USS George Philip (FFG-12)

• Namesake: USS George Philip (FFG-12) was named after Commander George Philip, Jr., a decorated World War II naval officer who commanded USS Twiggs (DD-591) and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. • Class: FFG-12 was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate, a class known for its versatility and widespread use by the US Navy and allied navies. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on October 10, 1980, at Long Beach, California. • Gulf Operations: USS George Philip participated in Operation Earnest Will in the late 1980s, escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers during the Iran-Iraq War to protect them from Iranian attacks. • Drug Interdiction: In the 1990s, the frigate took part in multiple counter-narcotics operations in the Eastern Pacific, interdicting illegal drug shipments bound for North America. • Humanitarian Missions: FFG-12 was involved in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including rescuing stranded fishermen and supporting international rescue operations. • Women at Sea: USS George Philip was among the early US Navy combatants to be integrated with mixed-gender crews as the Navy expanded opportunities for women in the 1990s. • Decommissioning: The ship was decommissioned on March 15, 2003, after over 22 years of active service. • Final Fate: After decommissioning, FFG-12 was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and eventually scrapped in 2012. • Ship’s Motto: The motto of USS George Philip was “Courage, Honor, Commitment,” reflecting the values of its namesake and the US Navy.