USS Blue Ridge LCC-19 Displacement ：18000 t Length ：196m Beam ：33m Speed ：23kts. USS Blue Ridge LCC-19 was commissioned on November 14, 1970, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as the most sophisticated command and control platform in the Navy. From 1971 until 1979, Blue Ridge operated from San Diego, California, where she deployed to the Western Pacific, earning the Meritorious Unit and Navy Unit Commendations for the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam in 1975.Since October 1979, Blue Ridge has been forward deployed from Japan as the flagship of Commander Seventh Fleet. She performed brilliantly during a nine-and-one-half month deployment as flagship for Commander United States Naval Forces Central Command during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from August 1990 through May 1991.USS Blue Ridge made her historic port visit to Shanghai, People Republic of China in May 1989.