DEPARTMqNT OF THE NAVY COMMANDING OFFICER USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC-8) FPO AP 88828-3300 IN RPLY RFER TO 5750 Ser 30 264, ( From: clonqnandng Offcer, USS BLUE RIDGE (LCC 9) To: Drector of Naval ~story (OP-OSBH), washngton Navy Yard, Washngton, DC 20374-057 Subj: C!OM$!AND HISTORY (OPNAVIHST REPORT 5740-) Ref: (a) OPNAVINST 5750.23 -"IIILIIC. In accordance wth reference ( ), the followng command hstory for the perod of Januarl 992 through 3 December 992 s submtted: a. Conman@ Organzaton: Comand ng Offcer: captan Alan L. Hesg fro* 22 November 99 to pr b. m p r v of O~exatons; USlS BL E RIDGE commenced 992 persde! h Yokosuka, Japan, n S -2. The New Year was kcked off wth t t e tradtonal poetc M watch Deck Log entry. BLUE RIDGE'S en ry was publshed n the weekly Yokosuka Base Newspaper, Seahawk, as one of four outstandng examples of what a salor can do at mdnght, on New earsn Eve. As the New Year began, so dd offcal shp vsts. January saw vsts by Naval Forces, Japan; Naval Securty Gro p, Msawa; 6920th Electronc 4 Securty Group; Defense Attache, A strala; Canadan Forces Attache; Defense Attache, France; Mltary Attache, Inda; U.S. Chef of Foregn Lason; Na a Attache, Republc of Korea; Defense Attache, Phlppnes; Nav Attache, Russa; Submarne Force, SEVENTH Fleet, Amphbous F rce, SEVENTH Fleet, Specal Forces Command, Pacfc; Japanese Self Defense Fleet; and Naval Forces, Korea. Throughout the mon h, BLUE RIDGE conducted securty, fre, floodng and rescu and assstance drlls, whle keepng up wth the SRA-2 work sc February 3rd, BLUE RIDGE refu led n preparaton for sea trals. The 3th, BLUE RIDGE got j nderway for sea trals. Durng t.he underway perod BLUE RI GE conducted boler flex test, PACFIRE exercses, helcopter deck landng qualfcatons and underway replenshment and emergen y breakaway evolutons wth USNS ANDREW J. HIGGINS. February as also a hstorc month as BLUE RIDGE became a floatng Mlt ry Afflate Rado Systems (MARS) staton, enablng crew memb rs to talk wth ther famles ashore whle the shp was underway. The crew was please to no end and were very happy to test thq staton whle underway. Sea trals wpent very well, and the sh was able to return to port on the 5th., one day early. Shp vsts n February were made by Japanese! Martme Self Defense For e Tranng Squadron and COMNAVSURFGRU WESTPAC. Fre fghtng and other tranng contnued as usual wth concentraton on Engneerng Casualty b/9/43
Control (ECC)drlls as a work-vp fo OPPE scheduled for later n the year. February 29th, BLUE RIDGE set sal for Sasebo, Japan. March lst, BLUE RIDGE arrved n Sasebo, Japan, and mmedately was vsted by COMSERVR 4 N ONE. Whle n Sasebo, several of the crew volunteered to pant and refurbsh Sefu-En Orphanage. The chldren were very apprecatve of BLUE RIDGE'S good natured support. Although the stay n Sasebo was bref, the crew enjoyed a perod of rest and relaxaton, enjoyng Sasebols beautful scenery. BLUE RIDGE anchored n the Man of W BLUE RIDGE departed Sasebo Mar h 4th, for Sngapore. Enroute IBLUE RIDGE conducted severa ECC drlls, General Quarters drlls, gunnery exercses and helc pter evolutons. On the 2th r Anchorage at Sngapore. March 3'th, BLUE RIDGE was vsted y Naval Tranng and Vctory, Republc of Sngapore; Fleet Comma der, Republc of Sngapore; Naval Staff, Republc of Sngapore; U.S. Ambassador to the Republc of Sngapore; Deputy Che of Msson, Russan Federaton; Deputy Chef of Msso, Unted States; Charge DIAffares, Peoples Republc of Chna and Republc of Sngapore, Navy. Sngapore was another great place for the crew to get some tme to :rest and see some new sghts. A good tme was had by all. March 5th, BLUE RIDGE was und rway for Benoa, Bal; however, Kng Neptune, Ruler of the Ragng Man came aboard and notfed the Commandng Offcer tha there were slmy Polly-Wogs aboard that had to be dealt wth be ore the shp would be permtted to proceed on course. nvew of that fact, a Crossng the Lne ceremony was conducted to ntate the slmy Polly-Wogs nto Honorable Shell-Backs. 