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US Navy - Amphibious Assault Ship LHD 1 - USS Wasp |
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| 10/24 | ||
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Type,
class: Amphibious Assault Ship (multi purpose);
Wasp
class Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA STATUS: Awarded: February 28, 1984 Laid down: May 30, 1985 Launched: August 4, 1987 Christened: September 19, 1987 Commissioned: July 6, 1989 IN SERVICE Homeport: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia Namesake: traditionally; named in honor of the previous 9 ships which were named Wasp Ships Motto: HONOR - TRADITION - EXCELLENCE Technical Data: see: INFO > Wasp class Amphibious Assault Ship - LHD |
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Deployments: June 1991 - December 1991 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-162(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Gulf February 1993 - August 1993 with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-263(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean August 1994 - October 1994 with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) CARIBBEAN and HMM-264(REIN) embarked - Caribbean Sea February 1995 - April 1995 with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force and HMH-464(REIN) embarked - Northern Atlantic Ocean August 1995 - February 1996 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea February 1998 - July 1998 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea February 2000 - August 2000 with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-263(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea Februay 2002 - August 2002 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-261(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean February 2004 - September 2004 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-266(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea August 2006 - November 2006 with HM-14 and HSC-28 embarked - Mediterranean Sea / off Lebanon August 2007 - December 2007 with HM-15 and HSC-28 embarked - Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea Persian Gulf October 2009 - December 2009 with HMH-461 and HSC-28 embarked - Caribbean Sea June 2016 - December 2016 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-264(REIN) embarked - 5th and 6th Fleet AOR January 2017 - June 2017: transferred to her new homeport, Sasebo, Japan forward deployed to Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan from June 2017 to August 2019 - unit assignments: January 2018 - May 2018 with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-265(REIN) May 2018 - November 2018 with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-262(REIN) November 2018 - March 2019 with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-262(REIN) May 2019 - August 2019 with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-265(REIN) August 2019 - November 2019: transferred to her new homeport Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia February 2021 - July 2022: Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair June 2024 - ? with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-365(REIN) embarked - 5th and 6th Fleet AOO |
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 arriving in Limassol, Cyprus for her mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR) - October 4, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece - August 29, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - August 14, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece - July 8, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - June 30, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - June 30, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Strait of Gibraltar - June 26, 2024  with VMM-365(REIN) embarked - Naval Station Rota, Spain - June 25, 2024  Atlantic Ocean - May 2024  Atlantic Ocean - May 2024  Atlantic Ocean - May 2024  Atlantic Ocean - May 2024  departing New York after Fleet Week New York - May 2022  Fleet Week New York - May 2022  Fleet Week New York - May 2022  Fleet Week New York - May 2022  Fleet Week New York - May 2022  Fleet Week New York - May 2022 February 2021 - July 2022: Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair  arriving at Naval Station Mayport, Florida - September 2020  arriving at Naval Station Mayport, Florida - September 2020  air-traffic control - Exercise Black Widow - Atlantic Ocean - September 2020  approach control - Exercise Black Widow - Atlantic Ocean - September 2020  off North Carolina - June 2020  off North Carolina - June 2020  June 2020  USS Wasp returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia completing a homeport shift after spending nearly two years forward deployed to Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan and operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of operations - November 18, 2019  on her way back to the Atlantic Ocean - Strait of Magellan - October 2019  F-35B Lightning II operations - Coral Sea - August 2019  with VMM-265 (REIN) embarked - Coral Sea - August 2019  with VMM-265 (REIN) embarked - Coral Sea - August 2019  with VMM-265 (REIN) embarked - Coral Sea - August 2019  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - Coral Sea - July 2019  Coral Sea - July 2019  landing craft air-cushioned (LCAC) operations in the well deck - Coral Sea - July 2019  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - Tasman Sea - July 2019  with VMM-265 (REIN) embarked - Sydney, Australia - June 2019  with VMM-265 (REIN) embarked - Sydney, Australia - June 2019  Exercise Balikatan - South China Sea - April 2019  Exercise Balikatan - South China Sea - April 2019  Exercise Balikatan - South China Sea - April 2019  with F-35B Lightning II's from VMFA-121 embarked - Subic Bay, Philippines - March 2019  with F-35B Lightning II's from VMFA-121 embarked - Subic Bay, Philippines - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  Swith VMM-262(REIN) embarked - outh China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - South China Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - March 2019  Philippine Sea - March 2019  Philippine Sea - March 2019  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - March 2019  Philippine Sea - March 2019  well deck operations - Philippine Sea - February 2019  Philippine Sea - October 2018  well-deck with 3 LCAC's - Philippine Sea - October 2018  Changi Naval Base, Singapore - October 2018  South China Sea - September 2018  South China Sea - September 2018  South China Sea - September 2018  South China Sea - September 2018  South China Sea - September 2018  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - August 2018  with VMM-262(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - August 2018  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - April 2018  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - April 2018  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - Philippine Sea - April 2018  with VMM-265(REIN) embarked - East China Sea - March 2018  F-35B Lightning II operations - East China Sea - March 2018  F-35B Lightning II operations - East China Sea - March 2018  Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii - December 2017  well-deck operations - Atlantic Ocean - August 2017  well-deck operations - Atlantic Ocean - August 2017  air traffic control (ATC) - Atlantic Ocean - July 2017  Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - June 2017  approaching Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece - October 2016  celebrating the Navy's 241st birthday - Mediterranean Sea - October 2016  celebrating the Navy's 241st birthday - Mediterranean Sea - October 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - August 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - August 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - August 2016  Mediterranean Sea - August 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - July 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - July 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - July 2016  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea - July 2016  well-deck operations - Mediterranean Sea - July 2016  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - June 2016  Atlantic Ocean - April 2016  LCAC operations - Atlantic Ocean - April 2016  Atlantic Ocean - April 2016  Atlantic Ocean - April 2016 > continue > LHD-1 image page 2 < |
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USS Wasp (LHD 1): 1990s On 20 June 1991, Wasp departed homeport for her maiden six-month Mediterranean deployment. In February 1993, she left her port on an emergency deployment to Somalia to participate in the United Nations intervention: Operation Restore Hope. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell landed on the ship that April for a discussion of military tactics taking place in and around Mogadishu. Following that, she assisted with another operation off the coast of Kuwait. She later made stops in Toulon, France and Rota, Spain, en route to her home port in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1998, she won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet. 2000s With the exception of deployments noted below, from 2004 to 2012, Wasp was not deployed as often or as long as other LHDs, as she was assigned to Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Lightning II testing and kept close to the U.S. as much as possible. Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom: In February 2004, Wasp set sail to take the Marines of 1/6 Marine Regiment and HMM-266 Rein to Afghanistan. They arrived at the end of March to offload the Marines, then returned to the U.S. to pick up more Marines from HMH-461 and transported them to Djibouti. After offloading HMH-461 in Djibouti, they picked up the Marines of HMM-266 Rein from Kuwait in August 2004, and returned to Norfolk, Virginia mid-September 2004. On 7 July 2006, Vice President Dick Cheney visited Wasp. He gave a speech honoring the efforts of the USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wasp was the first ship to deploy the V-22 Osprey, doing so in October 2007, by carrying VMM-263's ten MV-22B Ospreys to Iraq to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wasp also served as the platform for the program's first Sea Trials in December 1990, involving the third and fourth Osprey prototypes. Wasp was the principal attraction at Fleet Week 2007 in New York City. On 4 October 2009, Wasp deployed from her base at Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia on a three-month voyage down the Atlantic coast to the Caribbean, with Destroyer Squadron 40 and an embarked Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The 1,100 sailors and 365 embarked Marines conducted operations and exercises in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility. The operation, called Southern Partnership Station, is part of a maritime strategy, which focuses on building interoperability and cooperation in the region while meeting common challenges. In mid-October 2009, Wasp set anchor at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and disembarked Marines who were assigned to training status for approximately three months while Wasp went underway. 