Simpson (FFG 56) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS SIMPSON CFFG 561 USS SIMPSON CF F G 561 is a guided missle frigate of the Oliver I-lafard Perry class. lhe Perry class Irrgate was designed as a multi-role open ocean escort ship with the primary mission ol protecting 'rnerchant vesselcon- voys and amphibious task groups. SIMPSON is named lor Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson. who distin- guished himself dtuing WWII as a flotilla commander. U H D SIIVIPSON was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Her formal conrmrsiorrmg was held on 9 Novem- ber 1985 at the Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island, where the shi p rs now homepon- ed. In January 1986, during her first year in commission, SIMPSON participated in the search and rescue efforts for the ill-fated Challenger space shuttle mission. For her part, SIMPSON was awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation, with the operational HO distinguishing device. g H In 1987, SIMPSON participated in three major fleet exercises: Exercise SOLID S1 lllil...D 87, oil the coast of North Carolina in the spring, the major NATO EXERCISE OCEAN SAFARI 87 in the Norwegian Seag and immediately following, SHAREM 7, a complex ASW exercise conducted in the ljords of northern Norway. SIlVIPSON's frrst major deployment was a momentous one, which began with a departure from Newport on 11 January 1988. The ship was assigned to the Middle East Force, operating in the Arabian Gulf. SIMPSON escorted U.S.-flagged merchant vessels and helped maintain a U.S. presence in that region. On April 18, 1988, SIIVIPSON was a principle unit of the Joint Task Force of operation PRAYING MANTIS, called upon to respond to the Iranian mine attack of SIMPSON,s sister ship, USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS CFF G 581. Operating in conjunction with USS WAINWRIGHT CCG 281 AND USS BAGLEY tFF 10691, SIMPSON was responsible for the destruction of an Iranian oil platform and the sinking of the Iranian Navy missile patrol combatant, JOSHAN. As a result of that action, SIMPSON and her crew were awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award and the Combat Action Ribbon. SIMPSON was also awarded the Armed Forces Expe- ditionary Medal, as a result of the deployment. In the autumn of 1988, SIIVIPSON participated in a six-week law enforcement operation with the Coast Guard in the Caribbean. January of 1989 saw the ship in a brief period of shipyard work at the General Ship Cor- poration in East Boston, which SIIVIPSON completed in late March. After completing a pre-deployment exercise in August 1990, SIMPSON departed Newport on October 30th for her second Middle East deployment. Like the previous deployment, SIMPSON was engaged in the escort and support of U.S. and other neutral shipping in the Arabian Gulf. During one of these escort missions, on 22 February 1990, the 81,000 ton reflagged-Kuwaiti tanker, SURF CITY suffered a major explosion. As On-Scene Commander, SIIVIPSON and her embarked LAMPS detachment were responsible for the rescue oftwentv-three survivors of the disaster. ' Following SIMPSON ls second deployment, the ship conducted several short transits during the summer of 1990, visiting the ports of Salem, Massachusetts and Port Jefferson, New York. The autumn and winter months were spent at Derecktor Shipyards in Newport for SIIVIPSONIS first drydocking-repair availability. I After several months of crew training rn the spring and summer months of 1991, SIMPSON successttrlly par- ticipated in exercises OCEAN SAFARI 91 escorting a convoy to Halifax, Nova Scotia and NORTH STAR '91 in the Norwegian Sea. These exercises led to SllVIPSON's 2 December 1991 departure on her third deployment: this time to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and her third visit to the Arabian Gulf. In the Mediterraneaun Sea SIMPSON was directed to intercept two former Soviet warships for a mutual training oportunity. After establishing communi- cations, the three ships participated in four hours of ship maneuvering exercises, :he lirsr sur-lr e rent we between US nd CIS forces, SIIVIPSON roceeded to the Red Sea ' ' ' , . ' f A f ' -- g U D I ' P h I to participate with the Multi-National Force enlorc ing the Umted Nation resolutions aga1nstIraq..Reass1gned an escort to USS AMERICA QCV 661 in the Ara- blan Gulf, SIMPSON Pamclpated In two mf1J0fJ01m CXCTCISCSL NATO Exercise GUI FFX X with lorces from the United Kingdom and France, and Exercise EAGER SENTRY 92-2 with the Kuwaiti Navv A F 0ll0Vfif18 SIMPSQN3 fefum fffrm dePl0YmCHl, U16 conducted several short cruises. including support of Mrdshrpman Training, during the summer of 1992, visiting the ports of N i f lk V' .,- -, , . Q Th USVI. The autumn and winter months W A Q ' f . - . lr 0. .' ngmh' 'md l' . Onias' ' . ere spent in a Selected Restr reted Availability at Newport. This period allowed the ship to repair and upgrade equipment and conduct extensive on hoard h'rlwit'tbilit ' im ar wements After several months of crew training in the spring months of 1993, the ship was once 41 inn ii--id 1 to be -in fleet operations. With confidence, SIMPSON and her crew completed several joiiii t-vt-it-if -milf, in riadgof inspections, including COMPTUEX MED 3- 93 and two weeks of training in Grrfrrrtarr-rin itlilri 1 LC. hr y re - ing for her fourth major overseas deployment since her eornmissioning. 4 K I 4 ill' U il P par Ii' J ' Q HWQL, .Q nu ur' 1

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