Belleau Wood (LHA 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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World Wm' II The first ship to bear the name ellerzu Wood stayed true to her roots nd, as the Marines were in the World . -Q -Q V ar I battle, was fighter.. br: 0 1 Islarrcas 9 In Ianuai jf joined Task Force 58 and participated in the seizure of islands and atolls throughout the ' .Mariana Island chain. Later that April Belleau Wood supported the landings Bellemfs lli atfHollandia, New Guinea, and later iusust the occupation of Saipan in mid Iune. ghipbuilding ptio She was instrumental in the Battle of -1- Thfillgll stsp the Philippine Sea onlune 19-20, where ight rttt er planes sank the Japanese carrier reeds Of fs I. 'Hiyfi-' ' ' ttf siiii ttia,li ltri Q 4 T . A c Pnverslon j I fi 15 2 ter,ar 5 After an overhaul at Pearl Harbor, pat would ultimately, rttppt participatein epst 3 ppjptss piit , , , iatti I she rejoined Task Force 58 and pine of .t11Q4f1er.cesjt,5 battles in fthe. , hacific 5.5 ptpel krrssirt pppr 4 lppt c j fy rssp participated in the last stages of the ' After a brief aaiSe, x . .. ff i ,K ji iran., b5,,:,j,l. ,K f SMP fepeffffd to 'riving in Pearl Harbor t ,occupation of Guam that August. Belledu Wood then joined Task Force 38 and first supported the occupation of the southern Palaus, and later saw participated in the If 41,6 iiir I Engano. On October 30, I944, Bclleazi Wood was patrolling with her task group east of Leyte when a Japanese Kamikaze attacked. The crew shot down the plane, but it crashed into the ship's aft flight deck. The ensuing fires ignited ammunition, killing more than 90 men. After receiving permanent repairs and an overhaul at Hunter's Point, Calif., she departed San Francisco Bay Ianuary 20, 1945. She joined Task Force 58 at Ulithi in early February, and took part in the raids on Honshu Island, Iapan, and Nansei Shoto, as well as the landings on Iwo Jima. Belleczu Wood also took part in FIFTH Fleet and THIRD Fleet strikes p on thereafter, Bjetl I Ab pported the occupation I bland, took part in the raidS'atTarawa hd Wake Island, and then joined Task action during the raids,Morotailandings, northern Luzon and Luzon strikes. In against Japan from late May to early Iune. She then embarked a new air group at Leyte and rejoined the THIRD .r,. 0 gs j

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V 'down Paris-Metz thu g g y, f Marine Captain Lloyd and General attle the on Ma The other forces of Lucy When advised to F retreating ia s replied, Retreat, hell! We just got here! Th, finally settled Aifvith the sfhff isl ' the west and the 6f Ma ' ' o the east. Mostunits dep ma ne guns,Lbut QM' Bn, 5th Marines the effects of she' A superior long distance l On line, 6, l y two The lst Battalion, 52 Marine L attacks Wood and captures the S ,Vtegically ii Later the same day battali s of the,5t'1 and 6f Regiments assault the Woods from the south west an effort to capture the towniqfaliouresches. The attack against Vili' ,proper goes grimly. Crossing a wheat field Q el exposed to machine gun fire. Gunnery Sergeant ? ly asks his men, Come on ya sons-of-bitches, 5 The attack is only able to seize a On Iune 1 1 after hom a gent, Marines succeed in securingingtikiiwtliirdsl of ltl if ood, again with heavy casualties. c , ' L . ' 7 9

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ff. ' ' 'tea' ' ' V ' Fleet for the final strikes against the Iapanese home islands. y . Belleau Wood remained injapanese Waters until October 13. Arriving at Pearl Harbor October 28, she departed three days later with 1,248 servicemen bound for San Diego. She remained on Magic Carpet duty, returning servicemen from Guam and Saipan to San Diego until late Ianuary 1946. Placed out of commission in reserve at Alameda Naval Air Station injanuary 1947, the United States later transferred Belledu Wood to France in September 1953 under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. The ship served under the navy Bois Belledu with the French navy until 1960 when she then returned to the United States, and finally stricken from the Navy list on October 1, 1960. r .... ,f,j.,,, , ,JY..7 Y3.,..,.i,.. V 6 Wood received the Citation and twelve Stars for her valiant service World War II. Present Day Nearly two decades later on September 23, 1978, the second ship christened Belledu Wood steamed from her birthplace in Pascagoula, Miss., and relocated to San Diego in October 1978. USS Belleau Wood CLHA 39 is the third ship of the Tdrdwd-class amphibious assault and command ships. Her design incorporates the best features and capabilities of several amphibious assault ships currently in service. if her commission, Belleau WOQCZ has deployed as the center ofa ' three-ship Amphibious Read Group, or ARG. The ship carries a complete Marine battalion during deployment, and can send and support Marines ashore by either helicopter Of amphibious craft during combat and humanitarian operations. .,-..u... -,....,.........-s.-v-Y:- 1-.-4.--L --1. 1 :-S-an .47 ' J- f- .A .v - V. . - -' 5-P331-uyh4gan+4nJ4z:4mm4 ,Q1'.m,gg,...- ,..:...,. .. .. . ,,.-, . U A ,Y ,W ,A ,V A