The USS Blue Ridge (AGC-2) was an Appalachian-class amphibious force flagship constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. Built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, she was launched on March 7, 1943, and transferred to the Navy shortly thereafter. The Bethlehem Steel Company of Brooklyn, New York, outfitted her as an amphibious command ship, and she was commissioned on September 27, 1943. Designed as a command vessel, Blue Ridge measured approximately 415 feet in length with a beam of about 63 feet. Her armament included anti-aircraft guns to defend against aerial attacks. After initial trials in Long Island Sound, she departed New York in October 1943 for the South Pacific, arriving in Brisbane, Australia, by December. She served as the flagship of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey, commanding the Seventh Amphibious Force, during key campaigns in New Guinea, including amphibious operations along the New Guinea coast. Blue Ridge played a critical role in the Leyte Gulf campaign, serving as a command ship during the historic landings at Leyte in October 1944. She was actively involved in combat operations, including fending off enemy reconnaissance and attack aircraft, and supporting the Battle of Surigao Strait. Throughout late 1944 and early 1945, she participated in the liberation of the Philippines, including the landings at Lingayen Gulf. Her role as flagship extended to supporting the San Fabian Attack Force and overseeing amphibious assaults in the Philippines. Following her service in the Pacific, Blue Ridge moved to Okinawa and later China and Korea, serving as a command ship in Tsingtao and Shanghai. She participated in Operation Crossroads, the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946, acting as a command and observation platform for nuclear testing. Decommissioned on March 14, 1947, Blue Ridge remained in reserve until her name was struck from the Navy List in 1960. She was sold for scrapping later that year. Throughout her service, USS Blue Ridge earned two battle stars for her participation in major World War II operations, marking her as a significant vessel in U.S. naval amphibious warfare history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.