Part III: Ortona meets Dieppe
When HMCS Ortona launched it was obvious that the RCN had been thinking of bigger and better things for the new fleet flagship. Flagship she was, permanently fitted with a Flag Command Suite and associated electronics. Ortona was also some 22m longer than her earlier sisters and carried as her normal compliment the same mix of aircraft her sisters carried to war. Additionally, Ortona carried a pair of specially modified CH-148 Cyclone helicopters. The two “special” Cyclones carried a large extendable radar antenna in place of the starboard fuel sponson. The antenna served a powerful air and sea search radar enabling the Cyclone to work in an airborne early warning mode. The radar data was downlinked to both the Flag Command Suite and to the shipboard Combat Information Centre.
Other significant changes included the deletion of the transom “swing-stage” ramp, replaced with a pair of more conventional ramps on the aft hull sides. Forward, the large sea-door covering the forward ramps was also gone, those being replaced with a pair of ramps mounted further aft. The superstructure showed the chamfered forward corners first seen on HMCS Kapyong (HMCS Vimy Ridge would be modified during her first refit).
The most significant changes would be seen right at the top of the ship though. The conventional mast was gone, replaced with an integrated mast. The new mast supported the full suite of military-grade electronics she carried as well as supporting the other significant change. Immediately behind the new mast were no less than 32 cells for her vertically-launched Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missiles. The ESSM’s gave her the ability to defend herself far outside of the range provided by the Phalanx systems.
HMCS Ortona was a warship, unlike her as-built sisters. Refit would correct that, but Ortona would always be just a bit bigger and would always represent Canada’s senior infantry regiment. In the minds of many, she was and would remain Canada’s flagship. She was also destined to become synonymous with a battle honour yet to be added to the colours of the Royal Canadian Regiment. For now though, she basked in the adoration of adoring throngs. Fitting-out and workups were to come, but she had the best wishes of thousands of loyal Canadians.
Getting Ortona ready to join the fleet was tedious and time-consuming, but posed no unforeseen challenges. From final construction through workups Ortona was accompanied by several German naval officers who were destined to become cadre for the German Navy’s own Ortona-class ships that were even now building. The German Navy had even offered to supply an escort vessel on exchange, but the USN claimed pride of place. Canadian warships had long since escorted USN carrier battle groups. If the RCN now had something that even resembled a carrier, the USN was going to return the favour.
The fix was in, and it was obvious as more details emerged. The Ortona battlegroup commander was announced as Commodore Gregory Dewey. Dewey was a distant relative of USN Admiral of the Navies Dewey, the commander who had won the Battle of Manila during the Spanish-American War. The Admiral was famous for opening the battle with the now-famous quote “You may fire when ready Gridley”. The assignment of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer DDG-101 USS Gridley made the connection complete.
Ortona was assigned to Canada’s Pacific Fleet, both Vimy Ridge-class vessels being assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. Her first commission was uneventful and she was ready for Fleet Repair Readiness status and a lengthy refit by August of 2025. She had one last stop to make at the USN anchorage in San Francisco before returning home. Gridley would depart the battlegroup at San Francisco, leaving friends and colleagues to sail away.
10:42:21 AM, 11th August 2025 saw the Ortona battlegroup 65 nautical miles out of San Francisco. That date and time are, of course, memorable to all Americans. The 8.4 magnitude quake that hit San Francisco at that precise moment toppled the Ferry Building clock tower. The images of the frozen clock, forever showing 10:42, have been seared into the US memory alongside images of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima or the US flag at Ground Zero in New York.
Reciprocal agreements between the US and Canada had, for over a decade, allowed the armed forces of either nation to enter the other without invitation in order to render civil aid. Even as the home-ported Gridley reeled at the shock of what happened, Commodore Dewey’s command leapt into action. Two Guardians rose from her flight deck, powerful radars probing ahead to look for landing areas. A suitable area was located only 4 miles from the downtown core. 40 minutes later and the lead elements of 5 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment was approaching touchdown.
In the days and weeks to follow, military assistance would pour into San Francisco. To the residents though, it was 5 RCR that had saved the day. The injured were treated by medics and volunteers (including ship’s company), Canadian armoured vehicles landed by Ortona moved rubble to extract survivors, the ship’s padre rendered services for the deceased… but most telling, it was 5 RCR that met the looters.
Looting was never rampant in San Francisco after the quake, but some tried. Those who tried were met by polite young men with 5 RCR badges. Those young men were polite and even respectful… but they had hard eyes for those seeking to profit from disaster. One gang of street thugs actually tried to fight it out; they received on the job training in urban warfare. It was training in which mere survival constituted a passing grade. 5 RCR graded hard, few passing grades were handed out.
The next day a 5 RCR LAV-H-35 crossed into the neighbouring gang’s territory. 14 chalk silhouettes on the gun mantlet were clearly visible. The message was clear and unsubtle, the hard young men would tolerate no interference in aid efforts. When US military forces entered the city in force just 36 hours after the quake, they were prepared for the worst.
They found a city already starting to recover. To be sure, there was a daunting task ahead of aid workers. Equally sure, control of the city had never been lost. The elements that might have tried were cowed. USMC Lt. General R. Cowles commented in his biography:
“I remember meeting Canadian Lt. Colonel Graves soon after we arrived in San Francisco. His 5 RCR had quite literally taken the city to save it. Meeting him, shaking his hand… I felt that I and my men were being judged. Were we, the US Marine Corps, up to the standards he had set? I should have been insulted, being judged by an officer of such inferior rank and not even a Marine to boot… but I wasn’t. The man had a presence that simply screamed that he had found his moment in history. That same presence infused his command. 5 RCR is now entitled to wear a crown, anchor and globe device on their uniforms, having had to meet their standards left us no choice but to adopt them as Marines.”
The Ortona battlegroup stayed on-station at San Francisco for another 3 months. She was to be replaced by HMCS Kapyong, but US recovery efforts had progressed far enough that Kapyong was not needed. Canadian Forces elements were still on the ground, and would remain for almost another year. It would be Ortona and her people who were remembered most though.
August 11th 2027 would see Ortona pass under the Golden Gate Bridge yet again, this time for Fleet Week. USS Gridley had re-joined the battlegroup shortly before it had entered harbour. Ortona was met by the expected dignitaries, but with two notable additions. The President of the United States was present, as was the Governor General of Canada.
The President bestowed a Presidential Unit Citation on the whole Ortona battlegroup. He also announced that with the agreement of the Canadian Government, USS Gridley was to be permanently attached to HMCS Ortona and home-ported alongside her at CFB Esquimalt. The people of the Ortona battlegroup were stunned and more than a little proud at this announcement.
The Governor General’s announcement was even more stunning.
“It is with great pleasure that I make the following statement: At the solemn request of the People of San Francisco and the President of these United States, His Majesty King Charles today decrees and declares that 5th Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment is instructed to add the battle honour ‘San Francisco’ to the battalion colours. Guard these colours well.”
5 RCR exercised “Freedom of the City” later that day, marching under arms through the heart of San Francisco. A San Francisco PD Officer, being interviewed by an East-coast new outlet was asked if he thought it strange for “foreign” troops to be under arms in San Francisco streets. His response, on live national TV would sum up Franciscan attitudes:
“Piss off lady! That’s 5 RCR, those AREN’T foreign troops.”