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US Navy - Amphibious Assault Ship LHD 3 - USS Kearsarge |
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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: November 20, 1987 Laid down: February 6, 1990 Launched: March 26, 1992 Christening: May 16, 1992 Commissioned: October 16, 1993 IN SERVICE Homeport: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia Namesake: USS Kearsarge (1862) Ships Motto: PROUD - TRUSTWORTHY - BOLD Technical Data: see: INFO > Wasp class Amphibious Assault Ship - LHD |
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Deployments and Major Maintenance Periods: March 1995 - September 1995 with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-263(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea April 1997 - October 1997 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-261(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea April 1999 - October 1999 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-365(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea April 2001 - October 2001 with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-266(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea January 2003 - June 2003 with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and HMM-365, HMH-464, HMLA-269, HC-8 embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf June 2004 - August 2004 with 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-263(REIN) embarked - 24MEU transport from Camp Lejeune to Persian Gulf March 2005 - September 2005 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-162(REIN) embarked - CENTCOM AOR July 2007 - February 2008 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and HMM-261(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea December 2008 - October 2009 - Docking Phased Maintenance Availability (DPMA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia August 2010 - May 2011 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-266(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea March 2013 - November 2013 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-266(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, 5th Fleet AOR October 2015 - May 2016 with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-162(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, 5th Fleet AOR December 2018 - July 2019 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Mediterranean Sea, 5th Fleet AOR October 2019 - December 2020: 13-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at General Dynamics NASSCO Shipyard, Norfolk, Virginia March 2022 - October 2022 with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit - SOC (MEU/SOC) and VMM-263(REIN) embarked - North Atlantic, Baltic + Mediterranean Sea April 2023 - 2025?: maintenance and modernization at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Virginia |
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BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair has won a $295 million contract for maintenance and modernization on USS Kearsarge for more than 19 months (estimated) - starting in April 2023  returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 13, 2022  returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 13, 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Baltic Sea - August 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Helsinki, Finland - August 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - July 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Brest, France - June 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Stockholm, Sweden - June 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Stockholm, Sweden - June 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Stockholm, Sweden - June 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Stockholm, Sweden - June 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Tallinn, Estonia - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - exercise BALTOPS - Baltic Sea - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - exercise BALTOPS - Baltic Sea - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - exercise BALTOPS - Baltic Sea - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - exercise BALTOPS - Baltic Sea - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - exercise BALTOPS - Baltic Sea - May 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - NATO exercise Northern Viking - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - NATO exercise Northern Viking - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - NATO exercise Northern Viking - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - NATO exercise Northern Viking - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - NATO exercise Northern Viking - Atlantic Ocean - April 2022  Tromso, Norway - April 2022  Tromso, Norway - April 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - March 2022  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - March 16, 2022  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - March 16, 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - January 2022  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - October 2021  with VMM-263(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - October 2021  Atlantic Ocean - September 2021  Atlantic Ocean - August 2021  Atlantic Ocean - August 2021  Atlantic Ocean - August 2021  Atlantic Ocean - August 2021 October 2019 - December 2020: 13-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at General Dynamics NASSCO Shipyard, Norfolk, Virginia  Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 2019  returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - July 18, 2019  returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - July 18, 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - July 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - July 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Suez Canal - June 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Arabian Sea - May 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Arabian Sea - May 2019  Manama, Bahrain - April 2019  well deck with 3 LCAC's - 5th Fleet AOR - April 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Strait of Hormuz - April 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - 5th Fleet AOR - February 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - 5th Fleet AOR - January 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece - January 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece - January 2019  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - December 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - December 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - December 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - December 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Atlantic Ocean - December 2018  well deck operations - Atlantic Ocean - October 2018  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 13, 2018  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 13, 2018  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - October 13, 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) / Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Exercise (ARGMEUEX) - Atlantic Ocean - September 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) / Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Exercise (ARGMEUEX) - Atlantic Ocean - August 2018  with VMM-264(REIN) embarked - Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) / Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Exercise (ARGMEUEX) - Atlantic Ocean - August 2018  departing Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia - August 2018  at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey for ammunition onload - June 2018  at Naval Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey for ammunition onload - June 2018  arriving for Navy Week New Orleans, Louisiana - April 2018  arriving for Navy Week New Orleans, Louisiana - April 2018 > continue > LHD 3 image page 2 < |
