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Blue Ridge ready for sea after summer maintenance

7th Fleet News

Release Date: 8/8/2003

By Journalist 2nd Class Hodges Pone III, USS Blue Ridge public affairs

ABOARD USS BLUE RIDGE AT SEA -- After months of painting, chipping and grinding during a ship's restricted availability (SRA) period, the 7th Fleet amphibious command and control ship, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), and her crew are ready to continue their watch on the Pacific Rim.

During the summer SRA, Blue Ridge Sailors and U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility, Yokosuka (SRF) workers were charged with prepping the ship for its next underway period. Although SRF was the primary factor in accomplishing the big work, Blue Ridge Sailors also contributed many hours in upgrading and rehabilitating their living and work spaces.

Blue Ridge's Main Propulsion Assistant, Chief Warrant Officer John Clyburn, said the ship's mechanical and boiler divisions were able to accomplish their goals.

"Everything was completed on time due to the diligence of SRF and our Sailors," said Clyburn. "We renovated the gauge calibration shop, performed space preservations in the bilge and shaft alley and overhauled two overboard eductors."

Deck department was one of the busier departments during the three-month SRA. According to Blue Ridge 1st Lieutenant, Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Haynes, deck concentrated most of their efforts into painting the ship.

"During this particular period, we painted out more than 60 work and living spaces and painted the exterior of the ship," Haynes said. "SRF removed both of our anchors and chains, applied new paint and re-installed them. We put in more than 800 man-hours and the results are clearly visible."

Blue Ridge Communications LAN Division leading chief petty officer, Chief Information Technician Allan Grove, said his division and communications department as a whole utilized civilian technical representatives to upgrade the ship's internal LAN circuits.

"With the assistance of our technicians and Space and Naval Warfare Systems (SPAWAR) specialists from stateside, we were able to re-align our servers and computer systems to operate at maximum potential," Grove said. "We also spent a significant amount of time painting and deep cleaning our spaces during the SRA."

Grove believes with some of these problem alleviated, his department is ready for their missions ahead.

"We are now poised and focused on success," he said.

But a good portion of the work the Sailors had to do were done by a group of 40 Sailors from various departments who worked feverishly to remove bulkheads and tear up decks that needed replacement.

The team demolished decks in crew berthing areas, various offices, and other locations.

One of the Rehab team supervisors, Signalman 2nd Class (SW) Maurice Alcorn, said some of the work was difficult, but the team came together to get the job done.

"Working together we were able to tear up all the decks ahead of schedule," Alcorn said.

Haynes noticed the work the rehab team did in his office and other spaces.

"The rehab team did a great job. The work was dirty and tiresome, but they all worked hard to ensure the ship was ready for sea," he said.

Alcorn added being on the rehab team was a good experience and he feels good about the work the team accomplished.

"It was a learning experience that I enjoyed. After seeing the new decks and bulkheads installed, it made me proud to walk through the spaces that are now looking nice," he said. "We are definitely ready to head back to sea."