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USS Ingraham (FFG-61)
Encyclopedia
The USS Ingraham (FFG-61), the last American to be built, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy
to be named for Captain Duncan Ingraham
(1802–1891).
The USS Ingraham was laid down on 30 March 1987 at the Todd Pacific Shipyards
Co., Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California. She was launched
on 25 June 1988.
, Ingraham is commanded by CDR Kristin Stengel, USN who hails from Redding, California. Ingraham's homeport is at NS Everett
, Washington, and is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9.
On 6 January 2008, the destroyer USS , the guided-missile cruiser
USS , and the frigate USS Ingraham were entering the Persian Gulf
through the Strait of Hormuz
when five Iran
ian motor boats approached them at high speed and in a reportedly threatening manner. The American ships had been in the Arabian Sea
searching for a sailor who had been missing from the USS Hopper for one day. The U.S. Navy reported that the Iranian boats made "threatening" moves toward the U.S. vessels, coming as close as 200 yards (182.9 m). The U.S. Navy ships received a radio transmission saying, "I am coming to you. You will explode after few minutes." While the American ships prepared to open fire, the Iranians abruptly turned away, the U.S. Navy officials said. Before leaving, the Iranians dropped white boxes into the water in front of the American ships. The American ships did not investigate the boxes. Officials from the two countries differed on their assessments of the severity of the incident. The Iranians claimed that they were conducting normal maneuvers, whereas American officials claimed that an imminent danger to American naval vessels existed.
On 29 September 2009, the Ingraham was enroute to American Samoa
and was the first U.S. military asset to arrive and assist in the recovery efforts following the 2009 Samoa earthquake
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for Captain Duncan Ingraham
Duncan Ingraham
Duncan Nathaniel Ingraham was an officer in the United States Navy who later served in the Confederate States Navy.-U.S. Navy service:...
(1802–1891).
The USS Ingraham was laid down on 30 March 1987 at the Todd Pacific Shipyards
Todd Pacific Shipyards
Vigor Shipyards was founded in 1916 as the William H. Todd Corporation through the merger of Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York, the Tietjen & Long Dry Dock Company of Hoboken, New Jersey, and the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock Company...
Co., Los Angeles Division, San Pedro, California. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 25 June 1988.
, Ingraham is commanded by CDR Kristin Stengel, USN who hails from Redding, California. Ingraham's homeport is at NS Everett
Naval Station Everett
Naval Station Everett is the United States Navy's most modern facility. It is located next to the marina area of the city of Everett, WA, 25 miles north of Seattle. The Navy Support Complex is located between Marysville and Arlington, 11 miles north of the naval station. Naval Station , Everett is...
, Washington, and is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9.
On 6 January 2008, the destroyer USS , the guided-missile cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
USS , and the frigate USS Ingraham were entering the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
through the Strait of Hormuz
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....
when five Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian motor boats approached them at high speed and in a reportedly threatening manner. The American ships had been in the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
searching for a sailor who had been missing from the USS Hopper for one day. The U.S. Navy reported that the Iranian boats made "threatening" moves toward the U.S. vessels, coming as close as 200 yards (182.9 m). The U.S. Navy ships received a radio transmission saying, "I am coming to you. You will explode after few minutes." While the American ships prepared to open fire, the Iranians abruptly turned away, the U.S. Navy officials said. Before leaving, the Iranians dropped white boxes into the water in front of the American ships. The American ships did not investigate the boxes. Officials from the two countries differed on their assessments of the severity of the incident. The Iranians claimed that they were conducting normal maneuvers, whereas American officials claimed that an imminent danger to American naval vessels existed.
On 29 September 2009, the Ingraham was enroute to American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
and was the first U.S. military asset to arrive and assist in the recovery efforts following the 2009 Samoa earthquake
2009 Samoa earthquake
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
.
External links
- USS Ingraham official website
- navsource.org: USS Ingraham
- navysite.de: USS Ingraham
- MaritimeQuest USS Ingraham FFG-61 pages
- Video of January 2008 incident in the Strait of Hormuz
- USS Ingraham (FFG-61) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command