588 crew members were ntated n the tme honored Crossng the Lne ceremony as BLUE RIDGE crossed the Equator nto the Southern Hemsphere. March 8th, BLUE RIDGE anchored outsde Benoa Bay, Benoa, al. Whle n Bal, the Defense Attache to Bal pad the sh'p an offcal vst. The crew and several famly members who had flown down to meet the shp had great lberty n the trop a sun. The people n Bal were very frendly, hosptable and nxous to show off ther wares to the vstng BLUE RIDGE an COMSEVENTHFLT personnel. On March 2st, BLUE RIDGE began the tr'p back home to Yokosuka, Japan, and after a nne day transt returned to Yokosuka, March 29th. I Aprl st through 9th, Fleet ~ctvtes, Yokosuka; Naval Forces, Japan; Japanese Self Defense Fleet; Battle Force, SEVENTH Fleet; Naval Dental Corps; and Naval Securty Group vsted the shp. Tranng drlls were conducted regularly whle nport, then on Aprl 4th, BLUE RIDGE embarked two PACE nstructors and departed for Guam. Whle n trans, BLUE RIDGE began provdng PACE courses for the crew who took he opportunty to get some college level or basc refresher ed caton whle underway. Aprl
8th, BLUE RIDGE arrved Apra ~arbok, Guam. Whle nport, the crew was gven the opportunty to gat some exercse on the per durng a scheduled warm-up and.5 :nle run. Later vsts were made by Naval Staton, Guam; 3th Ar Force and Chef of Staff, Naval Forces, Maranas. Aprl 2st, the shp got underway for Noumea, :New Caledona. Enroute the shp contnued ECC and other drlls. Aprl 28th, BLUE RIDGE anchored at Noumea, New Caledona, where the shp pad trb-lte to the Government of New Caledona, as part of Operaton Remembrance, the 50th annversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Af er the bref trbute, BLUE RIDGE weghed anchor and set sal f r Sydney, Australa. May lst, BLUE RIDGE stood nto Port Jackson, Sydney Harbor, n a tmed to the second formaton th several shps from the INDEPENDENCE Battle Group, Destroye Squadron 3 and Royal Australan Navy for a Pass n Reve and 2 gun salute to the Honorable P.J. Keatng, Prme Mns er of Australa and the Honorable Dck Cheney, U.S. Seereta y of Defense. The waterfront was crowded wth Australans who lo ked on as Operaton Remembrance was kcked off. Durng the perod of May 2nd through 5th, BLUE RIDGE and COMSEVENTHFLT p rsonnel partcpated n several partes, parades and memor servces that were attended by thousands of U.S. Ctzens and A-lstralans. Admral Charles Larson, LJSCINCPAC, was the senor representatve at a wreath layng servce at the Australan War Memoral n downtown Sydney. A group (of 50 BLUE RIDGE salors an3 Marnes had the pleasure of marchng n parades n the captal cty of Canberra whle the shp transtted to Townsvlle, Australa, May 5th through 8th. Whle n transt, BLUE RIDGE navga-2ed the entre length of the nner Great Barrer Reef n company wth USS FLETCHER, HMAS PERTH and HMAS ADELAIDE. May 8th, BLUE R DGE moored n Townsvlle, Australa, after transttng a seve mle narrow channel n the ran. As soon as the brow was over BLUE RIDGE was swamped wth vstors requestng tours of the sh'p. Frequently, seven or more tour groups at one tme n excess o 30 persons each, were tourng the shp and examnng the btatc dsplays that were set up around the shp. May loth, BLUE RIDGE got wnde ay wth USS FLETCHER, HMAS PERTH, HMAS ADELAIDE, HMAS TOBRUK, nd HMAS JERVIS for a wreath layng ceremony at sea that was tel vsed lve, natonwde by the Australan Broadcastng Company. S ated on BLUE RIDGE'S man deck to vew the ceremony were over250 WWII veterans; Australan Prme Mnster, P.J. Keatng; Spec Envoy from Presdent Bush, the Honorable Lamar Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Educaton, the Honorable Melvn Sembler, U.S. Amba sador to Australa and several other dgntares. Conunand r Wayne Van Doren, Executve Offcer, USS BLUE RIDGE delvered t May 2th, BLUE RIDGE was Japan. Enroute, BLUE RIDGE nspecto:rs aboard May 6th for homeport Yokosuka, opportunty to fly MTT helcopter range of Apra
