Bataan (LHD 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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. . . No ship bears a more illustrious name. The V.S.S. BATAAN commemorates a campaign that ha become a symbol of the fortitude and endurance of free men in the face of overwhelming odds. It has rendezvous with destiny that shall not be denied. . . Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL 29) Although the keel that was laid August 31, 1942 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, N.J., was originally intended to be the light cruiser U.S.S. BUFFALO, the Navy changed its plans when the war in the Pacific esca- lated. The ship ' s blueprints were altered to meet the require- ments for an additional aircraft carrier that was needed in the areana. Work on the light carrier U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL-29) was completed in record time, and the ship was launched in Camden, on August 1, 1943. The Maid of Honor was Miss Maria Osmena, daugh- ter of Honorable Sergio Osmena, then Vice President of the Philippine Commonwealth; and ship ' s Sponsor was Mrs. George Murray, wife of Rear Admiral George D. Murray com- missioned the ship in Philadelphia on November 17, 1943. BATAAN reported to Pearl Harbor on March 22, 1944, but weighed anchor on April 4 for the Pacific where it joined Task Force 58 and later Task Force 38. Commanding this great warship was Captain Valen- tine H. Schaeffer, with Commander W. A. Deam assigned as its Executive Officer. Throughout its deployment to the Pa- cific, BATAAN held two change of command ceremonies. Captain J. P. Heath relieved Captain Schaeffer and Captain W. C. Gilbert relieved Captain Heath. After Japan ' s surren- der on September 2, 1945, BATAAN returned briefly to the United States where it served as a transport for U S. troops that were homeward bound from European theaters. ■I On February 1 1, 1947 the ship was decommissioned only to be re-commissioned three years later and assigned duty during the Korean Conflict. Under the Command oi. Captain Edgar T Heale, BATAAN arrived in the Korean operations area on December 15, 1950 where it supported the conflict until May 10, 1953. Upon its final return from the Korean Conflict BATAAN remained in San Diego until being deactivated or August 26, 1953. On April 26, 1954, following a brief visit to Japan via Pearl Harbor, the ship was decommissioned ir San Francisco, and later reclassified as AVT-3, in June 1959 U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL 29) earned a total of V battle stars during World War II, participating in the BattL of the Philippine Sea in June 1944, and during the Koreai Conflict where it participated in the North Korean Offen sive and the First United Nations Counter Offensive. USS BATAAN] CVL 29 | |us Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. ' [fever an American fighting ship was charged with the twin responsibilities of a great tradition and ; great purpose it is this - USS BATAAN! John McCrae, poet-laureate of World War I, whose with steadfast eyes as it ploughs the waters o ' the worli inspired words are quoted, could not have written more leaving in its wake inexorable retribution, justice and lib poignant lines to sum up the spirit and high resolve of the eration as a tribute to the brave heroes. American and Fili officers and men of this ship, nor of the craftsmen who pino, who etched with their blood in the archives of his built it. nor of the government and people who gave it their tory a new symbol for glorious self-sacrifice - BATAAN blessing. This nation and all nations will watch it hereafter 218

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s Jv in size .;■ illy-equip -ffitaciln fetal suite ingfij care to 3J Operation Enduring Freedom over-the-beach amphibious support in transporting troops, weapons systems and equipment offered the Navy-Marine Corps Team and our allies a new dimension in projecting combat strength ashore. These Wasp-Class ships are the first specifically designed to utilize the Landing Craft Air-Cushioned vehicles for assaults. BATAAN ' s three high-speed heavy-lift craft, capable of carrying a 60-ton cargo from ship to shore at speeds in excess of 40 knots, were the first on shore in Pakistan. The lore Rome; ad .tf.Fncki nmonicaW ; : ne . The844- LCAC ' s cushion of pressurized air enabled it to deliver the MEU(SOC) and its heavy equipment well ashore, unaffected by shallow obstacles and surf conditions, clearing water and land obstacles as high as four feet. At 87-plus feet in length and 47 feet wide, each LCAC employs a crew of five who piloted the crafts, operated the four gas-turbine engines, and assisted in loading and unloading its 67- by 27-foot cargo