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USS Vandegrift (FFG-48)
Encyclopedia
USS Vandegrift (FFG-48) is an of the United States Navy
. The ship was named for General Alexander A. Vandegrift (1887–1973), 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps
.
Vandegrift was built at Todd Pacific Shipyards
, Seattle, Washington
, launched
on 15 October 1982, and commissioned
on 24 November 1984.
, Equator
, Greenwich Meridian, and sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar
, and the Suez
and Panama Canal
s. Vandegrift conducted operations with in the Arabian Sea
and Indian Ocean
. These operations were highlighted by an air and sea power demonstration for President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
of Pakistan
. Port visits included Pearl Harbor
; Subic Bay
in the Republic of the Philippines
; Karachi
, Pakistan; Mombasa
, Kenya
; Maxime
, France
; Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico
; and St. Croix and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Vandegrift returned home to Long Beach
in June, 1987.
The ship's second deployment began in June, 1988, returning her to operations in the Persian Gulf
shortly after the cease-fire between Iran
and Iraq
. Vandegrifts mission while on patrol in the northern Persian Gulf
focused on providing protection and logistic support for joint forces in the area. Vandegrift also participated in numerous Earnest Will missions, escorting U.S. and reflagged Kuwait
i tanker
s. Port visits included Pearl Harbor; Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; Bahrain
; Pattaya Beach, Thailand
and Hong Kong
. Vandegrift returned home in December, 1988.
, Saudi Arabia
, the United Arab Emirates
and France. Ports of call included Pearl Harbor; Subic Bay; Phuket
, Thailand; Singapore
and Hong Kong.
Vandegrift returned home after an extended deployment in October, 1990. On 22 April 1992, Vandegrift began her fourth deployment to the Persian Gulf. Vandegrift participated in exercises with India
, Qatar
and Pakistan,
helping to strengthen U.S. relations in that area. Ports of call included Doha
, Qatar
; Dubai
, Jebel Ali
and Abu Dhabi
, United Arab Emirates; Karachi, Pakistan; Phuket, Thailand; Goa
, India; Bahrain; Hong Kong; Singapore and Guam
, and earned the Chief of Naval Operations LAMPS Helicopter Safety Award. Vandegrift returned home on 22 October 1992.
Vandegrift changed homeport to San Diego in February, 1993, and earned the COMNAVSURFPAC Food Service Award in March, 1994. The fifth deployment to the Persian Gulf began on 25 October 1994. Vandegrifts mission was the enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Iraq in the Northern Persian Gulf. The most memorable event was conducting a non-permissive boarding of a sanctions violator on 25 December. During the return transit, Vandegrift played host to a major diplomatic reception in Muscat
, Oman
, to better diplomatic relations. Ports of call included Sasebo
, Japan
; Manila
, Republic of the Philippines; Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates; Bahrain; Singapore and Hong Kong.
Vandegrift returned home on 25 April 1995. In 1998, the ship shifted homeports to Yokosuka, Japan. Between 1998 and 2000, the ship performed numerous cruises to South Korea
, Thailand
, China
, and conducted a RIMPAC deployment to Hawaii
, the Marianas Islands, and Australia
. In 1999, the vessel was visited by Admiral
Jay L. Johnson
, the CNO.
ese waters in 30 years, when she made a four-day port call at Ho Chi Minh City
.
The crew could be found at the Moontower.
The ship's decorations include the Meritorious Unit Commendation
, National Defense Service Medal
, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
; Southwest Asia Service Medal
, and five Sea Service Ribbon
s.
As of 2006, Vandegrift is based in San Diego, California.
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...
. The ship was named for General Alexander A. Vandegrift (1887–1973), 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
.
Vandegrift was built at 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...
, Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, 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 15 October 1982, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 24 November 1984.
