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USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43)
Encyclopedia
is a Whidbey Island-class
dock landing ship
of the United States Navy
. She was named for Fort McHenry
, in Baltimore, Maryland, the 1814 defense of which inspired The Star-Spangled Banner
.
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.
' 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
.
.
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.
(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 , , and . 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
helicopter
s 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 and . 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 LHD-4
and .
On 31 March 2006, 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.
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
.
n 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 in to 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 Commander, US Naval Forces Europe
, Fort McHenry made stops in Madeira, Portugal and Rota, Spain before returning to her homeport of Norfolk on 4 May 2008.
(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.
.
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....
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 named for Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay...
, in Baltimore, Maryland, the 1814 defense of which inspired The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
.
USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) was laid down on 10 June 1983 by Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 1 February 1986 (sponsored by The Honorable Helen D. Bentley), and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 8 August 1987 in Seattle, Commander George S. "Dusty" Rhodes in command.
1988 – 1995
Fort McHenryPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Following her return, Fort McHenry participated in the cleanup of the Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez
Oriental Nicety, formerly Exxon Valdez, Exxon Mediterranean, SeaRiver Mediterranean, S/R Mediterranean, Mediterranean, and Dong Fang Ocean is an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound spilling hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil in Alaska...
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
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
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
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
for Desert Shield/Desert Storm. When she returned to her homeport of San Diego
Naval Station San Diego
Naval Base San Diego is the largest base of the United States Navy on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of 54 ships and over 120 tenant commands. The base is composed of 13 piers stretched...
on 17 April 1991, Fort McHenry received the Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
, National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
, Southwest Asia Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)
The Naut Tahrir al-Kuwait was instituted by King Fahd ibn Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.- Background :...
, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
The Wisam Al-Tahrir was issued by the government of Kuwait for service during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign.-Description:The Kuwait Liberation Medal was approved by the Kuwait Council of Ministers for award in five classes, generally according to the rank of the recipient...
and the Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
.
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
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to pick up five new LCACs from Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. 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
Operation Vigilant Warrior
Operation Vigilant Warrior was a military operation from 8 October 1994 to 15 December 1994 by the United States in response to two divisions of Iraqi Republican Guard troops moving toward the Kuwaiti border...
. Following the deployment, Fort McHenry was awarded her second Navy Unit Commendation and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
and also received her fourth Battle Efficiency Award
Battle Efficiency Award
The Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
.
1995 – 2000
On 1 September 1995, Fort McHenry departed San Diego to become one of the units forward-deployed to Sasebo, JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
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
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Cobra Gold in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and Foal Eagle
Foal Eagle
Foal Eagle is an annual combined Field Training Exercise conducted between the Republic of Korea and United States armed forces under the auspices of Combined Forces Command within the Korean Theater of Operations . It is one of the largest military exercises conducted annually in the world...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. She visited ports during those exercises including Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, and Kure
Kure, Hiroshima
is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
, Japan.
During May 1998, Fort McHenry participated on Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training
Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training
The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training is a series of annual bilateral military exercises conducted by United States Pacific Fleet with several member nations of ASEAN in Southeast Asia. Currently, the navies of Bangledesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,...
(CARAT 98), which includes visits and exercises with countries in the Western Pacific such as Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, 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
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
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
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. 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
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
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
Foal Eagle
Foal Eagle is an annual combined Field Training Exercise conducted between the Republic of Korea and United States armed forces under the auspices of Combined Forces Command within the Korean Theater of Operations . It is one of the largest military exercises conducted annually in the world...
which took placed in South Korea.
2001 – 2006
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 MissileRIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the American, German, South Korean, Greek, Turkish, Saudi and Egyptian navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense weapon against anti-ship cruise missiles...
(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
Kagoshima, Kagoshima
is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
, 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
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and assigned to Amphibious Group 1. In May 2004, Fort McHenry departed for a three-month deployment along with several ships including , , and . The deployment was centered around an annual exercise called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2004. Following a two and a half month SAR
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
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
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
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...
s to bring much-needed fuel into the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
In 2005 Fort McHenry participated in tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
relief in the Asian Tsunami Crisis
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. It provided a platform for six CH-46s helicopters and LCACs to bring much-needed supplies into Banda Aceh, Indonesia. During Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance is the name of the United States military's response to the tsunami of 2004.-Overview:On 28 December, the first elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to Utapao, Thailand following that country's approval of the use of that base.More than 12,600...
