View source for USS Ramage

{{Short description|American guided missile destroyer}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = US Navy 080906-N-1082Z-142 The guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61) transits the Atlantic Ocean.jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''Ramage'' on 6 September 2008
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag}}
| Ship name = ''Ramage''
| Ship namesake = [[Lawson P. Ramage]]
| Ship builder = [[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]
| Ship ordered = 21 February 1990
| Ship laid down = 4 January 1993
| Ship launched = 1 February 1994
| Ship purchased = 
| Ship commissioned = 22 July 1995
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship identification = *{{MMSI Number|366995000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NRED
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Romeo}}{{ICS|Echo}}{{ICS|Delta}}
*[[Hull number]]: DDG-61
| Ship status = {{Ship in active service}}
| Ship honors = [[USS Ramage#Awards|See ''Awards'']]
| Ship struck = 
| Ship reinstated = 
| Ship homeport = [[Naval Station Mayport|Mayport]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-05 |title=USS Ramage heads to Naval Station Mayport after 30 years in Norfolk |url=https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/national/military-news/uss-ramage-head-to-naval-station-mayport-jacksonville-navy/77-71366c6d-0039-49e3-97e0-24668e38df5b |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=firstcoastnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
| Ship motto = ''Par Excellence''
| Ship badge = [[File:USS Ramage (DDG-61) crest.png|150px]]
| Ship nickname = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer}}
| Ship displacement = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer displacement I}}
| Ship length = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer length I}}
| Ship beam = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer beam}}
| Ship draft = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer draft}}
| Ship propulsion = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer propulsion}}
| Ship speed = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer speed}}
| Ship range = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer range}}
| Ship complement = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer complement}}
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer sensors}}
| Ship EW = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer EW}}
| Ship armament = {{Arleigh Burke class destroyer armament I (BMD)}}
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = {{Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Flight I/II aircraft}}
}}
|}

'''USS ''Ramage'' (DDG-61)''' is an {{sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer|0}} [[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 [[Keel laying|laid down]] 4 January 1993 at the [[Ingalls Shipbuilding]] in [[Pascagoula, Mississippi]], [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] 11 February 1994, sponsored by Barbara Ramage (wife of the admiral), and [[Ship commissioning|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).<ref name="Old Ramage Site">{{cite web |url=http://www.ramage.navy.mil/ |title=Welcome to the USS Ramage (DDG 61) |work=Navy Forces Online Public Sites |year=2011 |access-date=13 October 2014 |archive-date=27 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827111315/http://www.ramage.navy.mil/ |url-status=dead }} Note: Quoted text has since been removed from the site.</ref>

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.<ref name="Old Ramage Site"/>

''Ramage''{{'}}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.<ref name="Old Ramage Site"/>

==Service history==
===1996-2000===
On 25 November 1996, ''Ramage'' embarked on her maiden deployment to the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. ''Ramage'' visited six countries and made 16 port calls. ''Ramage'' was awarded the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] ribbon, the [[Sea Service Ribbon]], and the [[Armed Forces Service Medal]] during this deployment.

In March 1997 ''Ramage'' provided logistic and communications support for [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] in Albania during [[Operation Silver Wake]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=43332 |title= U.S. Forces Evacuate Americans from Albania|access-date=17 March 2020 |archive-date=30 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930023154/http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=43332 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 21 July 1997, ''Ramage'' was an escort of the museum ship {{USS|Constitution}} when she set sail in [[Massachusetts Bay]].
[[File:USS Constitution Sail200d.jpg|thumb|USS ''Ramage'' (right) along with {{USS|Halyburton|FFG-40|6}} (center) and USS ''Constitution'' (left)]]

On 24 May 1999, as a member of the {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|2}} Battle Group, ''Ramage'' departed on her second deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas, MED/MEF 2–99. While deployed overseas, ''Ramage'' visited eight countries and made 15 port visits. ''Ramage'' also participated in Operation Allied Force off the coast of Montenegro.

===2001-2010===
Following the [[September 11 attacks|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 {{USS|George Washington|CVN-73|2}} 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 [[War in Somalia (2006–09)|Ethiopian and Somalian hostilities]] of late December 2006 providing extended coordination for [[P-3 Orion|P-3]] coverage of the events. ''Ramage'' visited eight countries and conducted ten port calls.

In August 2008 ''Ramage'' departed for a seven-month deployment in the [[Persian Gulf]] with the {{USS|Iwo Jima|LHD-7|2}} 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 four countries and making six port calls.

''Ramage'' departed for the [[North Sea]] and [[Baltic Sea]] to participate in [[Exercise Joint Warrior]] 09 in September 2009. ''Ramage'' operated with {{HMS|Illustrious|R06|6}} and many other multi-national naval units. After making five ports of call in four 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 gun]]s 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ewing |first=Philip |url=http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_ramage_shooting_102809w/ |title=Destroyer accidentally fires on Polish port |work=[[Military Times]] |date=28 October 2009}}</ref>

''Ramage'' departed on deployment to the [[Mediterranean Sea]] on 5 January 2010. In late January 2010, ''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]].<ref name="Flight 409">{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=57697 |title=Navy Assists Ethiopian Airlines Search, Rescue Effort |last=Miles |first=Donna |date=25 January 2010 |publisher=US Department of Defense |access-date=27 January 2010}}</ref> ''Ramage'' also provided Ballistic Missile Defense to the Eastern Mediterranean during this deployment. ''Ramage''{{'}}s port visits included: [[Naples]], Italy; [[Haifa]], Israel; [[Kuşadası]], [[Bodrum]], and [[Aksaz Naval Base|Aksaz]], Turkey; [[Limassol]], Cyprus; [[Rhodes]], Greece; [[Augusta Bay, Sicily|Augusta Bay]], Sicily; and [[Ponta Delgada]], [[Azores]]. ''Ramage'' returned to [[Norfolk, Virginia|home port]] on 6 August 2010.

