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November 2012
Dublin, Ireland - August 2012
Little Creek, Virginia - July 2012
Baltimore, Maryland - June 2012
Baltimore, Maryland - June 2012
Baltimore, Maryland - June 2012
Norfolk, Virginia - June 2012
Norfolk, Virginia - March 2010
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - March 2010
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba - February 2010
off Haiti - February 2010
off Haiti - February 2010
off Haiti - February 2010
off Haiti - January 2010
off Haiti - January 2010
off Haiti - January 2010
off North Carolina - May 2009
Limbe, Cameroon - December 2007
Limbe, Cameroon - December 2007
Sattahip, Thailand - June 2005
South China Sea - June 2005
Sasebo, Japan - May 2005
Sasebo, Japan - March 2005
off Sumatra, Indonesia - January 2005
White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa,
Japan - February 2003
2002
exercise COBRA GOLD 2002, off Thailand -
May 2002
exercise TANDEM THRUST - March 1999
exercise TANDEM THRUST - March 1999
exercise TANDEM THRUST, Guam - March 1999
1991
1991
San Diego, California - October 1991
1988
1988
1988
1988
commissioning - August 8, 1987
commissioning - August 8, 1987
1987
1987
1987
1987
1987
1987
 
1987
1987
1987
1987
outfitting - 1986
February 1986
launching - February 1986
February 1986
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Fort McHenry - Baltimore, Maryland:
The history of the fort began in 1776 during
the Revolutionary War. The people of Baltimore feared an attack by the
British and wanted to build a fort for protection. Anticipating an attack at
any time, a fort of earthen mounds was constructed quickly. Originally, it
was called Fort Whetstone, because of its location on Whetstone Point.
The Revolutionary War ended without an attack on Baltimore, but improvements
to the fort continued. In 1798, a French engineer was directed by the
Secretary of War to draw plans for a new fort on Whetstone Point. These plans
were expensive, and it was difficult for the people of Baltimore to raise
money for construction. However, James McHenry, a well known politician, was
instrumental in raising funds for the new fort. The fort was renamed
"Fort McHenry" in his honor.
Fort McHenry became famous when the British tried to attack Baltimore during
the War of 1812. When the bombardment began on September 13, 1814, there were
1,000 soldiers defending the fort. Their commanding officer was Major George
Armistead.
Just prior to the attack, Francis Scott Key, a well-known lawyer, met the
Royal Navy in the Chesapeake Bay to effect the release of Dr. William Beanes,
a British prisoner and close friend of Key's. Dr. Beanes was released, but
the Americans were forced to wait in their boat behind the British fleet
until the attack was completed. From a distance of approximately eight miles,
Key and his friends watched the British bombard Fort McHenry.
After 25 hours of continuous bombing, the British decided to leave since they
were unable to destroy the fort as they had hoped. Realizing the British had
ceased the attack, Key looked toward the fort to see if the flag was still
there. To his relief, the flag was still flying! Quickly, he wrote down the
words to a poem which was soon handed out as a handbill under the title,
"Defence of Fort McHenry". Later, the words were set to music, and
renamed, "The Star Spangled Banner". This became a popular
patriotic song, and in 1931 it became our national anthem.
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USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43):
USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) was laid down on 10 June 1983 by Lockheed Shipbuilding
in Seattle, Washington. She was launched on 1 February 1986 (sponsored by The
Honorable Helen D. Bentley), and commissioned on 8 August 1987 in Seattle,
Commander George S. "Dusty" Rhodes in command.
History
Fort McHenry's maiden deployment was from June 1988 to December 1988 to the
Western Pacific. Following her return, Fort McHenry participated in the
cleanup of the Exxon Valdez oil spill from 28 April – 22 June 1989. In
recognition of the crew's effectiveness during the cleanup operation, Fort
McHenry was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Coast Guard
Special Operations Service Ribbon.
On 20 June 1990, Fort McHenry began her second deployment and spent 10 months
in the Persian Gulf for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. When she returned to her
homeport of San Diego on 17 April 1991, Fort McHenry received the Navy Unit
Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal,
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) and
the Combat Action Ribbon.
Eight months later, Fort McHenry deployed to the Western Pacific on 6 January
1992. After several successful multinational exercises and port visits, Fort
McHenry returned to San Diego on 6 July 1992.
