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USS Carter Hall (LSD-50)
Encyclopedia
USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) is a Harpers Ferry-class
dock landing ship
of the United States Navy
. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Carter Hall
, an estate near Winchester, Virginia
, built in the 1790s.
Carter Hall was laid down on 11 November 1991, by the Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La.
; launched on 2 October 1993; and commissioned on 30 September 1995.
As of 2008, Carter Hall, is homeported at NAB Little Creek
, Virginia
, and assigned to Amphibious Squadron Six.
. An LSD can also render limited docking and repair service to small ships and craft, and act as the Primary Control Ship (PCS) during amphibious assaults.
Carter Hall is a Cargo Variant (CV) of the Whidbey Island-class
. A significant difference between the two classes is that Carter Hall' s well deck has been shortened from 440 feet (134 m) to 180 feet (55 m). This provides Marines
with added vehicle and cargo storage areas. The well deck can hold two Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) and a variety of landing craft
and tracked amphibious assault vehicle
s. Carter Hall' s two-spot flight deck
can land and service any helicopter
in the Navy and Marine Corps inventory.
deployment on 29 April 1997.
Her crew completed a UNITAS/WATC Deployment from 24 July 1999 until 15 December 1999.
In 2001, Carter Hall deployed to the Mediterranean from 15 April to 15 October 2001.
ship Danica White off the coast of Somalia
. She destroyed three small boats being towed behind the captured vessel, but was unable to pursue after the vessel entered Somalian waters.
.
Harpers Ferry class dock landing ship
The Harpers Ferry class of the United States Navy is a class of dock landing ships completed in the early 1990s. Modified from the Whidbey Island class, it loses landing craft capacity for more cargo space, making it closer to an amphibious transport dock type, but was not designated as such. ...
dock landing ship
Dock landing ship
A Dock landing ship or Landing ship is a form of amphibious warship designed to support amphibious operations. These amphibious assault ships transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was the second Navy ship to be named for Carter Hall
Carter Hall (Millwood, Virginia)
Carter Hall was the Millwood, Virginia, USA estate of Lt. Col. Nathaniel Burwell . He inherited a estate from his father Carter Burwell, of Carter's Grove, James City County, and had a mansion built during 1792–1800...
, an estate near Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, built in the 1790s.
Carter Hall was laid down on 11 November 1991, by the Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
; launched on 2 October 1993; and commissioned on 30 September 1995.
As of 2008, Carter Hall, is homeported at NAB Little Creek
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek
The Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek is the major operating base for the Amphibious Forces in the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The base comprises four locations in three states, including almost 12,000 acres of real estate. Its Little Creek location in Virginia Beach, Virginia totals...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and assigned to Amphibious Squadron Six.
Overview
The mission of the Landing Ship Dock (LSD) is to transport and launch amphibious craft, vehicles, crews and embarked personnel in an amphibious assaultAmphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
. An LSD can also render limited docking and repair service to small ships and craft, and act as the Primary Control Ship (PCS) during amphibious assaults.
Carter Hall is a Cargo Variant (CV) of the Whidbey Island-class
Whidbey Island class dock landing ship
The Whidbey Island class dock landing ship is a dock landing ship of the United States Navy. Introduced to fleet service in 1985, this class of ship features a massive well deck for the transport of four LCAC hovercraft for landing Marines....
. A significant difference between the two classes is that Carter Hall
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
with added vehicle and cargo storage areas. The well deck can hold two Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) and a variety of landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
and tracked amphibious assault vehicle
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
s. Carter Hall
Flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft is also referred to as the...
can land and service any helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
in the Navy and Marine Corps inventory.
Deployments
Carter Hall and her plankowner crew departed on their first six-month MediterraneanMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
deployment on 29 April 1997.
Her crew completed a UNITAS/WATC Deployment from 24 July 1999 until 15 December 1999.
In 2001, Carter Hall deployed to the Mediterranean from 15 April to 15 October 2001.
Somalia
On 2 June 2007, the Carter Hall engaged pirates after they boarded the DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
ship Danica White off the coast of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. She destroyed three small boats being towed behind the captured vessel, but was unable to pursue after the vessel entered Somalian waters.
2010 Haiti earthquake
On 13 January 2010, the Carter Hall was ordered to assist the humanitarian efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.