View source for USS Gonzalez

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2012}}
{|{{Infobox Ship Begin}}
{{Infobox Ship Image
|Ship image=[[Image:USS Gonzalez (DDG-66).jpg|center|300px|]]
|Ship caption=USS ''Gonzalez'' cruises in the [[Mediterranean Sea]].
}}
{{Infobox Ship Career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=US
|Ship flag={{USN flag}}
|Ship name=USS ''Gonzalez''
|Ship namesake=[[Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez]]
|Ship ordered=16 January 1991
|Ship builder=[[Bath Iron Works]], [[Bath, Maine]]
|Ship laid down=3 February 1994
|Ship launched=18 February 1995
|Ship acquired=14 June 1996
|Ship commissioned=12 October 1996
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=
|Ship status={{Ship in active service}}
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=[[File:USS Gonzalez DDG-66 Crest.png|150px]]
}}
{{Infobox Ship Characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Arleigh Burke class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer displacement I}}
|Ship length={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer length I}}
|Ship beam={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer beam}}
|Ship draft={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer draft}}
|Ship propulsion={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer propulsion}}
|Ship speed={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer speed}}
|Ship range={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer range}}
|Ship complement={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer complement}}
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer sensors}}
|Ship EW={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer EW}}
|Ship armament={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer armament I}}
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft={{Arleigh Burke class destroyer aircraft}}
|Ship motto=''Beyond the Call''
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Gonzalez'' (DDG-66)''' is an [[Arleigh Burke class destroyer|''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyer]] in the [[United States Navy]]. She is named for [[Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez|Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez]], a [[Medal of Honor]] recipient in the [[Vietnam War]].

==History==
The warship took part in [[Operation Allied Force]], firing [[BGM-109 Tomahawk|Tomahawk]] cruise missiles at Serbian targets in 1999. She also assisted a [[cruise ship]], ''[[Seabourn Spirit]],'' after an abortive attack by [[pirate]]s off the coast of Somalia in 2005.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060318/ap_on_re_mi_ea/somalia_us_pirates]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref>

On 1 March 2006, she rescued the crew of an Iranian ship, whose engine and rudder were broken down since 18 February. The Iranian crew were rendered to Iran. She was involved in the [[Action of 18 March 2006]] with suspected pirates, along with the [[USS Cape St. George (CG-71)|USS ''Cape St. George'']]. The two U.S. warships exchanged fire with the suspected pirates about {{convert|25|nmi|km|0}} off the coast of Somalia. Initial reports indicated that one suspected pirate was killed and five others wounded. 

On 17 July 2006, [[CNN]] reported that ''Gonzalez'' would be deployed to help in evacuation efforts of American citizens from Lebanon in the midst of the [[2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict]]. On 26 July 2006, Frank James of The Chicago Tribune reported on the evacuation efforts of the Gonzalez.<ref>[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2006/07/patriotism_at_sea.html]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
* {{NVR}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Gonzalez (DDG-66)}}
* [http://www.gonzalez.navy.mil/ Official site]
* [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/ddg66.htm Naval Vessel Register – DDG-66]
* [http://fightingfreddy66.blogspot.com/ Official blog by Cmdr. Brian Fort, ship's captain]
[[Image:USS Gonzalez DDG66.jpg|thumb|left|''Gonzalez'' in the Atlantic, 2003]]
{{Arleigh Burke class destroyer}}
{{Piracy in Somalia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez (DDG-66)}}
[[Category:Arleigh Burke class destroyers]]
[[Category:Active destroyers of the United States]]
[[Category:United States Navy Texas-related ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Maine]]
[[Category:1995 ships]]

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