area. The heavy equipment, military vehicles, and other support equipment brought to the beach by the MEU(SOC) - was tightly compressed within the ship ' s 22,000 square-feet of vehicle space and 100,000 cubic feet of cargo space. As a , team, the ship and embarked MEU(SOC) insert forces ashore via helicopters, landing craft and amphibious vehicles along with tanks, light amphibious vehicles, military and logistical vehicles, artillery, ammunition, and other supplies necessary to fully support the amphibious assault and maintain support to troops ashore for several weeks. The Assault Division operated and maintained the system that synchronized the simultaneous horizontal and vertical movement heavy equipment to and from the LC ACs. Six 1 2,000- pound-capacity-cargo elevators and monorail system employing 1 2,900 feet of track was positioned directly over the ship ' s vehicle storage and well deck to facilitate the ease of movement for loading and unloading the craft. Five 32-foot 6,000-pound capacity cargo monorail trains, traveling at speeds up to 600 feet per minute, were instrumental in loading the LCACs for the beach assault. From the ship ' s command centers and sophisticated command and control sites, the ARG and MEU(SOC) commanders coordinated task force landings and force operations as the missions unfolded. BATAAN ' s numerous air, surface, and fire-control radar painted a three-dimensional picture of the operational theater in excess of 200 miles, giving them a significant advantage during combat. While the mission goes on ashore, the BATAAN and crew work in confidence as the weapons systems in place on the ship are geared for its defense and that of its crew from anti-ship weapons fired from enemy aircraft, surface ships and land bases. These systems include the NATO Sea Sparrow point defense missile system, the rolling airframe missile system, and the Phalanx close-in weapons system. On the ship ' s catwalks are four 50- caliber machine guns and three 25-milimeter machine guns as protection against smaller craft and other more precise targets. Together BATAAN and the 26 ,h MEU(SOC) answered the call and projected its formidable arsenal ashore in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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t Her Majesty ' s Australian Ship HMAS BATAAN During World War II, the Australian heavy cruiser, HMAS CANBERRA was sunk along with American warships by the Japanese Task Force. With the loss of the Australian heavy cruiser, the United States government named their newest cruiser USS CANBERRA in honor of the heroic efforts of the Australians. The cruiser was christened by the wife of the Australian Minister to the United States. In return, the Australian government named their newest Tribal Class Destroyer BATAAN in honor of the gallant stand made by the Americans on Bataan Peninsula. The Austra- lian BATAAN was christened by Mrs. Jean MacArthur, wife of General Douglas MacArthur. Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific. Upon commissioning, HMAS BATAAN joined the American Seventh Fleet in the Philippines and Okinawa. HMAS BATAAN was present when the Japanese surrendered in Tokyo Bay, and stayed in the area where it picked up Americans and Filipinos who had been held in the POW camps by the Japanese since the early stages of the war. During the Korean Conflict, HMAS BATAAN was once again attached to the American Seventh Fleet. It was during this conflict that the American light aircraft carrier U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL 29) and the Australian heavy cruiser HMAS BATAAN built a unique kinship. The Australian ship provided protection for the American carrier, its sister ship, through many exchanges of enemy gunfire. The bond that developed between the crews aboard these two ships went well beyond their namesake ties and became evident to the other ships in the Task Force. : Comma ran Confj Designed by the crew, the seahorse represents BATAAN s natural association with the sea. The central path commemorates the Bataan Death March. The spears from a wedge underscoring amphibious assault and deployment of troops and cargo ashore, as well as combat readiness, while highlighting USS BATAANs battle stars. Bamboo alludes to the tropics and the Pacific theater where the first U.S.S. BATAAN (CVL 29) served. The wings represent the aviation heritage of the ship. The stars are for the seven battle stars earned during the Korean Conflict while the five points of the central star represent the World War II Battle stars. The mount suggests the mountainous terrain of Bataan. The sun is adapted from the seal of the Republic of the Philippines. The crossed swords represent the Navy-Marine Corps Team. 219