2010s In September 2007, Wasp sailed to Nicaragua to offer assistance to the victims of Hurricane Felix. On 29 June 2010, Wasp was one of the 18 international vessels taking part in the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Canadian Navy in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Canadian and international warships were reviewed by Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In 2011, Wasp was modified for F-35B testing, including replacing a Sea Sparrow launcher with monitoring equipment. She returned to sea on 7 July 2011. On 3 October 2011, the F-35B made its first vertical landing at sea on Wasp. On 5 October 2011, Wasp successfully launched her first F-35B. On 30 January 2012, Wasp set sail for Operation Bold Alligator, the largest amphibious exercise conducted by U.S. forces in the last decade. The exercise took place from 30 January to 12 February, both afloat and ashore in and around Virginia and North Carolina. In May 2012, Wasp participated in New York's Fleet Week, docking at Pier 92 on the Hudson River and offering tours of the ship to the general public. In July 2012, Wasp visited Boston for Fleet Week 2012 and Fourth of July festivities. On 30 October 2012, Wasp was sent towards the Hurricane Sandy impact area in case the USN was needed to support the disaster relief efforts. In June 2016, Wasp deployed for a six-month tour to the Middle East. In October 2016, the US Navy announced that Wasp will deploy to Sasebo, Japan in late 2017, replacing her sister ship Bonhomme Richard, which will be moved to San Diego, California. On 1 August 2016, Marine AV-8B Harriers from Wasp began strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Libya as part of manned and unmanned airstrikes on targets near Sirte, launching at least five times within two days. The USN planned to deploy Wasp to the Asia-Pacific region in 2017 with a squadron of 16 F-35Bs. In September 2017, Wasp became the first U.S. warship to arrive in the Caribbean to provide supplies, damage assessment, and evacuation assistance in the wake of Hurricane Irma. On March 3, 2018, Wasp departed Sasebo, Japan for a routine patrol of the Indo-Pacific region. A detachment of 6 F-35Bs from VMFA-121 were deployed with the ship, marking the first operational shipboard deployment for the F-35B. On 27 May 2019, President Donald J. Trump landed in a helicopter aboard the Wasp anchored near Yokosuka, Japan to deliver Memorial Day remarks to the troops during his visit to Japan for a state dinner with Emperor of Japan, Emperor Naruhito and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. source: wikipedia - - - - - another history: The tenth Wasp (LHD-1) was laid down on 30 May 1985 at Pascagoula, Miss., by Ingalls Industries, Inc., Shipyard; launched on 4 August 1987; sponsored by Mrs. Diane Lawrence, wife of Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence, USN (Retired); commissioned on 6 July 1989, Capt. Leonard F. Picotte in command. From June to December 1991 Wasp was deployed to the Mediterranean. From February to August 1993 she took part in Operation Restore/Continue Hope off Somalia. On 20 April 1993, while operating off Somalia she scraped her keel and propeller on a charted reef about three and a half miles offshore but was able to continue her assigned mission. Following this incident her commanding officer and navigator were relieved. From May to August 1993 Wasp conducted counter-drug operations in the Caribbean. The following May, she took part in Operation Support Democracy until July 1994 when that operation became Uphold Democracy. She took part in the NATO exercise Strong Resolve from February to April 1995, during which time, on 29 March, Wasp collided with Seattle (AOE-3) while returning from the exercise. The resulting damage proved minor. Wasp conducted a Mediterranean deployment from August 1995 to February 1996. In June 1998 the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with embarked aviation elements from the 26th MEU (Special Operations Capable) (SOC) was deployed to the Adriatic Sea for Exercise Determined Falcon and NATO’s demonstration of support for the Kosovo cease fire. On 22 February 2002 the Wasp ARG -- Wasp, Trenton (LPD-14), and Oak Hill (LSD-51) -- with the embarked 22nd MEU/SOC deployed from Hampton Roads in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Wasp ARG steamed nearly 95,000 miles during their deployment. Along the way, the ships of the ARG participated in Operation Sea Eagle in the Gulf of Aden and numerous multi-national exercises, in addition to making a variety of port visits including Souda Bay, Crete; Kingdom of Bahrain; and Rota, Spain, before returning to their respective homeports on 30 August. On 17 February 2004 the Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG 2) -- Wasp, Shreveport (LPD-12), Whidbey Island (LSD-41), guided missile cruisers Leyte Gulf (CG-55) and Yorktown (CG-48), guided missile destroyer McFaul (DDG-74), and attack submarine Connecticut (SSN-22) -- deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism. The embarked marines of the 22nd MEU based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. conducted combat operations in Afghanistan. While other constituents of ESG 2 returned to their respective home ports earlier, Wasp returned to Naval Station Norfolk on 18 September 2004. In mid-July 2006 a crisis developed from the confrontation between Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. On 25 August Wasp undertook a surge deployment from Norfolk Naval Station, Va. to support Joint Task Force (JTF) Lebanon. Wasp arrived off the coast of Lebanon on 6 September and became the command platform for the maritime component commander of JTF Lebanon. Tactical units remained in the joint area of operations to coordinate activities for air, land, and sea support to the American embassy in Beirut. On 12 October 2006 Wasp made a port visit to Reykjavik, Iceland after her deployment as part of JTF Lebanon. On 4 September 2007 Hurricane Felix made landfall in Nicaragua. On 5 September 2007 Wasp diverted from her participation in the PANAMAX 2007 Exercise and off-loaded multinational personnel from the exercise in Panama and deployed to the waters off Nicaragua in order to provide disaster relief/humanitarian assistance to hurricane survivors. Also embarked in Wasp was Commander Task Group (TG) 40.0 along with officers from the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. This joint command cell coordinated relief efforts with the lead U.S. federal agency for this effort, the