USS Normandy (CG-60) is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the service of the United States Navy. 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 was awarded the title "Most Tomahawks shot by a U.S. Navy Cruiser". She is named for the World War II Battle of Normandy, which took place in France on, and following, D-Day.
Normandy was laid down at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, on 7 April 1987, launched on 19 March 1988, and commissioned on 9 December 1989. She is homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.
Service history
Gulf War
Just one year after her commissioning in Newport, Rhode Island, 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 forces conducting Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As part of the USSAmerica Battle Group, Normandy transited the Suez Canal and the Red Sea on her way to the Persian Gulf. 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.[1]
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 Portsmouth, England, until 31 May, ending in Le Havre, 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. 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, and at the Normandy beachheads on 6 June, by President Bill Clinton.
On 27 June 1994, Normandy participated in the Naval Station New York closing ceremonies. Staten Island's Borough President, Guy Molinari, and his daughter Congresswoman Susan Molinari 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
Lisina radio relay tower before the Tomahawk strikeThe same facility after the Tomahawk strike
On 28 August 1995, Normandy began a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean with America. On 8 September, Normandy was in the Western Mediterranean conducting turnover with the outgoing battle group. After receiving immediate tasking to proceed at best speed to the Adriatic, Normandy sped across the 1,600 nautical miles (2,960km) at maximum speed. Arriving in the Operation Deliberate Force theater of operations on 10 September, Normandy launched a 13 Tomahawk missile strike against hostile air defense command and control sites in Lisina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, north of the Bosnian Serb stronghold of Banja Luka, between 20:40 and 20:45.[2] The cruiser used a new type of Tomahawk missile, the Block-III model, which included for the first time GPS guidance in combination with its TERCOM system based on topographic maps. This gave flexibility and speed to the attack.[3] 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 George Washington 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 16 November, Normandy, along with other units of the George Washington battle group, transited the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea. In a record-setting five days, Normandy and George Washington entered the Persian Gulf and joined the Nimitz Battle Group in an impressive show of force and United Nation resolve to Iraq. Normandy immediately assumed duties as the "Ready Strike" platform in the Gulf and, later, also assumed 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 48,000 miles (77,000km). Underway for the holidays, Normandy hosted pop singer Paula Cole on 23 December. On Christmas morning, it hosted Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jay L. Johnson, his wife, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy ETCM John Hagan. George Washington's battle group was relieved by the John C. Stennis Battle Group in the Persian Gulf, and Normandy returned to her homeport of Norfolk on 3 April 1998. Normandy finished a major overhaul period in Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 28 February.
On 24 January 2024, USS Normandy returns home to Norfolk from 8-month deployment. Over the course of 262 days, Normandy’s crew conducted over 40 replenishments-at-sea, and manned flight quarters 670 times. Normandy’s embarked air detachment, the “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70, flew 393 sorties, totaling 1,132 hours flown. [5]
Miscellaneous Activities
On 8 May 1990, Normandy responded to a distress call by the destroyer Conyngham off of the coast of Virginia. A major fuel oil fire erupted from the ship's Forward Fire Room into the ship's superstructure, isolating the crew forward and aft. Fire crews from the Normandy boarded Conyngham via small boat transfer and were instrumental in extinguishing the fire.
On 21 June 2000, Normandy and the George Washington Battle Group deployed to the Mediterranean and the Arabian Sea. On 19 December, 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, Normandy returned to Norfolk in December 2002.
On 25 March 2005, Normandy left the East Coast with the assault ship Kearsarge ESG, deployed to the Mediterranean and Northern Persian Gulf. Normandy returned to Norfolk in October 2005.
In April 2007, Normandy deployed on her 7-month NATO cruise. The ship's crew was awarded the Article 5 NATO Medal. She returned on Halloween after 200 days of showing the flag, in the process becoming the first ship to circumnavigate Africa. On this cruise, sailors on board earned their Bluenose and Emerald Shellback.
On 13 January 2010, Normandy was ordered to assist in humanitarian efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[7]
On 20 May 2010, Normandy deployed to the Persian Gulf for a seven-month deployment. It returned on 12 December 2010, on a bitterly cold, snowy day.
In 2012, Normandy deployed for two months to the Baltic Sea in support of diplomatic relations in regards to BaltOps 2012 and FRUKUS 2012 (France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States).
On 20 April 2015, Normandy along with Theodore Roosevelt were deployed off the coast of Yemen to intercept suspected Iranian weapons shipments intended for the Houthi rebels, who are locked in battle with Yemeni government forces.[8]
On 9 February 2020 while patrolling in the Arabian Sea, Normandy captured a stateless dhow carrying a cargo of 358 missiles, Iranian surface-to-air missiles.[9][10]
Along with the 1998 title "Most Tomahawks shot by a US Navy cruiser",[11]Normandy holds three Battle "E" Awards for overall ship-wide excellence in performance.
Coat of arms
Shield
The lettering, lion, anchor, and perimeter of the shield are gold. The border beneath the lettering and the crest background are dark blue. These are the color traditionally associated with the Navy. The caltraps symbolize mines and German defenses on the Normandy beaches. The anchor characterizes sea power and strength. The chevron is broken and thrust forward, denoting the assault landing and the "breaking through" the enemy defenses; it is white for honor and integrity, edged with red for valor, sacrifice, and bloodshed.
Crest
The pole star signifies the Allied Forces that joined for the Normandy Invasion. It also portrays the four points of the globe, signifying the worldwide mission of the Normandy. The gold lion, adopted from the Coat of Arms of Normandy, France, represents the location of the assault and characterizes the courage, strength, and determination of the invasion forces. He grasps an inflamed trident in honor of Neptune, mythological lord of the sea, and code name for the Navy's crucial gunfire support and the delivery of land forces in the Battle of Normandy.
