USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) is the third ship to be named for the Blue Ridge
Mountains of the eastern United States.
The first Blue Ridge was originally a Great Lakes passenger steamer,the
Virginia built in 1891, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Virginia was purchased for
use as a Navy Transport during World War I and commissioned October 17,
1918 as USS Blue Ridge (SP-2432). At the end of the war Blue Ridge was
sold, returned to private service and renamed Avalon. During World War II,
Avalon again served as a transport in the San Francisco Bay area. She was
returned to private service in 1946 following the end of the war. The ship
was destroyed by fire at Long Beach, California in 1960.
The second USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2) was originally a merchantman built by
the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Brooklyn, New York and
commissioned there on September 27, 1943. During World War II, she served
as flagship for the Seventh Amphibious Force operating along the New
Guinea coast. In October 1944, USS Blue Ridge led the Northern Attack
Force and in December 1945 the San Fabian Attack Force during the
liberation of the Philippines. She continued to serve as Seventh
Amphibious Force flagship until June 30, 1945. USS Blue Ridge later became
the flagship for Amphibious Groups FIVE, SEVEN and ONE, serving in Okinawa
and along the China and Korean coasts until February 1946.
During World War II USS Blue Ridge received two battle stars, the Navy
Occupational Medal, China Service Medal and Republic of the Philippines
Unit Citation. She also served as a command and observation ship during
the atomic bomb tests in July 1946 at Bikini Atoll.
Decommissioned in March 1947 and assigned to the U.S. Pacific Reserve
Fleet, her name was struck from the Navy List on January 1, 1960. She was
sold for scrap in August of that year.
USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) was conceived in 1963 and was in the planning and
design stage for four years. She was built by the Philadelphia naval
Shipyard in 1967 and commissioned November 14, 1970.
From U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet Facts File
