After boot camp, I was assigned to the USS George Philip, homeported in
Long Beach, CA.
The
GEORGE PHILIP is an
Oliver Hazard Perry Class guided missile frigate, named in honor of Commander George Philip, Jr., USN (1912-1945).
This class currently consists of 51 ships making it the largest single class of warships built by a Western Navy since World War II.
The mission of the George Philip is to escort and protect convoys, underway replenishment groups, amphibious landing groups, and carrier battle groups.
GEORGE PHILIP's missile, gun, and anti-submarine warfare systems, combined with its quick reaction and high speed capability, make the warship a valuable asset in today's multi-threat environment.
I was married while in the Navy in Rochester after which my new wife and I made our cross-country
trip our honeymoon.
Being a reserve ship, it was not 100% manned. As such our underway periods were limited to west coast excursions.
What I did see was much of
California,
Oregon ,
Alaska ,
Vancouver, Canada and a brief stop in
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
