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USS Normandy (CG-60)
Encyclopedia
USS Normandy (CG-60) is a Ticonderoga-class
Ticonderoga class cruiser
The Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...
guided-missile cruiser in the service of the United States Navy
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...
. Armed with naval guns and anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine missiles, plus other weapons, she is equipped for surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. The cruiser was the first US warship since 1945 to go to war on her maiden cruise and in 1998 she was awarded the title "Most Tomahawks shot by a U.S. Navy Cruiser". She is named for the World War II Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, France, on and following D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
Service history
Normandy was laid down at Bath Iron WorksBath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, on 7 April 1987, launched on 19 March 1988, and commissioned on 9 December 1989. She is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
.
Gulf War
Just one year after her commissioning in Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Normandy sailed into action in order to support the multinational effort to free Kuwait. Normandy and her crew left on 28 December 1990 to join United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces conducting Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As part of the Battle Group, Normandy transited the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
on her way to 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...
. Normandy fired 26 Tomahawk cruise missiles, protected allied ships and aircraft in the area, conducted maritime interdiction operations, and helped to locate and destroy enemy mines. She was the first US warship since 1945 to go to war on her maiden cruise.
Adriatic Operations
On 11 August 1993, USS Normandy and the USS America Battle Group deployed to the Adriatic SeaAdriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
in support of United Nations efforts with the war-torn Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Normandy's primary duty was Adriatic air-space controller for Operations Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history....
, Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, and Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard
Operation Sharp Guard was a multi-year joint naval blockade in the Adriatic Sea by NATO and the Western European Union on shipments to the former Yugoslavia. Warships and maritime patrol aircraft from 14 countries were involved in searching for and stopping blockade runners.The operation began on...
.
50th Anniversary of "D" day
In an historic first, Normandy embarked nine World War II veterans on 18 May 1994 for commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Allied landings on the coast of France. These activities took place in PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England, until 31 May, ending in Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, France. Over 15,000 visitors toured the ship while Normandy's honor guard embarked veterans participated in various memorial services and events on both sides of the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. USS Normandy served as a centerpiece over the two week course of ceremonies, and specifically for national commemorations at Slapton Sands, United Kingdom on 31 May by U.S. Ambassador Crowe
William J. Crowe
Admiral William James Crowe, Jr. was a United States Navy Admiral who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, and as the ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Bill Clinton.-Biography:Crowe was born in La Grange, Kentucky...
, and at the Normandy beachheads on 6 June by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
On 27 June 1994, Normandy participated in the Naval Station New York closing ceremonies. Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
's Borough President, Guy Molinari
Guy Molinari
Gaetano Victor "Guy" Molinari is a former United States Representative and borough president of Staten Island, New York.-Education and Military Service:...
, and his daughter Congresswoman Susan Molinari
Susan Molinari
Susan Molinari is a politician, journalist, and lobbyist from New York. She was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms.-Early life and family:...
were the featured speakers as the Navy turned the base over to the city's Emergency Services. After four years homeported at Staten Island, New York, Normandy departed for her new homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.
Operation Deliberate Force
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
between 20.40 and 20.45 PM. The American cruiser used a new type of Tomahawk missile, the Block-III model, which included for the first time GPS guidance in combination with its digital navigational system based on topographic maps. This gave flexibility and speed to the attack. This precision strike, flawlessly executed on extremely short notice, paved the way for follow-on tactical air strikes against Bosnian Serb military positions in the region. This action sent a strong signal of United States resolve and played a significant role in convincing the Bosnian-Serb government to cease hostilities and resume peace negotiations. During the six month deployment Normandy again served as Adriatic air-space controller for Operation Deny Flight, Sharp Guard, and Decisive Endeavor.
Exercise Bright Star and Operation Southern Watch
On 3 October 1997, Normandy once again began a six month deployment, this time as Air Defense Commander of the Battle Group. Throughout the month of October, Normandy participated, along with 27 other international units, in Exercise Bright Star off the Egyptian coast. Upon completion of Bright Star, Normandy was directed to proceed at best speed to the Persian Gulf. Beginning November 16, Normandy, along with other units of theGeorge Washington Battle Group, transited the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
, and 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...
. In a record-setting five days, Normandy and George Washington entered the Persian Gulf and joined the Battle Group in an impressive show of force and United Nation resolve with Iraq. Immediately, Normandy assumed duties as the "Ready Strike" platform in the Gulf and, later, also assumed the duties as the air-defense commander for the entire Persian Gulf. For four months Normandy patrolled the Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. During this time, she conducted several successful maritime-interception operations along with her strike and air-defense duties. Throughout this deployment, Normandy achieved more than 300 mishap-free hours of flight operations, conducted 27 underway replenishments and sailed a total of 48000 miles (77,248.3 km). Underway for the holidays, Normandy hosted pop singer Paula Cole
Paula Cole
Paula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...
on December 23 and the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jay Johnson
Jay Johnson
Jay Johnson may refer to:* Jay W. Johnson * Jay W. Johnson, U.S. Democratic congressman from Wisconsin and Director of the United States Mint* Jay Johnson Detroit doo-wop bass-baritone singer* Jay L. Johnson, U.S...
, along with his wife and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, ETCM John Hagan, on Christmas morning. Normandy was relieved by the Battle Group in the Persian Gulf and returned to her homeport of Norfolk on April 3, 1998. Normandy finished a major overhaul period in Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 28 February.
Miscellaneous Activities
On 21 June 2000 Normandy and the USS George Washington Battle Group deployed to the Mediterranean and the Arabian Sea. On December 19, Normandy returned to Norfolk just in time for the holidays.On 20 June 2002, Normandy left the US East Coast on deployment. Again assigned to the George Washington Battle Group, Normandyreturned to Norfolk in December 2002.
On 25 March 2005, Normandy left the East Coast with the assault ship ESG, deployed to the Mediterranean and Northern Persian Gulf. Normandy returned to Norfolk in October 2005.
On 13 January 2010, the Normandy was ordered to assist in humanitarian efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
Awards
USS Normandy received the Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
, the National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
(with two bronze stars) for her efforts in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation Medal in June 1994 for her extensive participation in events commemorating D-Day. Normandy was awarded her third Navy Unit Commendation and the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
for her actions during her time in the Adriatic. In 1997, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award
The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award is presented annually by the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations to one ship in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and one in the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
for the Atlantic Fleet.
Along with the 1998 title "Most Tomahawks shot by a US Navy cruiser", USS Normandy holds three Battle "E" Awards for overall ship-wide excellence in performance.