway ;and headed for Chinhae, Sot.th Korea. ULCHI FOCUS LENS officially ended on 3 August. BLUE RIDGE moored for five hours in Chinhae for debarkation. BLUE RIDGE arrived in Okinawa on 2 September and completed the debarkation of the personnel from the exercise. Throughout the month of August, BLUE RIDGE was visited by Consulant General; Republic of Korea Fleet; Korean Sulmarine Flotilla Nine; Korean Flotilla Squadron Five; RADM Fussell; RADM Cotton; Landing Force SEVENTH Fleet; Amphibious Force SEVENTH Fleet; Marine Forces Pacific; Combined Forces; Logistic!Sup$ort Force SEVENTH Fleet; and ADM Baggstt, USN (Ret. ). BLUE R$DGE arrived back in Yo earlier than planned on 4 September Fleet. Selected Restricted Availabili y 29 continued throughout the month of October. Th4 crew began intensive t aining for the upcoming Light-Off Assessment: by performing daily fire ills and training. The ship also was able to say Parewell to the RLPA tow F r and hello to a new forward masthead light. Throqghout the month the fol owing distinguished guests visited BLUE RIDGE: Subma&ine Force SEVENTH Fleet; Amphibious Force SEVENTH Fleet; Ship Repair Faczility; Commander Naval For es Japan; and Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Group Western Pacific arrived on 9
4 Subj: COMMJQD HISTORY (OPNAVINST PORT 5740-) and General Quarters. While in port Hong Kong, B$UE RIDGE hosted a big for dignitaries in the area. On 0 Holiday seasgn.
Chronologicah List of Significant E ents, Calendar Year 996-7 January SRA27. 2 January - Seatrials. 8 January Anchored Tokyo 9 22 January - Enroute 26 0 Jan-Feb Enroute Keen Edge. 2 5 February Upkeep. 6 5 February Enroute 6-28 February - Enroute 9 February - ADM Clemins flyon CelPu, PI. 29 3 Feb-Mar - Inport 4 0 March - Enroute to Jakarta, - 3 arch - Inport Jakarta, 4-2 March - Enroute to 22 25 Miarch - Inport Sembawang, 26 4 Mar-Apr - Enroute to Yokosuka. 5 0 Apr-Jun Inport Yokosuka. 22-3 Apr-Jun - SRA 28. - 2 June - Sea trial/ Tige~ 4 6 June Inport Yokosuka. 6-30 June - Exercise Tempo 7-20 June - Enroute Apra 2-22 June - Inport Guam. 23-28 June - Enroute Okinawa, 2 9 June - Inport Okinawa, 30 - Jun-$ul - Enroute Yokosuka 2 22 July - Inport Yokosuka 22 26 July - Enroute Vladivostok, Russia 26-30 July - Inport Vladivos ok, Russia Indonesia. Indonesia. Semba.wang, Singapore. Singapore. Cruise. Prave Harbor, Guam. Japan. Japan 30 3 July ~nroute 0tam fan 3 4 Jul-Aug Inport Otaru, J an 0 Augu$t - JMSDF Sister shi cruise 4 7 August Enroute Sasebo, Japan 7-0 August - Inport Sasebo, 20 29-3 August - 3 2 3 26-27 Novaber - Sea trials 28-2 Nov-Dec - Inport Yokosuka Enclosure (6)
2-6 December - E xercise Tempes Express 2-6 Dec-er - Enroute Hong KO g 6-0 December - Inport Hong Kon 0-4 Dec-er - Enroute Yokosuk 4-3 December - Inport Yokosuka