The Thomas S. Gates, commissioned in 1987, is a Ticonderoga-class cruiser named for the former Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of Defense who served under Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. During Desert Storm in 1991, she served as the air warfare commander for one of the most complex carrier battle group operations in history, coordinating air defense over the Persian Gulf at the height of combat operations. Her crew performed at the highest level when the stakes were highest.