Belleau Wood (LHA 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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The present day USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3) was commissioned 23 Septem- ber 1978, in Pascagouia, Mississippi. At the commissioning ceremony. Vice Admiral James B. Stockdaie said that BELLEAU WOOD will form a nucleus of our amphibious force into the 21st Century. BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3), a TARAWA-Ciass general purpose amphibious assault ship, re- presents a dramatic new dimension In U.S. navy Marine Corps amphibious warfare. BEL- LEAU WOOD and her sister LHAs offer the U.S. Mavy Marine team the largest, fastest and most versatile vessel in the history of amphibious warfare, with the first-time capability of launch- ing a concentrated and extremely swift coordi- nated air, and sea attack from one ship. The LHA-Class ships were designed primarily for a mission in what the Marine Corps calls tactical integrity — transporting and off-loading a balanced payload of men and equipment in a two-pronged assault. With almost autonomous capability, one LHA can carry over 1,800 combat- ready Marines, along with all the equipment and supplies needed in an assault, and land them ashore by either helicopter or amphibious craft or a combination of both. This two-pronged capabili- ty of vertical launch from a carrier-type flight deck and waterborne movement from a large wet well deck aft, permits the LHA to carry out any present- day amphibious operation with mueh greater speed and coordination than previously possible.

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CAPTAIN HUBERT F. TAHANEY, JR.

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BELLEAU WOOD is 820 feet long, 141 feet wide, and displaces 39,000 tons. The ship has a crew of 870 (60 officers and 810 enlisted men). During West Pac ' 89, an additional 1800 Marines embarked. Two boilers, the largest ever manufactured in the U.S. and the largest in current service on any navy ship, provide steam to turbines which drive the twin screw ship at speeds in excess of 20 knots. The ship possesses the capability to create enough fresh water each day to supply the needs of 6,000 people. The 300-bed hospital is the largest on any combatant ship and contains four operating rooms. There is also a complete dental department with three dental operato- ries. BELLEAU WOOD is armed with two 5-inch guns on the bow for self-defense and for conducting gunfire sup- port missions. Tor anti-air self defense against missiles and aircraft, there is a Phalanx Close-in Weapons system (CIWS; a 20 millimeter gatling gun) forward of the bridge and a Basic Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS) on the stern.