Harbor, Gu*m. The remander of the transt was spent wth contnued preparatons for the upcomng MTT vst. May 22nd, BLUE RIDGE arrved at Yokosuka, Japan. BLUE RIDGE was n an upkeep and tranng perod for the rest of the month. June began wth a flurry of vsts ncludng Naval Forces Japan and Submarne Force, SEVENTH Fleet. ECC and general quarters drlls contnued. On the 2nd the frst group of Mdshpmen arrved for summer tranng. June 5th, BLUE RIDGE contnued to exercse the crew at general quarters and conducted tests of the shp's generators. June 9th, BLUE RIDGE got underway for local operatons and returned! to homeport on June 0th. From June th through 8th, vsts were made to the shp by Amphbous Force, SEVENTH Fleet; Fleet Escort Force; 500th Mltary Intellgence Brgade; JMS F YAMATO; U.S. Army, Japan; U.S. Forces, Japan; JASDF Ar Defe se; JMSDF Self Defense Fleet; U.S. Pacfc Fleet; Fleet Subnarn Force; JGSDF Staff, Ground Defense Force; Jont Staff ~ouncl, Yokosuka; Destroyer Squadron THIRTY ONE; Escort Dvson FORTY IX; JMSDF YUGARA, Naval Forces, Maranas; and Defense Atta he, Inda. June 20th, BLUE RIDGE set for Hong Kong. Enroute to Hong Kong, the embarked ere gven extensve tranng n all aspects of and CIC watches; engneerng watch standng, quarters and some dvson offcer RIDGE moored at HMS TAMAR, Hong by Defense Lason, Hong Kong; Forces. June 29th, BLUE RIDGE Sr Lanka, wth three July 3rd, Commander SEVENTH by VADM Tmothy W. Wrght n a COMSEVENTHFLT Staff and USS as BLUE RIDGE proceeded on, BLUE: RIDGE set the Malacca, set Flght off one last tme. untl the evenng of of purely celestal of July 8th. VADM Arthur was releved wtnessed by on the man deck Later July $th, BLUE RIDGE entered Colombo, Sr Lanka, wth strong cross currents that made for challengng shp handlng whle moorng to the quay. Whle n Sr Lanka, most of the crew took the oppolrtunty to delve nto a bt of the Sr Lankan culture. Gem stones and wooden carvngs were favorte shoppng tems. Colombo was one of the ports where the crew went all out, contrbutng volunteer tme to assst the local communty. Volunteers worked to clean and pant the Muncpal Chld Welfare Center, and Project Handclasp materals were presented to the Center. July loth, a vst was made by the U.S. Defense Attache
and the U.S. Ambassador to Sr Lanka. July llth, after a too short vst, BLUE RIDGE heaved n all lnes and was enroute to Madras, Inda. July L3tht BLUE RIDGE, agan wth strong wnds, moored n Madras, Inda. In Madras, several of the Mdshpmen departed back to ther respectve unverstes whle several more reported aboard for ther chance to gan a lttle shpboard experence. Over 80 Salors and Marnes volunteered ther tme n Madras for 2 COMREI, projects. One project was the clean-up and mantenance of the Lttle Ssters of the Poor, elderly home. The other project was at the Mercy Homes Orphanage where 45 beds were panted and several electrcal problems sorted out n a four hour perod. July 6, BLUE RIDGE departed for Penang, Malaysa. July 9th, BLUE RIDGE navgat d the narrow entrance to Penang hrarbor n reduced vsblt and anchored n the Man-of- War Anch~orage. Several dvsons eld partes n Penang, and the crew thoroughly enjoyed the entre port vst. July 23rd BLUE RIDGE departed Penang for Yokosuka, Japan, wth two Mdshpmen from the Royal Malaysan Navy. On e clear of the channel, BLUE RIDGE statoned the modfed Navgaton detal and remaned so untl clear of the Strats of Malacca to the East. After a bref rest from the Strats of Malacca transt, BLUE RIDGE had the opportun~ty to refuel underway wth the USNS WALTER S. DIEHL. The remander of the transt cons ted of Mdshpmen and crew tranng at varous drlls nclud 3 g General Quarters and an extensve gunnery exercse where each of the Mdshpmen were afforded the opportunty to man each of the three-nch gun mount statons and fre several rounds for a total of over one hundred rounds expended. Augrust st BLUE RIDGE returned to homeport, Yokosuka, Japan. Whle nport, August lst, thraugh