USSGettysburg (CG-64) is aTiconderoga-classguided-missilecruiser in theUnited States Navy. She is named for theBattle of Gettysburg during theAmerican Civil War.

USSGettysburg on 9 July 2004
History
United States
Name	Gettysburg
Namesake	Battle of Gettysburg
Ordered	8 January 1986
Builder	Bath Iron Works
Laid down	17 August 1988
Launched	22 July 1989
Sponsored by	Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Commissioned	22 June 1991
Homeport	Norfolk
Identification	MMSI number:368879000 Call sign: NGTB Hull number: CG-64
Motto	Deeds Not Words
Status	In Service[1]
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Ticonderoga-classcruiser
Displacement	Approx. 9,600 long tons (9,800 t) full load
Length	567 feet (173 m)
Beam	55 feet (16.8 meters)
Draft	34 feet (10.2 meters)
Propulsion	4 ×General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engines 2 × controllable-reversible pitch propellers 2 × rudders
Speed	32.5 knots (60 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Complement	30 officers and 300 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPY-1A/B multi-functionradar AN/SPS-49 air search radar (Removed on some ships) AN/SPG-62fire control radar AN/SPS-73 surface search radar AN/SPQ-9 gun fire control radar AN/SQQ-89(V)1/3 - A(V)15 Sonar suite, consisting of: AN/SQS-53B/C/Dactive sonar AN/SQR-19 TACTAS, AN/SQR-19B ITASS, & MFTApassive sonar AN/SQQ-28light airborne multi-purpose system
Armament	2 × 61 cellMk 41 vertical launch systems containing 122 × mix of: RIM-66M-5 Standard SM-2MR Block IIIB RIM-156A SM-2ER Block IV RIM-161 SM-3 RIM-162A ESSM RIM-174A Standard ERAM BGM-109 Tomahawk RUM-139A VL-ASROC 8 ×RGM-84 Harpoon missiles 2 ×5 in (127 mm)/62 caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 lightweight gun 2 ×Mk 38 25 mm Machine Gun Systems 2–4 ×.50 in (12.7 mm) cal. machine gun 2 ×Phalanx CIWS Block 1B 2 ×Mk 32 12.75 in (324 mm) triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried	2 ×MH-60Rhelicopters

The thirdGettysburg (CG-64) was laid down on 17 August 1988, atBath, Maine, byBath Iron Works; launched on 22 July 1989; sponsored byJulie Nixon Eisenhower, wife ofDwight D. Eisenhower II, grandson of former PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower and son-in-law of former PresidentRichard M. Nixon; and commissioned on 22 June 1991.^[2]

October 1992 - April 1993, maiden deployment to theMediterranean Sea in support of theUSS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) carrier battle group; along with sister shipLeyte Gulf.On 30 November 1994,Gettysburg andguided missile frigateHalyburton were dispatched to assist the cruise shipAchille Lauro, which was on fire in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia.Achille Lauro eventually sank but the passengers were rescued and transported toDjibouti, Djibouti.^[3][4][5]

On 13 October 1996, she bumped into Iranian corvetteIRIS Bayandor (81) in the northernPersian Gulf, however neither of the ships suffered serious damage.^[6]

Gettysburg took part inOperation Desert Fox, 16–20 December 1998.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2003, the ship was assigned toCruiser-Destroyer Group Twelve.^[7]

Gettysburg with aSikorsky SH-60B Seahawk ofHelicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light (HSL) 46 Detachment 5 and aCoast Guard law enforcement detachment (LEDET) embarked, sailed fromNaval Station Mayport, on a two-part counter narcotics deployment to the Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, 11 October–23 December 2005 and 1 January–4 April 2006. She visitedCuraçao,Netherlands Antilles, 21–25 October, passed through thePanama Canal, 3–4 November, and provided air surveillance and evacuation support for a visit by PresidentGeorge W. Bush to Panama. In addition, the ship visitedVasco Nunez de Balboa, Panama, 18–22 November and 5–6 and 16–18 December.Gettysburg intercepted three narcotics smuggling vessels, 14 metric tons (13.8 long tons; 15.4 short tons) of cocaine, and 17 smugglers before the New Year. She came about on 17 December, and intercepted her third suspect, a vessel carrying more than 11 metric tons (10.8 long tons; 12.1 short tons) of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific, on 22 December.^[2]

The ship, with HSL-46 Detachment 5 and Coast Guard LEDET 409 embarked, intercepted MVPerseus V on 12 January 2006. The boarding team discovered a hidden compartment containing 1.6 metric tons (1.6 long tons; 1.8 short tons) of cocaine and detained 11 suspected smugglers. The boarders then placed a custody crew on board, which delivered the boat to host nation authorities more than 500 miles (800 km) away four days later.^[2]

On 7 FebruaryGettysburg, with LEDET 404 embarked, carried out a covert, nighttime surveillance and pre-dawn interception of fishing boatDivi, which analysts suspected of smuggling up to 15 metric tons (14.8 long tons; 16.5 short tons) of cocaine. The suspects sightedGettysburg, set fire to their vessel, and abandoned ship in a skiff. The cruiser deployed 15 rounds of MK-86 into the “Divi” from a mile away and the ship sank. The boarders observed more than 150 bales of cocaine on the smuggler’s deck, but only retrieved less than 150 kilograms (330 lb). The Americans took the eight crewmen into custody.^[2]