Following an extensive overhaul period, Fort McHenry began the training cycle
to prepare for her next deployment. While in the training cycle, Fort McHenry
transited to the East Coast through the Panama Canal to pick up five new
LCACs from Panama City, Florida. At the completion of the training cycle,
Fort McHenry embarked on her fourth deployment from 9 June – 9 December 1994.
While deployed, Fort McHenry participated in Operation Restore Hope. The ship
also participated in Operation Vigilant Warrior. Following the deployment,
Fort McHenry was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation and Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal and also received her fourth Battle Efficiency Award.
On 1 September 1995, Fort McHenry departed San Diego to become one of the
units forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan.
Since her arrival to Japan, Fort McHenry has participated in training
exercises and multi-national exercises such as exercise Tandem Thrust and
Crocodile in Australia, Cobra Gold in Thailand, and Foal Eagle in South
Korea. She visited ports during those exercises including Shanghai, China,
and Kure, Japan.
During May 1998, Fort McHenry participated on Cooperation Afloat Readiness
and Training (CARAT 98), which includes visits and exercises with countries
in the Western Pacific such as Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. In
addition to her involvement in CARAT 98, Fort McHenry received the Commander,
Naval Surface Pacific Fleet Wellness Unit Award for 1997 and the Chief of
Naval Operations Safety Award for 1997 on 1 June 1998.
After spending January 1999 in Hong Kong, Fort McHenry entered the
competitive phase of her training cycle. In April 1999, Fort McHenry
participated in exercise Tandem Thrust 99 in Guam. Fort McHenry was also
named a repeat winner of the Commander, Naval Surface Pacific Fleet Wellness Unit
Award. Finally, during June 1999, Fort McHenry underwent two Total Ship
Training Assessments (TSTA), which confirmed the ship's training progress
during the 1999 competitive cycle.
In 2000, Fort McHenry participated in exercise Balikatan 2000 with the
Philippine Armed Forces. The ship was named a repeat winner of the Battle
Efficiency Award, Command Excellence Awards for Maritime Warfare,
Engineering/Survivability, Command and Control, and Logistics Management for
her achievements during the 1999 fiscal year. After Balikatan 2000 was
completed, Fort McHenry continued her hectic schedule by participating in
Exercise Cobra Gold 2000, during May 2000, with the navies of Thailand and
Singapore. The busy schedule continued in October 2000, when Fort McHenry
participated in Exercise Neptune Thunder 00 with US Army forces stationed in
South Korea. From 27 October to 3 November, Fort McHenry concluded the year,
and the millennium, with her participation in Exercise Foal Eagle which took
placed in South Korea.
Fort McHenry spent the first half of 2001 in a lengthy Ship Required
Availability period. During this period the ship acquired two new weapon
systems, Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Launcher and Ship's Self Defense
System (SSDS), both would greatly increased the ship's defensive
capabilities.
After returning to sea in June 2001, Fort McHenry entered the middle of her
training cycle. The ship completed a port visit to Kagoshima, Japan in August
2001, where approximately seven thousand residents of Kagoshima toured Fort
McHenry.
In 2004, Fort McHenry was commanded by Commander Mark E. Weber, USN, forward
deployed at FA Sasebo, Japan, and assigned to Amphibious Group 1. In May
2004, Fort McHenry departed for a three-month deployment along with several
ships including USCGC Mellon (WHEC-717), USS Salvor (ARS-52), USS Russell
(DDG-59) and USS McCampbell (DDG-85). The deployment was centered around an
annual exercise called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)
2004. Following a two and a half month SAR period, Fort McHenry was once
again put into action as she was emergency deployed to the Philippines after
several typhoons hit the country during November 2004. It provided a platform
for U.S. Air Force helicopters to bring much-needed fuel into the Philippines.
In 2005 Fort McHenry participated in tsunami relief in the Asian Tsunami
Crisis. It provided a platform for six CH-46s helicopters and LCACs to bring
much-needed supplies into Banda Aceh, Indonesia. During Operation Unified
Assistance, Fort McHenry was joined by many USN ships including the USS
Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USNS Mercy (T-AH-19). Following this tasking,
Fort McHenry immediately went to the island of Iwo Jima to join American
& Japanese veterans for the 60th commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
CDR Mike Talaga took command of Fort McHenry in May 2005. Soon after the
change of command, Fort McHenry deployed for the first half of Cooperation
Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2005. This deployment was completed by
the USS Boxer (LHD-4) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49).
