Navy News with Charlestown Ties

Ramage, Bunker Hill keeping an eye on Somalia

by William H. McMichael (Navy Times)

Navy and coalition ships are deployed in international waters off the coast of Somalia in response to “recent events” there, the Navy’s 5th Fleet confirmed Thursday.
The State Department said Wednesday the mission is specifically aimed at making sure al-Qaida and allied jihadists are not able to escape the country by sea, now that the once-dominant Islamist forces in Somalia are in retreat from Ethiopian forces.

While confirming the presence and rough location of the ships, the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, responsible for all Navy operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, did not refer to that specific mission in statements released over the past two days.

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While I doubt I have to explain the USS Bunker Hill (the Sword of the Fleet) connection, you may not realize the USS Ramage's connection. In 1997, for the USS Constitution's 200th birthday, she sailed unassisted out into Boston Harbor and beyond. The destroyer USS Ramage (named after Vice Admiral Lawson Patterson Ramage, born in Massachusetts) was part of her escort. Also, I particularly like this "While confirming the presence and rough location of the ships........did not refer to that specific mission in statements released over the past two days." An answer that doesn't tell you anything is classic Charlestown.