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USS Kearsarge (LHD 3): Launched on March 26, 1992, the ship was christened Kearsarge on Saturday, May 16, 1992, at Ingalls Shipbuilding by her sponsor, Mrs. Alma Powell, wife of Gen. Colin L. Powell, U.S. Army, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State. USS Kearsarge joined the fleet Oct. 16, 1993 during a commissioning ceremony in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Kearsarge departed for its maiden deployment on March 22, 1995, and served as the primary platform for the rescue of Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia. After the deployment, Kearsarge served as the primary Navy unit participating in the 1995 New York City Veteran's Day activities, which marked our nation's final tribute to the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Kearsarge began its second deployment on April 15, 1997, relieving USS Nassau (LHA 4) on station off the coast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) in support of Operation Guardian Retrieval on May 2, 1997. Kearsarge was later directed to Freetown, Sierra Leone to conduct Noncombatant Evacuation Operations in support of Operation Noble Obelisk. On May 31, the ship began evacuating American citizens and foreign nationals from Sierra Leone. During the four-day operation, Kearsarge evacuated more than 2,500 Americans and foreign nationals from over 40 countries. On April 17, 1999, Kearsarge embarked on its third deployment. Performing a turnover with the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) while underway, Kearsarge made best speed to the Adriatic Sea, performing various operations off the coast of Kosovo, including Operation Noble Anvil/Allied Force and supported the establishment of Camp Hope in Fier, Albania. On June 7, 1999, Operation Joint Guardian began. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), Special Operations Capable (SOC), was offloaded June 10, 1999 across Litokhoron Beach, Greece, for movement to Skopje, Macedonia. These U.S. Marines were the first peacekeeping force to enter Kosovo. Immediately following, Kearsarge was ordered to Izmit, Turkey to provide support after the nation experienced a devastating earthquake that killed 12,000 people. On April 25, 2001, Kearsarge began its fourth deployment, where the ship hosted the annual USO Gala in Naples, Italy, participated in several large amphibious operations (Trident D'OR, Alexander the Great and Albanian Phibliex), and provided support to the president of the United States during the G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy. On Sept. 11, 2001, Kearsarge was underway in the Mediterranean Sea as the World Trade Centers and Pentagon were attacked by terrorists. During this deployment, Kearsarge visited 12 ports in seven different countries. Kearsarge returned home on Oct. 15, 2001. On Jan. 8, 2002, Kearsarge entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a four-month Planned Maintenance Availability that ended on April 25 that year. In July 2002, Kearsarge made a port visit to Boston to participate in the annual Harborfest celebration over the 4th of July. On Oct. 10, 2002, Kearsarge participated in a unique exercise in the Gulf of Mexico to prove a new capability of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship - minesweeping. On Jan. 12, 2003, with only 72-hours-notice, Kearsarge was deployed, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was the ship's fifth deployment. Serving as the flagship for Rear Adm. Nowakowski, commander, Amphibious Task Force East, and Brig. Gen. Richard Natonski, commanding general, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2D MEB) and Landing Force East, Kearsarge carried more than 1,700 Marines from the 2D MEB to the Northern Arabian Gulf. Kearsarge later became the flagship for Capt. Gregg Jackson, commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 8. On Feb. 14, 2003, Kearsarge began off-loading the 2D MEB at Kuwait Naval Base. They joined up with Marines from the 1 MEB to become Task Force Tarawa. On March 20, 2003, hostilities commenced, the name of the engagement was changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Task Force Tarawa crossed in Iraq and went to war. Kearsarge remained off the coast of Iraq flying combat re-supply missions employing the CH-53E helicopters attached to the Condors of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464. On the way home from that historic combat deployment, Kearsarge also provided support to the president of the United States during his visits to Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan during his summits with Arab leaders. Additionally, Kearsarge was diverted from its homecoming track to the western coast of Africa to support Operation Shinning Express. Kearsarge returned home on June 30, 2003. In June 2004, following a four-month shipyard availability, Kearsarge surge deployed to the Arabian Gulf to transport elements of the 24th MEU in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kearsarge returned home in August 2004. Kearsarge embarked on its seventh deployment on March 25, 2005 as the flagship for the Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group, consisting of Kearsarge, the guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), the amphibious transport ship USS Ponce (LPD 15), the guided missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), the guided missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59), the attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) and the dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), and the 26th MEU. Following a four-month shipyard availability, Kearsarge participated in New York City’s Fleet Week, Boston Harborfest, and PANAMAX 2006. On July 30, 2007, Kearsarge embarked on its eighth deployment as the flagship for the Kearsarge Strike Group with the Marines and Sailors of the 22nd MEU SOC. Kearsarge enjoyed a successful sea-based operation in support of Operation Sea Angel II in Bangladesh. Kearsarge and the embarked 22nd MEU