USS Richard L. Page (FFG-5)

• Namesake: USS Richard L. Page (FFG-5) was named after Rear Admiral Richard Lucian Page, a distinguished officer in both the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War. • Class: She was a Brooke-class guided missile frigate, one of only six built for the US Navy, notable for their early use of guided missiles in a small frigate platform. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on 5 August 1967, at the height of the Cold War, and was built at Bath Iron Works in Maine. • Missile Armament: USS Richard L. Page was equipped with the Tartar Guided Missile System, making her among the first US Navy frigates with significant anti-air capability. • Mediterranean Deployments: She routinely deployed to the Mediterranean Sea as part of the US 6th Fleet, conducting NATO exercises and showing presence during periods of international tension. • Vietnam Service: In the early 1970s, she served off the coast of Vietnam, providing escort and screening duties for aircraft carriers and other naval vessels. • Cuban Boatlift Involvement: During the 1980 Mariel boatlift, Richard L. Page was involved in surveillance and support operations off the coast of Cuba. • NATO Collaboration: The ship took part in numerous NATO exercises, working closely with allied navies and enhancing interoperability during the Cold War. • Decommissioning and Fate: She was decommissioned on 30 September 1988 and later sold for scrapping, marking the end of the Brooke-class in US service. • Crest and Legacy: The ship's crest featured a stylized missile and anchor, symbolizing her missile capability and naval heritage; veterans and crew maintain active reunions and associations in her honor.