===2011-2020===
On 8 August 2013, ''Ramage'' departed for an eight-month deployment into the US Navy [[United States Sixth Fleet|6th Fleet]] area of responsibility to assist with ballistic missile defense. The ship's last deployment was from May 2012 to January 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://wtkr.com/2013/08/07/uss-ramage-to-deploy/ |title=USS Ramage heads to the Mediterranean |first1=Holly |last1=Henry |first2=Jackie |last2=Morlock |work=[[WTKR]] |date=7 August 2013 |access-date=13 October 2014 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/uss-ramage-to-leave-va-on-deployment-to-mediterranean-sea/2013/08/07/307eb72a-ff27-11e2-8294-0ee5075b840d_story.html |title=USS Ramage to leave VA on deployment to Mediterranean Sea }}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

''Ramage'' entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea as a response to the [[Syrian Civil War]]. The destroyer was specifically deployed after allegations that President [[Bashar al-Assad]]'s regime had [[Use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war|used chemical weapons]] on its own people in suburbs of Damascus. ''Ramage'' arrived in the region, according to a defense official, on 23 August 2013. The destroyer was intended to replace  {{USS|Mahan|DDG-72|6}}, but ''Mahan'' remained in area temporarily along with {{USS|Gravely|DDG-107|6}} and {{USS|Barry|DDG-52|6}}. All four were equipped with cruise missiles.

On 28 October 2013, the destroyers ''Gravely'' and ''Ramage '' answered a distress call from a vessel carrying immigrants located {{convert|160|nmi|km mi}} off the coast of [[Kalamata]], Greece.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Reuters]]|title=U.S. ships head towards migrant vessel in distress off Greece |date=28 October 2013|access-date=18 November 2013|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-migrants-idUSBRE99R0VN20131028}}</ref>

In February 2014, ''Ramage'' was one of two U.S. Navy ships operating in the [[Black Sea]] during the [[Sochi Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://english.pravda.ru/news/russia/03-02-2014/126747-usa_warships_black_sea-0/ |title=US warships Ramage and Mt. Whitney enter Black Sea |work=[[Pravda]] |date=3 February 2014 |access-date=13 October 2014}}</ref>

In August 2014, ''Ramage'' underwent testing and evaluation at [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]] (NNSY).

In November 2015, ''Ramage'' deployed to the US Navy 6th Fleet area of responsibility to assist with ballistic missile defense, and to escort the USS ''Harry S. Truman'' carrier strike group. She completed 28 Strait of Hormuz transits throughout the deployment, and returned to her home port of Norfolk, Virginia on 25 July 2016.

Following her 2015–2016 deployment'', Ramage'' conducted her mid-cycle upgrade. As a result of the US Navy's new coast-wide shipyard bidding process, she was selected for an unusual "out of home port" yard period, and spent a nine-month period in Pascagoula, Mississippi. ''Ramage'' left the yards on time, and returned to Norfolk, Virginia in August 2017 to begin workups for the next deployment.

In October 2018, ''Ramage'' received short-notice Presidential tasking, and deployed to the US Navy 4th fleet area of responsibility to provide radar surveillance support for the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She departed Norfolk, Virginia on 25 August 2018, and returned soon.

In the fall of 2019, ''Ramage'' deployed to the US Navy 5th fleet area of responsibility as an independent ballistic missile defense operator. During this time, she was assigned as the flagship for Commander, Task Force 55, in a defensive response to the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. She took command of all US Naval surface forces in the 5th fleet area, positioning each ship in a strategic defensive manner.

===2021-2023===
On 9 August 2023, The Navy announced plans to extend the ship's service life beyond the initial 35 years, intending to keep ''Ramage'' in service until at least 2035.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 August 2023 |title=Navy extends service lives of four more destroyers |website=navytimes.com|url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2023/08/09/navy-extends-service-lives-of-four-more-destroyers/|access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref>

On 8 October 2023, the day after the [[2023 Israel–Hamas war|Hamas attack on Israel]], the U.S. Secretary of Defense, [[Lloyd Austin]], directed the ''Gerald R. Ford'' carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in response. Along with the [[USS Gerald R. Ford|carrier]], the group also includes the cruiser {{USS|Normandy|CG-60|2}}, and the destroyers ''Ramage'', {{USS|Carney|DDG-64|2}}, {{USS|Roosevelt|DDG-80|2}} and {{USS|Thomas Hudner|DDG-116|2}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statement From Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on U.S. Force Posture Changes in the Middle E |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3551716/statement-from-secretary-lloyd-j-austin-iii-on-us-force-posture-changes-in-the/|access-date=2023-10-08 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Awards===
* [[Navy Unit Commendation]] - (Mar-May 1997, Oct 2001-Apr 2002, Oct 2006-May 2007, Nov 2015-Jul 2016)
* [[Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation]] - (11-19 Sep 2002, Aug 2013-May 2014)
* [[Battle E|Battle "E"]]  - (1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2016, 2019)

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|USS Ramage (DDG-61)}} 
* {{Official website|http://www.ramage.navy.mil|USS ''Ramage'' official website}}
* {{cite web |url=http://navysite.de/dd/ddg61.htm |title=USS ''Ramage'' (DDG 61) |work=navysite.de }}
* {{Navsource|05/01061|USS Ramage}}

{{Arleigh Burke class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramage (DDG-61)}}
[[Category:Arleigh Burke-class destroyers]]
[[Category:Destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi]]
[[Category:1994 ships]]