Senior Enlisted Officer From USS Ramage Passes Away After Medevac

A senior enlisted member of the crew of the destroyer USS Ramage has passed away after attempted treatment on shore, according to the U.S. Navy. 

On Thursday, Chief Gunner’s Mate Caprice L. Pryor was medevaced from the ship as it was escorting the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the North Sea.

He was flown to a hospital in Stavanger, Norway for treatment, but he died later the same day, according to U.S. 6th Fleet. The nature of his illness was not disclosed. 

“Our deepest condolences go to Chief Pryor’s family and friends and to the Ramage crew,” said Rear Adm. Erik Eslich, commander of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. “Chief Pryor made a lasting impact on the Sailors he led aboard Ramage, and his contributions to the U.S. Navy are immeasurable. We stand ready to support Chief’s family, friends, and the Ramage crew through this tragic time. Our sincerest thanks go to our Norwegian allies for their assistance during the medevac and support now to bringing Chief Pryor home.”

Chief Prior had 25 years of service in the Navy and had sailed aboard multiple warships, inlcuding two cruisers and two other Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. 

USS Ramage is a Flight I Arleigh Burke with 30 years of service in the fleet. She was involved in secury assurance after the Sept. 11 attacks; Operation Enduring Freedom off Iraq; the long-running operation in the Persian Gulf supporting the War on Terror; and contingency patrols in the Mediterranean during the early days of the Syrian Civil War. 

USS Ford and her multinational cohort of escorts have been operating off the northwestern coast of Norway, including rare stints above the Arctic Circle. The carrier visited Vestfjorden, a bight between Lofoten and the mainland at about 68 degrees North.