On 31 March 2006, USS Tortuga (LSD-46) arrived in Sasebo to replace Fort
McHenry. The crews of the two ships swapped hulls, after which, on 13 April
Tortuga's old crew took Fort McHenry back to NAB Little Creek, Virginia,
where she is now homeported. As of January 2007 she is undergoing a major
maintenance overhaul at Naval Station Norfolk.
The United States Department of Defense stated on 15 October 2007 that the
Fort McHenry was slated to leave Little Creek, Virginia, 16 October 2007 for
a seven-month deployment to the Gulf of Guinea that the chief of U.S. Africa
Command said will exemplify how his new command will operate.
The amphibious dock landing ship served as a platform for the Africa
Partnership Station Initiative, which aims to work cooperatively with U.S.
and international partners in promoting maritime security in Western Africa.
The ship sailed to Spain to take on officers for the internal APS staff from
several European partners - Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Germany,
among them - before heading to the Gulf of Guinea.
Her full complement included representatives of U.S. and partner nations'
government agencies and non-governmental organizations, all working together
to help African nations increase their ability to provide maritime security.
In addition to the U.S. military, U.S. agencies that participated were the
State Department, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Agency for
International Development, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
and U.S. Coast Guard.
High Speed Vessel Swift joined Fort McHenry in the Gulf of Guinea, where it
transported students as well as trainers during visits to Senegal, Liberia,
Ghana, Cameroon, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe.
On 1 January 2008, the U.S. Navy announced that two U.S. Navy sailors from
the Fort McHenry were found dead in a hotel room in the West African nation
of Ghana.
They were found dead in their room at a hotel in Tema, where they had taken
time off during the APS mission, the Navy said in a statement. "The
cause of death is unknown and is being investigated by host nation
authorities in cooperation with U.S. Navy," the statement said, giving
no other details. They had checked into the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel on New
Year's Eve and have been identified.
Confirming some details to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Director-General
of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Frank Adu-Poku, said
information available to the police indicated that some other colleagues of
the deceased were with them but they left the hotel for the ship, which was
anchored off the Ghanaian coast. DCOP Adu-Poku said the police were trying to
secure entry visas for the detectives and a pathologist to accompany the
bodies to Germany for the post-mortem.
After a final APS port visit in Dakar, Senegal, to coincide with the Maritime
Safety and Security Seminar co-hosted by the Armed Forces of Senegal and the
Commander of the US Naval Forces Europe, the Fort McHenry made stops in
Madeira (Portugal) and Rota (Spain) before returning to her homeport of
Norfolk on 4 May 2008.
On 13 May 2009 the Fort McHenry left her homeport at Little Creek Naval
Amphibious Base for a regularly scheduled deployment as part of the Bataan
Amphibious Ready Group (BATARG) and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22 MEU),
including more than 4,000 sailors and marines. The BATARG/22 MEU will support
maritime security operations, provide crisis response capability and increase
theater security cooperation and forward naval presence in the 5th and 6th
Fleet areas of operation.
BATARG is composed of USS Fort McHenry, the multi-purpose amphibious assault
ship USS Bataan, and the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce. The 22 MEU
includes a battalion landing team from 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, an
aviation combat team composed of elements from Marine Medium Tiltrotor
Squadron 263; elements of Combat Logistics Battalion 22; and the MEU's
command section.
In December 2009 the ship's skipper, Commander Christopher M. Stopyra, was
relieved of duty as a result of a fraternization investigation. The ship's
executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Brian P. Goldschmidt, was also
relieved. Stopyra was replaced by Captain Skip Shaw, the ship's previous CO.
On 13 January 2010, the Fort McHenry was ordered to assist in the relief
efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
The ship is scheduled to dock in Dublin port, Ireland on 31 August for the
American football game "The Emerald Classic" between Notre Dame
University's "Fighting Irish" and the US Naval Academy. On board
will be a crew of 350 sailors and 400 marines.
source: wikipedia
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