Gettysburg patrolled an area about 1,750 nautical miles (3,240 km; 2,010 mi) west of theGalapagos Islands when aLockheed P-3C Orion directed her to query fishing boatWilliam, on 24 February 2006. The Orion aggressively monitored the suspected vessel, preventing her from rendezvousing with ago-fast.Gettysburg meanwhile launchedCutlass 467, her Seahawk, which guided the ship towardWilliam, but the suspects attempted toscuttle their boat.Gettysburg's rescue and assistance teams and LEDET 404 savedWilliam, enabling her boarding team to recovery 4.9 metric tons (4.8 long tons; 5.4 short tons) of cocaine and apprehend the eight smugglers.^[2]

An Orion located a stealthy go-fast steaming westerly courses through a known drug-trafficking area on 11 March.Gettysburg closed and under cover of darkness, deployed LEDET 404 and a security team on board a RHIB, which boarded the suspected vessel, seizing 3.75 metric tons (3.7 long tons; 4.1 short tons) of cocaine, 8 kilograms (18 lb) of heroin, and detaining five smugglers. In addition, she sailed through the Panama Canal twice, 30–31 January and 15–16 March, and visitedCartagena, Colombia, 20–21 January, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, 16–19 February and 4-5 and 15–16 March, Curaçao, 23–26 March, andPort Everglades, Florida, 29 March-1 April. During this second voyage she seized or interdicted four suspected smuggling vessels and more than 25 metric tons (24.6 long tons; 27.6 short tons) of cocaine with a street value of $1.7 billion, detaining 34 suspected smugglers. Additionally, she issued return-to-port orders to twoColombian-flagged vessels capable of providing logistics support to narcotics traffickers. Working with other agencies and Orions during the two deployments,Gettysburg proved instrumental in the seizure of seven vessels, 45 smugglers, and 750 bales totaling more than 28 metric tons (27.6 long tons; 30.9 short tons) of cocaine and heroin valued at $1.95 billion.^[2]

Amphibious assault shipBoxer, which operated as the afloat staging base for Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, coordinated the apprehension of six pirates in theGulf of Aden on 20 March 2009. A skiff containing the suspects pursuedPhilippine-flagged MVBison Express, which sent a distress call.Gettysburg's embarked SH-60B from HSL-46 spotted the pirates throwing objects overboard, and a visit, board, search, and seizure team from the cruiser seized the suspects, who were then transferred toBoxer for questioning.^[2]

CTF-151,TurkishRear Admiral Caner Bener, in command, defeated a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden on 13 May 2009.Gettysburg andSouth Korean helicopter destroyerROKS Munmu the Great (DDH-976) responded to a distress call fromEgyptian-flagged MVAmira when pirates attacked her 75 nautical miles (139 km; 86 mi) south ofAl Mukalla, Yemen. A Seahawk from HSL-46 Detachment 9, embarked on boardGettysburg, located adhow suspected of serving as a "mother ship" for pirates. A visit, board, search, and seizure team and Coast Guard LEDET 409 from the cruiser discovered a variety of weapons on board the dhow and detained her 17 crewmembers.Gettysburg rescued another ship during her busy deployment when a Seahawk from the cruiser responded toYemeni MVAlaseb and her 11 passengers, adrift in the Gulf of Aden on 26 May. The helo guidedGettysburg to the area, which towedAlaseb to a rendezvous with theYemen Coast Guard for repairs.^[2]

The 13 May 2009, incident with MVAmira was filmed and featured on theSpike TV network specialU.S. Navy: Pirate Hunters.^[8]

Gettysburg completed herComposite Unit Training Exercise as part ofCarrier Strike Group Two on 10 February 2011.^[9]Gettysburg deployed with an embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70 (HSM-70) detachment as part of Carrier Strike Group Two, departingNaval Station Mayport on 10 May 2011.^[10]Gettysburg subsequently participated in NATO naval exerciseExercise Saxon Warrior off the coast ofEngland, under the operational control ofFlag Officer Sea Training (FOST). During this exercise,Gettysburg operated with the new Britishguided-missile destroyerHMS Dauntless (D33).^[11]

In May 2015,Gettysburg's homeport was changed from NAVSTA Mayport toNaval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

Gettysburg entered into the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) on 30 September 2015. She was drydocked and underwent extensive modernization and material repairs including an upgrade of her radar and AEGIS weapon system. She went underway again for the first time in nearly nine years on 28 February 2023.

Gettysburg was the firstTiconderoga-class cruiser to successfully navigate the SLEP program at an estimated cost of over $200 million.^[12]

On 23 September, 2024,Gettysburg departed Norfolk, VA in support of the deployment ofCarrier Strike Group 8.^[13]

On 22 December 2024,Gettysburg shot down anF/A-18F Super Hornet belonging toStrike Fighter Squadron 11 (VFA-11) and flying off theUSS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) during theRed Sea crisis.^[14]USCENTCOM stated that both the pilot andweapon systems officerejected and were recovered safely shortly after, with only one receiving minor injuries after an initial assessment. TheGettysburg also fired on a second F/A-18 and missed by ~100 feet. The missile missed thanks to the pilot performing evasive maneuvers.^{[15][16][17][18]}

• Navy Unit Commendation
• NavyMeritorious Unit Commendation
• Battle "E" - (2013, 2014, 2023)
• Battenberg Cup – (2013)
• Kinsley Award from the Gettysburg Foundation - (2022)^[19]

InTom Clancy's novelThe Bear and the Dragon,Gettysburg, with President Jack Ryan onboard, successfully defendedWashington, D.C. against an incomingICBM launched by thePeople's Republic of China using theAegis missile system she carries.

  This article includes information collected from theNaval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in thepublic domain.

• Photo gallery of USSGettysburg at NavSource Naval History
• Command web siteArchived 2022-08-04 at theWayback Machine
• USS Gettysburg webpage