[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 135 (Friday, September 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1321-E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING THE USS SIMPSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 18, 2015

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the fine 
Sailors who have served on the USS Simpson (FFG 56). On September 30, 
2015, the Simpson, which is the last active Oliver Hazard Perry-class 
frigate, will be decommissioned and leave the active United States Navy 
fleet.
   The Simpson is named for Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson (1898-1964), 
who was a distinguished officer during World War II. RADM Simpson was 
awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star and Legion of Merit for rescuing 
and evacuating more than 7,500 Allied prisoners of war and civilians 
interned in Japanese concentration camps. The USS Simpson was 
commissioned on November 9, 1985.

[[Page E1322]]

   From its first overseas deployment, the USS Simpson and her crew 
have distinguished themselves in combat. On April 18, 1988, along with 
two other navy ships, the Simpson responded to the Iranian mine attack 
on the USS Samuel B. Roberts by destroying an Iranian oil platform and 
sinking the Iranian Navy mission patrol combatant, Joshan.
   Over her 30 years of service, the Simpson made 14 deployments. Her 
final deployment was for seven months to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet 
areas of operation in which she conducted theater security cooperation 
exercises. As in the past, the crew was called on to support various 
task forces and performed perfectly never missing an operational 
commitment. Every sailor made a difference every day. In addition, some 
of the newest technologies in the Navy were aboard, four Fire Scouts 
(MQ-8B) vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicles.
   The crew on the last deployment was comprised of reservists as well 
as active duty individual augmented personnel with zero previous 
experience with UAV's. Despite the challenges, the officers aboard 
reported the crew achieved the highest ever recorded maintenance 
readiness and sortie completion rate of any Fire Scout deployment in 
the program's history.
   The Simpson will be decommissioned but the friendships and 
camaraderie this ship established on its decks will last for ages. It 
is a pleasure and honor to represent the great men and women who serve 
in the 4th Congressional District of Florida and to see them 
successfully complete the mission of the USS Simpson. Their hard work 
and dedication contributes to the important missions of our Nation's 
defense and reiterates our community's importance as an anchor of 
national security.

                          ____________________