USS Blue Ridge Returns to Japanese Naval Base After Four-Year Patrol
The USS Blue Ridge, the Navy's oldest operational warship and flagship of the U.S. 7th Fleet, has returned to Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan after completing its first full patrol in the Indo-Pacific region since 2019. The ship spent 40 days at sea, covering 8,840 nautical miles and making port calls in Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. The Blue Ridge serves as a peacetime emissary, platform for humanitarian efforts, and command-and-control ship during fleet operations. This patrol was seen as important due to the ship's unique mission in the vast region.