, Fort McHenry was joined by many USN ships including the and . Following this tasking, Fort McHenry immediately went to the island of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
to join American & Japanese veterans for the 60th commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
. 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
Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training
The Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training is a series of annual bilateral military exercises conducted by United States Pacific Fleet with several member nations of ASEAN in Southeast Asia. Currently, the navies of Bangledesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,...
(CARAT) 2005. This deployment was completed by the LHD-4
USS Boxer
Six ships of the United States Navy have been named Boxer, after HMS Boxer, which the USS Enterprise captured during the War of 1812....
and .
On 31 March 2006, arrived in Sasebo to replace Fort McHenry. The crews of the two ships swapped hulls, after which, on 13 April Tortuga
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...
, where she is now homeported. As of January 2007 she is undergoing a major maintenance overhaul at Naval Station Norfolk.
2007
The United States Department of DefenseUnited States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
stated on 15 October 2007 that the Fort McHenry was slated to leave Little Creek
Little Creek
Little Creek may refer to:*Little Creek, Delaware*Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, an unincorporated subdivision of Kent County, Delaware; see List of Delaware Hundreds....
, 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...
, 16 October 2007 for a seven-month deployment to the Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea
The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf....
that the chief of U.S. Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
said will exemplify how his new command will operate.
The amphibious
Amphibious 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...
dock landing ship served as a platform for the Africa Partnership Station
Africa Partnership Station
Africa Partnership Station is an international initiative developed by United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa, which works cooperatively with U.S...
Initiative, which aims to work cooperatively with U.S. and international partners in promoting maritime security in Western Africa.
The ship sailed to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to take on officers for the internal APS staff from several European partners — Spain, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, among them — before heading to the Gulf of Guinea.
Her full complement included representatives
Representation
Representation can refer to:* Representation , one's ability to influence the political process* Representative democracy* Representation, a type of diplomatic mission...
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
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
, and U.S. Coast Guard.
High Speed Vessel Swift
HSV-2 Swift
HSV-2 Swift is a non-commissioned, hybrid catamaran originally leased by the United States Navy as a mine countermeasures and sea basing test platform. She is now privately owned and operated by Sealift Inc. and charted to Military Sealift Command. She is primarily used for fleet support and...
joined Fort McHenry in the Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea
The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf....
, where it transported students as well as trainers during visits to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, Sao Tome
São Tomé
-Transport:São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries.-Climate:São Tomé features a tropical wet and dry climate with a relatively lengthy wet season and a short dry season. The wet season runs from October through May while the...
and Principe
Príncipe
Príncipe is the northern and smaller of the two major islands of the country of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa. It has an area of 136 km² and a population of approximately 5,000. The island is a heavily eroded volcano over three million years old, surrounded by other...
.
2008
On 1 January 2008, the U.S. Navy announched that two U.S. Navy sailors from Fort McHenry were found dead in a hotel room in the West AfricaWest Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n nation of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
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 in to 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
Military of Senegal
The Senegalese armed forces consist of about 19,000 well-trained and disciplined personnel in the army, air force, navy, and gendarmerie. The Senegalese military force receives most of its training, equipment, and support from France and the United States...
and Commander, US Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
, Fort McHenry made stops in Madeira, Portugal and Rota, Spain before returning to her homeport of Norfolk on 4 May 2008.
2009
On May 13, 2009 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 Unit22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
(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
USS Bataan (LHD-5)
USS Bataan is a commissioned in 1997. She is named to honor the defense of the Bataan Peninsula on the western side of Manila Bay in the Philippines during the early days of US involvement in World War II.-Christening:...
, and the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce
USS Ponce (LPD-15)
USS Ponce , an Austin-class amphibious transport dock, is the only ship of the United States Navy that is named for Ponce in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which in turn was named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, the first governor of Puerto Rico and European discoverer of...
. The 22 MEU includes a battalion landing team from 3rd Battalion
3rd Battalion 2nd Marines
3rd Battalion 2nd Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors...
, 2nd Marine Regiment, an aviation combat team composed of elements from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263
VMM-263
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft...
; elements of Combat Logistics Battalion 22
Combat Logistics Battalion 22
Combat Logistics Battalion 22 is a logistics battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are part of Combat Logistics Regiment 27 and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group...
; 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.
2010
On 13 January 2010, the Fort McHenry was ordered to assist in the relief 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...
.