MORE ABOUT THE SHIP: USS Thomas S. Gates is an Aegis guided-missile cruiser, one of three assigned to Destroyer Squadron 14, homeported at Pascagoula. It is a multi-mission surface combatant capable of supporting carrier strike groups or amphibious forces, operating as a flagship of a surface strike group, or operating independently.
It has a crew of more than 350 men and women, and has the ability to carry out multi-dimensional, multi-threat combat missions. As part of its Aegis weapons arsenal, Gates is equipped with SPY-1 radar, sophisticated displays and computer systems, and advanced surface-to-air missiles, and is ideally suited to perform duties as "Defender of the Republic? against a complex and fast-moving air attack of any kind.

The contract to build the USS Thomas S. Gates was awarded to Bath Iron Works on May 20, 1982 and its keel was laid on August 31, 1984. On December 14, 1985 the Gates was launched and it was commissioned roughly two years later, on August 22, 1987.

The USS Thomas S. Gates was scheduled to become, in fall 1998, the first installation ship in the U.S. Navy's Integrated Ship Controls (ISC) Program. This upgrade program aimed to install innovative labor and cost savings initiatives on USS Thomas S. Gates, USS Ticonderoga (CG 47), USS Vincennes (CG 49) and USS Valley Forge (CG 50). Many of the technologies installed are the result of the initiatives proven successful on Yorktown. The upgrade program also included options to install systems on the remaining 22 CG 47 Class AEGIS Cruisers.

During Operations Desert Shield/Storm, the USS Thomas S. Gates conducted operations in the Maritime Intercept Force, and under the command of Destroyer Squadron 36, the Red Sea escort cruiser played a decisive role in maritime interceptions.

The USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) deployed in late July 2000 to serve as the flagship for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Standing Naval Forces Atlantic (SNFL). The ship hosted an international professional naval staff made up of officers from Germany, Poland, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Canada. SNFL fills a very important role in the NATO military command structure. It is a permanently established multinational force which conducts routine presence and surveillance missions as well as providing a maritime Immediate Reaction Force. If needed, SNFL is prepared to deploy to crisis areas in support of NATO objectives. As STANAVFORLANT, the ship's first exercise was DANEX 2000.

Ship personnel were to also participate in cross-deck opportunities with the other NATO ships and, as well, have the opportunity to visit Finland, a non-NATO nation, and Poland. Port visited during this deployment were Oslo, Norway; Helsinki, Finland; Copenhagen, Denmark; Gdynia, Poland; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Leithe, Scotland; Plymouth, U.K.; Plymouth, U.K.; Brest, France; Santander, Spain.

USS Thomas S. Gates left its homeport at Naval Station Pascagoula, Pascagoula, Miss., for a five-month deployment March 10, 2004. The deployment covered a variety of missions, including counter narcotics and a circumnavigation of the South American continent. Gates? deployment will include counter-drug operations, high-profile port visits along the eastern Atlantic seaboard; escorting the nation?s newest carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), to her new homeport in San Diego; and international exercises with South American navy ships. Gates? eastern seaboard tour will included a visit to New London, Conn., home of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy; Philadelphia, Pa., where Gates was commissioned in August 1987; and Annapolis, Md., home of the U.S. Naval Academy, where Gates will serve as the visiting ship for this year's graduation ceremony.

Gates was selected to escort Reagan on her maiden voyage to San Diego, where she will be home-ported. Reagan is the ninth aircraft carrier of the nuclear-powered Nimitz class. Gates? escort duties included a visit to Uruguay, Peru, Chile and a voyage around the southern tip of South America, one of the most hazardous and legendary passages in maritime history.

Gates returned in early August 2004.