llth, vsts were made to BLUE RIDGE by Naval Forces, Japan; Japanese Martme Self Defense Force; Frst Marne Arcraft Wng* Submarne Force SEVENTH Fleet and Patrol and Reconnassance ~orcl SEVENTH Fleet. Durng the same tme frame, the BLUE RIDGE cr w began fre and floodng drlls t.alored to meet the shpbo%d envronment of the shp's upcomngr SRA/DSRA. I August 3th, BLUE RIDGE was urderway for Chnhae, Republc of Korea,. Enroute the BLUE RIDGE ran a measured mle course to cabrat.e the underwater log. Augu.st 6th, BLUE RIDGE moored n Chnhae where a large porton of th.e crew partcpated n the Multnatonal Forces Exercse, ULCHI-FOCUS LENS. The remander of the c:rew knuckled down to get a head start on several Shp's Force Work Lst projects. BLUE RIDGE also began shp wde physcal tranng three mornngs each week and advanced damage control tranng each mornng and afternoon. vsts to BLUE RIDGE n Chnhae ncluded, Frst Marne Expedtonary Brggde; Amphbous Force, SEVENTH Fleet; Republc of Korea, Frst Marne
Dvson; Republc of Korea, Marne Corps; Thrd Marne Expedtonary Force; Charman, Jon Chefs of Staff, Republc of Korea; Second Vce charman, Jont hefs of Staff, Republc of Korea; Republc of Korea, Fleet; Co andng Offcer, Republc of Korea Oler, CHUNG GEE; Inshore, an Underwater Warfare Group ONE, ~epublc of Korea. After conc udng ULCHI-FOCUS LENS, BLUE RIDGE returned to sea on August 3s enroute to homeport, Yokosuka, Japan. Selptember 2nd, BLUE RIDGE Junor Offcers and embarked Mdshpmen were traned n shp handlng evolutons. September 3rd, BLUE RIDGE anchored for an ammunton off load, then proceeded persde to off-load carg. September 4th, Amphbous Force, SEVENTH Fleet vsted BLUE R DGE. September 5th, much of the crew began movng off BLUE RIDG so habtablty teams could begn berthng compartment rehabl aton. September 9th, all fuel was pumped off BLUE RIDGE for RA/DSRA. SRA/DSRA began and BLUE RIDGE was lterally swarmed w h eager Shp Repar Faclty (SRF) pe:rsonnel. SRF and BLUE RIDG personnel mmedately began makng p:rogress well ahead of schedule. September 5th, BLUE RIDGE was dead-stck moved to Dry-Dock Sx, Yokosuka. September 9th, BLUE RIDGE hosted a successfu.l shp's pcnc that was enjoyed :by the entre crew and ther famles. Also on the 9th COMSEVENTHFLT hauled down hs flag pn BLUE RIDGE and broke t ashore at Fleet Actvtes, Yokosuka, Japan. September 27th marked a hstorc frst for BLUE RIDGE and the host naton of Japan. 75 BLUE RIDGE offcers and salors carred a Japanese Mkosh shrne n a parade through central Yokosuka and Fleet Actvtes, Yoko uka. Led by LCDR Tom Greene, they became the frst foregners, o gagn, n Japanese hstory to carry a Mkosh shrne wth no J panese partcpants. It was a mlestlone of ntercultural goodw and cooperaton. October st through 3st sevetal BLUE RIDGE crew members took advantage of the nport perod to take leave and attend Navy schools at Afloat Tranng Group (ATG) and other locatons. Both BLUE RIDGE and SRF contnued to make work progress well ahead of schedule. BLUE RIDGE also contnued all aspects of professonal, damage control and physcal tranng. Throughout November, USS BLUE IDGE personnel contnued professonal tranng, physcal rea ness tranng and shp's force work. Thanksgvng day was c I lebrated on the shp wth an excellent meal prepared by the Mess Specalsts. December 2nd, USS BLUE RIDGE m ved out of dry dock and back to Berth 8 to contnue SRA/DSFtA wor. The brdge plotng teams took the opportunty to practce na gaton plotng durng the move out of dry dock. The crew thr w ts Chrstmas,party on the 7th on the entre thrd floor of t e FLEACT Yokosukals Club Allance. The party was reported a llan event." Everyone n
attendance had an excellent tme add plenty of complments to the success of the Chrstmas party. For the second year n a row, USS BLUE: RIDGE was judged by FLEACT Yokosuka as the wnner of the Shps Chrstmas Lghtng Competton conducted on December 2st. Compett.on was tough as the entre INDEPENDENCE Battle Group was nport. A