Blue Ridge (LCC 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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HER MISSION Blue Ridge ' s job is Amphibious Force Control and Coordination. Amphibious warfare is probably the most complex form of war fought, and its effective control demands equally complex facilities. Blue Ridge utilizes a maze of computers and communications equipment to accomplish her assigned task. Blue Ridge is capable of commanding and coordinating all aspects of an amphibious assault landing, comparable in scale to a major World War II operation. This floating commandpost is able to coordinate troop landings, control air and gunfire support, offer task force protection and disseminate logistical data simultaneously. The forest of antenna which sprout from her main deck and superstructure give an indication of Blue Ridge ' s extensive communications network. Part of this network includes satellite tele-communications. Blue Ridge was the first ship designed to command amphibious operations exclusively. Time and time again, from the coast of Vietnam to several large scale exercises she has proven equal to the task.

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BLUE RIDGE, HER HISTORY USS Blue Ridge is the first ship ever designed as a Command and Control ship. She is the third Navy ship of her name. The first Blue Ridge was a Great Lakes passenger steamer purchased for use as a Navy transport during World War I. The second was an amphibious flagship that saw extensive action in the Pacific during World War IL The idea for Blue Ridge was conceived in 1963, and was four years in the planning stage before construction began at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 1967. On January 4th 1969, almost two years after her keel laying, she was launched. Over a year later, in mid February 1971 she was finished. Blue Ridge is a unique achievement in Naval design. Longer than two football fields (629 feet overall), she displaces 18,500 tons. She is 108 feet wide and settles some 27 feet in the water. To date Blue Ridge has made four deployments to the Western Pacific. While in a deployed status she serves as flagship for the Commander Amphibious Force, Seventh Fleet and for the Commanding General, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. During her third deployment Blue Ridge was called into action off the coast of Vietnam for Operation Frequent Wind. There she commanded the task force assigned to rescue American, foreign national and Vietnamese refugees from Saigon. In November 1976 she participated in Kangaroo II off the coast of Australia. The largest multi-national peacetime exercise of its kind.

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CI CAPT. James G. Mclntyre, U.S.N. Commanding Officer Captain James G. Mclntyre received his commission as Ensign and was designated as a Naval Aviator in 1955. He served as an Instrument Flight Instructor and taught Aerodynamics at Pensacola in 1957. He attended the U. S. Naval Post Graduate School from 1960 to 1962 where he earned his B.S. in Meterology and Oceanography. He graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School in 1968 and served as ASW Branch Head of the Service Test Division and participated in various test projects. Captain Mclntyre was Officer in Charge of VAW-11, Detachment GOLF aboard USS ORISKANY(CVA-34), and Commanding Officer of VA W-116 aboard USS CORAL SEA (CVA-43) and RVAW-110, the replacement E-2 squadron. He reported to the USS KITTY HA WK (CV-63) as Navigator in 1974 and later served as Executive Officer. Captain Mclntyre assumed command of BLUE RIDGE on July 31, 1976.