USS Ramage (DDG-61)

USS Ramage (DDG-61) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P. Ramage, a notable submarine commander and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

Ramage was laid down 4 January 1993 at the Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, launched 11 February 1994, sponsored by Barbara Ramage (wife of the admiral), and commissioned 22 July 1995.

Construction
Ramage was constructed utilizing efficient modular shipbuilding techniques pioneered by Ingalls in the 1970s and enhanced in recent years through the development of Product-Oriented Shipbuilding Technology (POST).

These innovative techniques allow a large ship, such as Ramage, to be built in three separate hull and superstructure modules and later joined to form the complete ship. Heavy machinery, such as propulsion equipment, as well as piping, duct work, and electrical cabling were installed in hundreds of sub-assemblies, which were joined to form dozens of assemblies. These assemblies were then joined to form the three hull modules. The ship's superstructure, or "deck house", was lifted atop the mid-body module early in the assembly process.

Ramage&#39;s launching was as unique as her construction. The ship was moved over land via Ingalls' wheel-on-rail transfer system and onto the shipyard's launch and recovery drydock. The drydock was ballasted down, and DDG 61 floated free on 11 February 1994. She was then moved to her outfitting dock in preparation for the traditional christening ceremony and completion of outfitting and testing.

History
On 25 November 1996 Ramage embarked on her maiden deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Ramage visited 6 countries and made 16 port calls. Ramage was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon, the Sea Service Ribbon and the Armed Forces Service Medal while on deployment.

In March 1997 Ramage provided logistic and communications support for Marines in Albania during Operation Silver Wake. On 21 July 1997, Ramage was an escort of the USS Constitution when she set sail in Massachusetts Bay.

On 24 May 1999, as a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group, Ramage departed on her second deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas, MED/MEF 2–99. While deployed overseas, Ramage visited 8 countries and made 15 port visits. Ramage also participated in Operation Allied Force off the coast of Montenegro.

Following the 11 September 2001 attacks Ramage sortied to the waters off the East Coast of the United States where she provided extended radar coverage of the New York City and the surrounding area in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

Ramage deployed with the George Washington Surface Strike Group to the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment Ramage participated in multi-national exercises Neo Tapon 04 and Iron Siren 04.

Ramage again deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of the Global War on Terrorism in October 2006. While on station Ramage participated in Operations Argos Asterion and Argos Declion. Ramage was also the first ship to respond to the Horn of Africa during the Ethiopian and Somalian hostilities of late December, 2006 providing extended coordination for P-3 coverage of the events. Ramage visited 8 different countries and conducted 10 port calls.

In August 2008 Ramage departed for a 7-month deployment in the Persian Gulf with the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group. Ramage participated in multi-national Operation Red Reef and Focused Operation Trident Knight. Ramage returned to home port in April 2009 after visiting 4 countries and making 6 port calls.

Ramage departed for the North Sea and Baltic Sea to participate in Joint Warrior 09 in September 2009. Ramage operated with HMS Illustrious and many other multi-national naval units. After making 5 ports of call in 4 countries, Ramage returned in November 2009. On 28 October 2009 while pierside at Gdynia, Poland after participating in a Joint Warrior exercise, a sailor on the ship conducting maintenance accidentally discharged one of the ship's M240 machine guns into the port city. Two rounds from the gun's three-round burst hit a warehouse, causing no injuries, the third round was not recovered. Local police allowed the ship to depart as originally scheduled later that day after questioning the ship's crew.

Ramage departed on deployment to the Mediterranean Sea on 5 January 2010. In late January 2010, the Ramage was dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea to assist with the search-and-rescue effort in the wake of the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409. Ramage also provided Ballistic Missile Defense to the Eastern Mediterranean during this deployment. Ramage's port visits included: Naples, Italy; Haifa, Israel; Kusadasi, Bodrum, and Aksaz, Turkey; Limassol, Cyprus; Rhodes, Greece; Augusta Bay, Sicily; and Ponta Delgada, Azores. Ramage returned to home port on 6 August 2010.

On August 8, 2013, Ramage departed for an eight month deployment into the US Navy 6th Fleet area of responsibility to assist with ballistic missile defense. Its last deployment was from May, 2012 to January, 2013

The USS Ramage entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea as a response to the Syrian civil war. It was specifically deployed after allegations that President Bashar al-Assad's regime had used chemical weapons on its own people in suburbs of Damascus. The Navy destroyer USS Ramage has arrived in the region, a defense official said late Friday 23rd August 2013. It was intended to replace the USS Mahan, but the Mahan will remain temporarily along with the USS Gravely and USS Barry. All four are equipped with cruise missiles.