United States Agency for International Development and its Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. TG 40.0 also coordinated with local Nicaraguan authorities and the U.S. Military Group Commander in Nicaragua. On 7 September Wasp began aerial delivery of relief supplies, efforts later continued from guided missile frigate Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58). On 13 January 2011 Wasp moved to BAE Systems Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., for scheduled Phased Maintenance Availability (PMA). That period of work ended on 27 April and Wasp then conducted sea trials that ended on 2 May. On 12 August 2013 two F-35B Lightning II jets (BF-01 and BF-05) touched down on board Wasp to initiate a week of Development Testing II where Wasp sailors and the Integrated Test Force team members evaluated the F-35B. Wasp and the ITF completed a major milestone when Lt. Col. C. R. Clift launched from the flight deck and landed safely, marking the first successful night launch and recovery of the F-35B at sea. Wasp completed a pre-deployment overhaul in 2017 and subsequently departed Norfolk on 30 August to deploy to Sasebo, Japan to relieve Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) as the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in the Seventh Fleet. This change of homeport was part of an effort to place the most advanced capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. A few days later, while en route, she was diverted to the Caribbean to assist the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The amphibious assault ship then provided assistance to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. In support of relief efforts, Wasp’s aircraft flew 108 missions on the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico totaling 385 hours of flight time moving 1,129 total passengers along with 26,720 pounds of equipment and 1,718,200 pounds of various logistical support items, including 328,100 pounds of food and water. Resuming her passage to Sasebo, she arrived on 14 January 2018. Wasp departed Sasebo on 3 March 2018 for a routine patrol in the Indo-Pacific. While underway two days later, on 5 March, a detachment of F-35B Lightning II's with Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) arrived on board Wasp March 5, marking the first time the aircraft had deployed on board a U.S. Navy ship and with a MEU in the Indo-Pacific, concluding the testing and shipboard structural modifications begun in 2013. The F-35Bs, capable of conducting precision strikes inland, supporting Marine units ashore, or providing air defense for the ESG, were assigned to the Okinawa-based 31st MEU. Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander, ESG 7, remarked that: "Pairing F-35B Lightning II's with Wasp represents one of the most significant :leaps in warfighting capability for the Navy-Marine Corps team in our lifetime." "This 5th generation stealth jet is extremely versatile and will greatly enhance and expand our operational capabilities." The aircraft and the 2,300 marines of the 31st MEU were deployed on board the ships of the ESG for follow-on operations in the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen regional alliances, provide rapid-response capability, and advance the 'Up-Gunned ESG' concept initiated by the Pacific Fleet. This change was made to provide increased lethality and survivability to a traditional three-ship amphibious ready group with the integration into amphibious operations. The combined capabilities of the multi-mission surface combatants and F-35B was intended to enable the amphibious force to defend against threats in the undersea, surface and air domains more effectively while also providing offensive firepower to strike from the sea. Col. Tye R. Wallace, USMC, 31st MEU Commanding Officer, called the deployment of the aircraft “historic.” He noted that, “The F-35B is the most capable aircraft ever to support a Marine rifleman on the ground. It brings a range of new capabilities to the MEU that make us a more lethal and effective Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)." Capt. Colby Howard, Wasp’s commanding officer, added: "Deployment of the versatile F-35B enhances the full range of Expeditionary Strike Group capabilities with one of the world's most technologically-advanced air warfare platforms." Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons: Joint Meritorious Unit Award Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (3) National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3-Somalia) Southwest Asia Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal source: US Navy |
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In naming LHD-1 "Wasp", the Navy honors nine previous ships, dating
to the American Revolution, which have borne this illustrious name. Previous U.S. Navy ships named Wasp include: a schooner (1775-1777), a sloop of war (1806-1813), another schooner (1810-1814), a tender sloop (1813-1814), a ship-rigged sloop of war (1814), an iron-hulled side wheel steamer (1865-1876), a steam yacht (1898-1921), and the most famous of the nine, two aircraft carriers, CV-7 (1940-1942) and CV-18 (1943-1972). The eighth Wasp was a 14,700 ton, 741-foot aircraft carrier that earned two battle stars during World War II. Wasp's sterling performance evoked British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's famous quote, "Who said a Wasp couldn't sting twice?" After shifting to the Pacific theater of operations, CV-7 participated in a number of major engagements before being sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal on September 15, 1942. Following the loss of CV-7, CV-18, already under construction at the time, became the ninth Wasp. The ship earned eight battle stars for it's World War II service in the Pacific. After 29 years of gallant naval service, CV-18 was decommissioned in 1972. |
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