Richard L. Page DEG-5

Richard L. Page

(DEG-5: dp. 3,426 (f.); 1. 414'6"; b. 44'2" dr. 24', s. 27 + k.
cpl. 248; a. 1 5", ASROC, Tar., 4 21'/tt.; cl. Brooke)

The guided missile escort Richard L. Page (DEG-5) was laid down on 4 January 1965 by the Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine, launched 4 April 1966, sponsored by Miss Edmonia Lee Whittle and Mrs. Nannie Page Trinker, granddaughters of Brigadier General Page, and commissioned at Boston on 5 August 1967, Comdr. Milton J. Schultz, Jr., in command.

In mid-October 1967, Richard L. Page moved from Boston to her homeport, Newport, R.I., then sailed south for shakedown exercises in the Caribbean. On 21 December she returned to Newport and, after post-shakedown availability began operations with CortRon 6. Into 1968 she operated in the western Atlantic, and, in the fall, she deployed to the Mediterranean for duty with the 6th l'leet. On that duty until 10 February 1969, she returned to Newport on the 18th and in March, resumed operations with the 2d Fleet. On 1 Julv 1969, she relieved Brumby (DE 1044) as flagship of DesDiv 122, then conducted exercises in the Caribbean.

Richard L. Page spent all of 1971 and the first eight months of 1972 in port at Newport and in operations along the eastcoast of the United States and in the Caribbean. In midAugust 1972, she steamed out of Newport, R.I., bound for an extended deployment with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. As of January 1974, she continues operations in the Mediterranean.