Motto
The words, "VANGUARD OF VICTORY," underscore the Battle of Normandy as the spearhead of the Allied defense which turned the tide of war in Europe, as well as the leading role of the AEGIS cruiser in today's world as a defender of world freedom.
Related Research Articles
USS Virginia (CGN-38) was a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, the lead ship of her class, and the eighth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She was commissioned in 1976 and decommissioned in 1994.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of ten Nimitz-class aircraft carriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the 34th President of the United States and General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The vessel was initially named simply as USS Eisenhower, much like the lead ship of the class, Nimitz, but the name was changed to its present form on 25 May 1970. The carrier, like all others of her class, was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia, with the same design as the lead ship, although the ship has been overhauled twice to bring her up to the standards of those constructed more recently.
USS Arkansas (CGN-41) was a Virginia-class nuclear-propelled guided-missile cruiser of the U.S. Navy. She was in commission from October 1980 through July 1998. Her primary missions were in defending aircraft carrier task forces in air defense (AAW) and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) by using her guided missiles, radar systems, and sonar systems. Since Arkansas had the high speed and unlimited range provided by her nuclear reactors, she usually escorted the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy.
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.
USS Mississippi (CGN-40), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state admitted to the Union. Her keel was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company at Newport News, Virginia, on 22 February 1975. She was launched on 31 July 1976. The ship was commissioned on 5 August 1978 by Jimmy Carter, then serving as the 39th president of the United States. Early deployment included escorting the carrier USS Nimitz(CVN-68). She also was deployed in 1989 as a response to the capture and subsequent murder of U.S. Marine Corps Colonel William R. Higgins by terrorists.
USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), named for Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN (1901–1996), is the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers. She was laid down by the Bath Iron Works company at Bath, Maine, on 6 December 1988; launched on 16 September 1989; and commissioned on 4 July 1991.
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) was a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy constructed by Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation at Pascagoula, Mississippi and launched on 11 March 1985. The Ticonderoga-class cruisers are equipped with the Aegis Combat System and Bunker Hill is the first of the class to be equipped with the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) in place of the previous ships' twin-arm Mark 26 missile launchers, which greatly improved the flexibility and firepower of the ships by allowing them to fire BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles for land attack missions. Other missions include ballistic missile defence and capital ship escort for anti-aircraft defense. The ship was commissioned on 20 September 1986 and was homeported at Naval Base San Diego in San Diego, California.
USS Fletcher (DD-992), the thirtieth Spruance-class destroyer, was part of the first major class of United States Navy surface ships to be powered by gas turbines. She was commissioned in July 1980 and was deployed mainly in the western and southern Pacific, but also voyaged to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. She was the second ship in the U.S. Navy to bear this name but the first to be named after Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. After her decommissioning in 2004, she was sunk in a torpedo test exercise in 2008.
USS Barry (DDG-52) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, commissioned in 1992. Barry is the fourth United States Navy ship named after the "Father of the American Navy", Commodore John Barry (1745–1803). Her homeport is Naval Station Everett, Washington. Several improvements over Arleigh Burke exist on this ship and all following Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, such as the ability to refuel a helicopter.
USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser that served with the United States Navy. She was the second ship named for the Battle of Vella Gulf, a naval engagement in the Solomons campaign of World War II, the first being USS Vella Gulf(CVE-111), an escort carrier commissioned in 1945. The ship's keel was laid down on 22 April 1991 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding, then a division of Litton Industries. She was launched on 13 June 1992, sponsored by Mary A. McCauley, wife of Vice Admiral William F. McCauley (Ret.), and commissioned on 18 September 1993 at Naval Station Norfolk.
The USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51) was a flight-I Ticonderoga-class cruiser that was used by the United States Navy. The warship was named after Thomas S. Gates, Secretary of Defense in the last years of the Eisenhower Administration (1959–1961).
USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) was a Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser that served in the United States Navy from 1987 to 2023. She is named for the naval Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War in 1864.
USS San Jacinto (CG-56) was a Ticonderoga-class cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution.
USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) is a Flight II Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser on active service in the United States Navy. She is named for the Battle of the Philippine Sea during World War II and is the second ship to bear the name. She has completed multiple deployments as part of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2001 to 2014.
USS Stethem (DDG-63) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, starting on 11 May 1993. She was commissioned on 21 October 1995. She is part of the Pacific Fleet, assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9. The Stethem was named for Steelworker 2nd Class Robert Stethem. He was a Seabee diver killed by Shiite hijackers onboard TWA 847 at Beirut International Airport in 1985.
USS Carney (DDG-64) is the 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The guided-missile destroyer is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.
USS Higgins (DDG-76) is a United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Higgins is the 26th ship of her class, and the 15th of the class to be built by Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine. Construction began on 14 November 1996 and she was launched and christened on 4 October 1997. She was commissioned at a ceremony in Port Everglades, Florida on 24 April 1999. She is part of Destroyer Squadron 15 within the Seventh Fleet, and is homeported at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Yokosuka, Japan.
USS Nicholson (DD-982), a Spruance-class destroyer, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for a family which was prominent in early American naval history, including James Nicholson, the senior Continental Navy Captain, and Samuel Nicholson, the first captain of USS Constitution.
USS California (CGN-36), the lead ship of the California-class of nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers, was the sixth warship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of California. She was the last active nuclear-powered cruiser for the United States.
USS Richmond K. Turner was a Leahy-class cruiser destroyer leader in the United States Navy. The ship was named for Admiral Richmond K. Turner, who served during World War II.
↑ Rip, Michael Russell and Hasik, James M.:The Precision Revolution: GPS and the Future of Aerial Warfare. Naval Institute Press, 2002. ISBN1-55750-973-5. Page 226
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.The entry can be found here.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States