1980s
The ship's inaugural cruise began on 5 January 1987. During the course of this around-the-world cruise, she sailed three oceans, seven seas and visited four continents. The plank owners also crossed the International Date LineInternational Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
, Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
, Greenwich Meridian, and sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, and the Suez
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 Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
s. Vandegrift conducted operations with 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...
and Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. These operations were highlighted by an air and sea power demonstration for President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , was the 4th Chief Martial Law Administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from July 1977 to his death in August 1988...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Port visits included Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
; Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S...
in the Republic of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
; Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan; Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
; Maxime
Maxime
-First name:*Maxime Bernier, former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs*Maxime Bôcher, American mathematician*Maxime Boyer, Canadian professional wrestler*Maxime Du Camp, French writer and photographer*Maxime Chaya, Lebanese explorer*Maxime Faget, an inventor...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
; and St. Croix and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Vandegrift returned home to Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
in June, 1987.
The ship's second deployment began in June, 1988, returning her to operations in 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...
shortly after the cease-fire between 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...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Vandegrifts mission while on patrol in the northern 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...
focused on providing protection and logistic support for joint forces in the area. Vandegrift also participated in numerous Earnest Will missions, escorting U.S. and reflagged Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i tanker
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
s. Port visits included Pearl Harbor; Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
; Pattaya Beach, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Vandegrift returned home in December, 1988.
1990s
The ship's third deployment to the Persian Gulf began in March, 1990. Vandegrift patrolled the Northern Persian Gulf and conducted Earnest Will escort missions. As the senior ship on station in the Persian Gulf during the invasion of Kuwait, Vandegrift served as the Anti-Air Warfare Commander and Electronic Warfare Coordinator. Vandegrift participated in Operation Desert Shield's Maritime Interception Operations with units from United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and France. Ports of call included Pearl Harbor; Subic Bay; Phuket
Phuket City
Phuket is a city located in the southeast of Phuket Island, Thailand. It is the capital of the Phuket Province, covering all of the island. As of 2007 the city has a population of 75,573 people...
, Thailand; Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Hong Kong.
Vandegrift returned home after an extended deployment in October, 1990. On 22 April 1992, Vandegrift began her fourth deployment to the Persian Gulf. Vandegrift participated in exercises with India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
and Pakistan,
helping to strengthen U.S. relations in that area. Ports of call included Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
; Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....
and Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, United Arab Emirates; Karachi, Pakistan; Phuket, Thailand; Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India; Bahrain; Hong Kong; Singapore and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, and earned the Chief of Naval Operations LAMPS Helicopter Safety Award. Vandegrift returned home on 22 October 1992.
Vandegrift changed homeport to San Diego in February, 1993, and earned the COMNAVSURFPAC Food Service Award in March, 1994. The fifth deployment to the Persian Gulf began on 25 October 1994. Vandegrifts mission was the enforcement of U.N. sanctions against Iraq in the Northern Persian Gulf. The most memorable event was conducting a non-permissive boarding of a sanctions violator on 25 December. During the return transit, Vandegrift played host to a major diplomatic reception in Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, to better diplomatic relations. Ports of call included Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
; Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Republic of the Philippines; Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates; Bahrain; Singapore and Hong Kong.
Vandegrift returned home on 25 April 1995. In 1998, the ship shifted homeports to Yokosuka, Japan. Between 1998 and 2000, the ship performed numerous cruises to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and conducted a RIMPAC deployment to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the Marianas Islands, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In 1999, the vessel was visited by Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Jay L. Johnson
Jay L. Johnson
Admiral Jay L. Johnson, USN, is a retired United States Navy officer who served from 1996-2000 as 26th Chief of Naval Operations . He succeeded to the position following the death of Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda...
, the CNO.
2000s
On 19 November 2003, the frigate became the first US warship to enter VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese waters in 30 years, when she made a four-day port call at Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.
The crew could be found at the Moontower.
The ship's decorations include 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....
, 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...
, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
; 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...
, and five Sea Service Ribbon
Sea Service Ribbon
A Sea Service Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the United States Army which recognizes those service members who have performed military duty while stationed on a vessel at sea....
s.
As of 2006, Vandegrift is based in San Diego, California.