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Page 5 text:
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w ith our ninth deployment now past, I can say with confidence that it was a resounding success. This is true for three reasons. First, even as Cold War assumptions have faded into the past, and the New World Order has come upon us, Fort Fisher has maintained her standing as an effective instru- ment of national policy. Fort Fisher made her first excursion into the Arabian Gulf on this deployment, and staged a significant amphib- ious landing at Kuwait City, little more than a year after the Iraqi occupation. Our Amphibious Ready Group proved to be an ideal force for humanitarian and other non-traditional missions, which are becoming increas- ingly important in today ' s world. We were among the first ships on the scene in East Africa, preceding Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. The second reason our deployment was so successful became clear only after our re- turn. In early 1993, we learned that we had won the coveted Battle Efficiency Award, and nearly all Mission Area Excellence Awards. The Battle E was a direct result of our performance during deployment, and it was a crowning achievement for the ship. We also managed to have a little fun while we were away. That ' s the third reason for our success. Despite the long hours and the demanding nature of our work, we found time for recreation and sightseeing, shipboard activities, and liberty ashore. We particu- larly enjoyed our visits to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia. I attribute our total success to the hard work and dedication of the crew. Every depart- ment played its part, and we distinguished ourselves in every way. Of course, it was our families and friends who provided the support and encouragement we needed to hold fast until the end. Part of the credit is theirs. I am very privileged to have led this crew, and I am proud of our achievements while on deployment and since our return. Fair winds and following seas to all! Commander John T. Nawrocki Commanding Officer USS Fort Fisher (LSD-40)
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Page 6 text:
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The Ship rort Fisher takes her name from a Confederate stronghold which stood at mouth of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The fort guarded the last major Con- federate port to be closed by Union Forces, and was the site of most ex- tensive land-sea battle of the Civil War. Fort Fisher ' s keel was laid in Bos- ton Naval Shipyard in Quincy, Mas- sachusetts, and she was commis- sioned on December 9, 1972. Her original home port was Long Beach, California, but in 1973, she moved to San Diego, where she has remained ever since. Fort Fisher ' s main mission is to transport landing craft and U.S. Ma- rine Corps troops and equipment to an amphibious objective area and carry out a waterborne assault. Her primary physical feature is her well deck, which extends from the stern forward approximately three-quarters of the length of the ship. Cargo and vehicles can be brought into the well by landing craft or by use of the ship ' s two 50-ton cranes. The well deck can be flooded to launch and re- cover boats through the stern gate. In addition. Fort Fisher has a flight deck for cargo transport by helicop- ter. The ship is capable of handling the largest type of helicopter in use today, the CH-53. The flight deck can also carry cargo and vehicles if the need arises. The ship has two 3-inch twin gun mounts, which can engage surface targets or be used in a limited shore bombardment role, and two Close-in Weapons Systems (CIWS) for missile defense. She is also armed with a 25mm chain gun and six .50 caliber machine guns for defense against fast patrol boats and other small craft. Today, Fort Fisher carries out her mission in very much the same way she did in 1972 — with one signifi- cant exception. In 1988, she was mod- ified to house and support the latest add ition to the Navy ' s amphibious arsenal: the LCAC. The LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion) is a high-speed hovercraft that rides on an air-filled, rubber skirt, and is capable of striking over the horizon. Because the craft rides on a cushion of air, it can cross beaches inaccessible to conventional water- borne craft, and deliver its cargo in- land over rough terrain. While her main mission is amphib- ious warfare. Fort Fisher ' s design makes her highly capable of perform- ing a variety of secondary missions. For example, in 1978, she patrolled off South Vietnam and rescued a U.S. yacht temporarily held by the North Vietnamese. In 1988, she twice tran- sited the Panama Canal to transport three new LCACs from Panama City, Florida, to their new home in Camp Pendleton, California. In 1991, Fort Fisher supported counter-narcotics operations off the coast of Mexico and Central America. On this latest deployment, she par- ticipated in an exercise noncombatant evacuation off Okinawa. In the Ara- bian Gulf, Fort Fisher staged a mari- time interdiction exercise with the co- operation of a Qatari merchant vessel, reportedly the first such exercise in- volving an actual merchant ship and an amphibious vessel. Excellence in the performance of both the conventional and the uncon- ventional have earned Fort Fisher her reputation for professionalism and adaptability. In a Navy where am- phibious warfare is becoming ever more intimately linked with the na- tion ' s military strategy. Fort Fisher has a undeniably crucial role to play.
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