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USS ''Conyngham'' (DDG-17), the third ship named for Captain Gustavus Conyngham USN (1744–1819), was a ''Charles F. Adams''-class guided missile armed destroyer in the United States Navy. ''Conyngham'' was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden in New Jersey on 1 May 1961, launched on 19 May 1962 by Mrs. Carl B. Albert, wife of Representative Albert of Oklahoma, House Majority Leader and commissioned on 13 June 1963, Commander Edwin P. Smith in command. == History == ''Conyngham'' was one of a few warships with shamrocks on her stacks (, and others for example). During her 27 years of commissioned service, ''Conyngham'' lived up to her motto, ''Ready to Serve''. Her presence exerted a powerful influence during times of crisis and helped maintain peace as a component of NATO seapower throughout the Cold War period. ''Conyngham'' made 15 Mediterranean deployments—three to the Persian Gulf, seven to Northern Europe, and 11 deployments to the Caribbean. She distinguished herself during crises in Cyprus (1964, 1974); provided air cover for planes evacuating Americans from an insurrection in Amman, Jordan (1970); took part in contingency operations during the Arab-Israeli Yom-Kippur War (1973); was the escort combatant during the evacuation of Americans from Beirut, Lebanon (1976); and conducted Black Sea Freedom of Navigation operations (1979). During the 1980s, ''Conyngham'' continued to support United States foreign policy when she served off the coast of Libya (1982); was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal for providing naval gunfire support of Marines stationed in, and off the coast of, Beirut, Lebanon (1983) and monitored maritime traffic off the coast of Nicaragua (1983). She sailed with the Battle Group in support of U. S. intervention forces in Grenada (1983). While deployed to the Caribbean in 1986, ''Conyngham'' was credited with four drug interdictions and was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal. ''Conyngham'' continued superior performance as she escorted U. S. Flagged merchant shipping through the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War in 1987 in Operation Earnest Will. During that deployment she sortied from Bahrain on short notice and provided assistance to after she was hit by two anti-ship missiles launched by an Iraqi F-1 Mirage. ''Conyngham'' was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her efforts in assisting the crippled ship. In 1988, ''Conyngham'' continue the ''Gus Can Do'' tradition during her deployments to the Fjords of Norway and Northern Europe. A 16-year-old girl from Cork, Ireland stowed away aboard ''Conyngham'' in July 1988 during the 10 day return voyage to Norfolk. Four sailors pleaded guilty to assisting her with the highest sentence being 70 days in the brig for hiding an illegal alien and aiding entry to the United States. She was returned to Ireland at which point she reported she was held against her will, drugged and sexually abused while on board. No charges were filed with regard to claims of drugs and sexual abuse.〔 ''Conyngham'' completed her fifteenth Mediterranean deployment and received her fourth Battle Efficiency "E" in 1989 while part of the battlegroup. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Conyngham (DDG-17)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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