greg@nosc.mil (Gregory K. Ramsey) (06/28/91)
From: anacapa!greg@nosc.mil (Gregory K. Ramsey)
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<<>> Assistant Secretary Of Defense <<>>
<<>> Public Affairs June 1991 <<>>
<<>> Pentagon, Washington DC Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat <<>>
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<<>> DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 <<>>
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<<>> FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1991 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 <<>>
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<<>> Department of Defense News Editor: Mr. Frank Falatko <<>>
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* GETTYSBURG COMMISSIONED
====================================================================
NEWS RELEASE
FRIDAY JUNE 21, 1991
GETTYSBURG COMMISSIONED
The Department of the Navy has set the commissioning of the guided missile
cruiser Gettysburg (CC 64) for 11:00 a.m, Saturday, June 22, 1991, at Naval
Base, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, will be the ceremony's principal
speaker. Mrs. Julie Nixon Eisenhower, daughter of former President Richard
Nixon, is the ship's sponsor.
Gettysburg (CC 64) commemorates the Civil War battle, fought in Pennsylva-
nia between 1 and 4 July 1863, which began as an "unexpected clash" that
eventually became "the greatest battle fought on American soil." In this
pivotal engagement, a Union force under General George Meade turned back the
last major Confederate invasion of the North. This action signified the
gradual decline in military fortunes of the South. Two previous U. S. Navy
ships have borne the name: the first, a sidewheel steamer (formerly the
Confederate blockade runner MARGARET and JESSIE) captured in late 1863 and
commissioned in early 1864, which operated between that year and 1879, perform-
ing significant surveying and exploration tasks in the latter part of her
career. The second was a patrol craft which was originally commissioned in
1945 as the unnamed PCE 804. The name was assigned to the ship while she lay
in reserve, in 1956. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and sold
for scrapping in 1960.
Gettysburg is a Ticonderoga-class cruiser built specifically to provide the
primary anti-air warfare protection for the Navy's battle forces. Equipped
with the Aegis combat system, the ship will be able to operate in all warfare
mission areas to detect, track and destroy enemy aircraft, missiles, submarines
and surface ships. The Aegis system, comprising radars, computers and ueapons,
is designed to function effectively in all weather and hostile countermeasure
environments.
The ship will be equipped to carry standard surface-to-air and Tomahawk
missiles launched from fore and aft vertical launching systems; two fully
automated, radar-controlled Phalanx anti-air weapon systems; Harpoon surface-
to-surface missiles; two five-inch guns; electronic warfare systems and two
Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopters.
Gettysburg is 567 ft. in length, has a beam of 55 ft. and, upon completion,
will displace approximately 9,500 tons fully loaded. Capt. John M. Langknecht,
USN, is the ship's commanding officer.