arrived on station in the Bay of Bengal for humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HA/DR) efforts Thanksgiving Day after steaming over 3,000 miles in just under six days from off the coast of Africa. The ship and her crew returned from deployment Feb. 1, 2008. Kearsarge later participated in New York City’s Fleet Week in May of 2008. On Aug. 6, 2008, Kearsarge deployed in support of Operation Continuing Promise. The ship's crew, along with augments from the U. S. Marine Corps, U. S. Air Force, U. S. Army, U. S. Coast Guard, U. S. Public Health Service, Canadian Forces, and other multi-national forces and NGO's provided medical, construction, and humanitarian services to seven Central, South, and Caribbean American countries (Panama, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Trinidad). The ship also provided HA/DR operations in Haiti following four Atlantic hurricanes that year. In January 2009, Kearsarge entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for its first dry dock planned maintenance availability (DPMA) since the ship’s commissioning in 1993. On Aug. 27, 2010, Kearsarge deployed from Norfolk with the other vessels of the Kearsarge ARG, dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and Ponce, with the embarked marines of the 26th MEU. The deployment was moved up approximately one month as the ARG was deployed to provide HA/DR to flood-stricken regions in Pakistan. With the outbreak of civil war in Libya, Kearsarge and Ponce were deployed to the waters off Libya as part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Odyssey Dawn, the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. U.S. forces began attacks against Libyan government forces on March 19, 2011. On March 20, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers from the 26th MEU on board Kearsarge launched in support of Odyssey Dawn conducting strikes against Muammar Gaddafi’s ground forces and air defenses. Upon completion of the Odyssey Dawn deployment, Kearsarge and Ponce reunited with Carter Hall during a port call at Rota, Spain to re-constitute the Kearsarge ARG. Upon departing Rota, the Kearsarge ARG returned to Norfolk on May 16, 2011. The fierce winds and heavy rain of Hurricane Harvey made landfall early on Aug. 26 2017 as a Category 4 storm near Rockport, Texas. In the wake of Harvey’s battering the region, and as large-scale relief efforts got underway, Adm. Phil Davidson, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, on Aug. 30, 2017 ordered Kearsarge and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) to get underway from their Tidewater home ports to support federal, state, and local authority relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Kearsarge cleared Naval Station Norfolk for the Gulf Coast region on Aug. 31, 2017, to support the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as those of the local and state authorities to provide HA/DR for the areas affected by Harvey. Oak Hill got underway the same day from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. Kearsarge and its complement conducted underway shipboard drills, before returning to Naval Station Norfolk for 30 hours on Aug. 30, 2017, to take on supplies and embark various units, including Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2, Commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 6, the 26th MEU, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 22, and Fleet Surgical Team 4. The fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO-189), and the dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE-12) accompanied Kearsarge and Oak Hill on the disaster relief mission. “Besides delivering combat power from the sea, amphibious assault ships are ideally suited to deliver assistance and aid,” Capt. David K. Guluzian, Kearsarge’s commanding officer, stated, “We can transport large amounts of manpower and supplies to areas in need using our small boats, landing craft, and helicopters. We also have a robust medical suite, including operating rooms, an intensive care unit, X-ray, blood bank, and even counseling services. If required, we could care for injured persons or evacuees on board the ship.” In an all-hands effort, Kearsarge took on board more than 200 pallets containing items such as baby food and formula, diapers, bedding, water bottles, coolers, batteries, towels, canned and dry food items and food service supplies. USS Kearsarge participated in Ft. Lauderdale's 2018 Fleet Week. On 13 May 2022, Kearsarge took part in a PASSEX training with the Finnish and Swedish navies in the northern Baltic Sea. From 17 May to 23 May, Kearsarge and her amphibious readiness group took part in the NATO vigilance activity, Neptune Shield 2022. On 27 May, Kearsarge docked at Tallinn, Estonia ahead of the Exercise BALTOPS 22. During BALTOPS 2022 Kearsarge trained operating UUVs and UAVs. On 2 June, she arrived in Stockholm, Sweden. On 20 August, she arrived in Klaipėda, Lithuania. USS Kearsarge returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia on October 13, 2022. Kearsarge has been awarded the Golden Anchor for Retention Excellence, The 2008 Battenberg Cup Award, The Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Service Award, the CNO Environmental Safety Award, the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award, Department of Energy / Department of the Navy Energy Efficient Awards, the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award, Commander, the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic (CNRMA) Community Service Award for Personal Excellence Partnership (PEP), and the Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic Safety Award. Additionally, Kearsarge has qualified for the following medals and unit awards: National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo campaign Medal (with bronze star), Armed Forces Service Medal, the NATO Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation (three awards), Battle Efficiency "E" Award (nine awards), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (seven awards), and the Combat Action Ribbon. |
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USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is
best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS
Alabama off Cherbourg, France during the American Civil War.
Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for
Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire. Subsequent ships were later named
Kearsarge in honor of the ship. Mount Kearsarge is the name of a 2,937-foot (895 m) mountain located in Wilmot, New Hampshire, and Warner, New Hampshire. Two state parks are located on the mountain: Winslow State Park and Rollins State Park. On a very clear day, skyscrapers in the city of Boston, Massachusetts 80 miles (130 km) away are visible from the fire tower on the summit. The name of the mountain evolved from a 1652 rendering of the indigenous name for the mountain, Carasarga, which it is surmised means "notch-pointed-mountain of pines." |
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