Fort Fisher (LSD 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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I have long declared that there is no finer ship in the amphibious fleet than USS FORT FISHER, and the 1994-1995 deployment which THE SUPERGATOR just completed was another chapter in the ship ' s long history of excellence. Leaving families and friends behind on October 25 1994, sailing around the world, putting a total of 40,000 miles under her keel, and returning home to our loved ones six months later, FORT FISHER set the standard for others to follow and made history in the process. Whether enjoying liberty in exotic ports of call in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai or Australia, conducting bi-lateral training exercises with our many allies in the Arabian Gulf or executing real world contingency operations ordered by our National leadership, FORT FISHER excelled, representing the United States Navy in the highest tradition. The ship trained practically non-stop for nearly a year for this deployme nt, and although sometimes arduous, it paid off in the long run. When called upon, the Navy Marine Corps team from FORT FISHER performed flawlessly. You clearly distinguished yourself, not only as the most professional and effective fighting force in the world, but also as skilled peacekeepers and outstanding ambassadors of the United States. You all. Sailor or Marine, have every right to be proud. In addition, the extended FORT FISHER family and the rest of the American public is justifiably proud of our success. This deployment will always be known for Operation UNITED SHIELD, during which FORT FISHER was a cornerstone in the 23- ship, 7-nation coalition assembled to assist the United Nations troop withdrawal from Mogadishu, Somalia. The operation was a tremendous success and was a textbook example of amphibious power projection Forward. .. From the Sea . But the cruise was so much more and each of us have our personal memories - the port visits, the long chow lines, the friendships, the midwatch that had no end, the Steel Beach picnics, the Thanksgiving and Christmas away from home, the thousands of blowfish sucked up inside the condenser, the immortal cry of Bingo, Bingo, Bingo over the IMC... the list is endless. Hopefully, this cruisebook helps keep those memories alive. I know that it will for me. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for outstanding effort during our deployment to the Western Pacific, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Obviously, what the ship accomplished was the direct result of your hard work and sacrifice. I recognize that and I could not be prouder of the finest crew on the waterfront - TEAM FORT FISHER. CDR Bill Jezierski Commanding Officer

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SHIP ' S HISTORY FORT FISHER takes her name from the Confederate stronghold which stood at the mouth of the Cape PVar River in North Carohna, t,aiarding Wihuin rton, the last major sea port to be closed by Union forces. The December 1864-Janu- ary 1865 battle for Fort Fishei was the most extensive am- phibious campaign of the American Civil War, involving 57 warships and over 8000 Union troops. The landing ship dock (LSD) which bears the name FORT FISHER was built in Boston ' s Naval Shipyard, Quincy, Mas- sachusetts. After commissioning on 9 December 1972, FORT FISHER set sail from the East Coast on 2 February 1972, reaching her new homeport of Long Beach, California, by way of the Panama Canal. On 15 August 1973, her homeport shifted to San Diego, from where FORT FISHER has since operated. From January until July 1974, the ship made her first ex- tended overseas deployment as a unit of the Amphibious Forces, United States Seventh Fleet. To date, FORT FISHER has completed nine extended deployments to the Western Pacific and two to the Arabian Gulf and Somalia. During one of the latest overhauls for the purpose of mod- ernization, from September 1986 through May 1987, FORT FISHER was modified to operate and support the newest ad- dition to the U.S. Navy ' s amphibious fieet, the LCAC (land- ing craft, air-cushioned I, designed to carry United States Marine Corps troops and equipment at high speed from over-the-horizon. The capability to employ up to three LCAC ensures FORT FISHER ' s place in the amphibious fleet into the 21st century. Due to her versatility, FORT FISHER has received a vari- ety of unusual assignments in addition to her primary am- phibious duties. While deployed in 1978 off the coast of Viet- nam, the ship rescued a U.S.-fiagged yacht temporarily held by the Vietnamese. In 1988, she twice transited the Panama Canal to ferrv new LCAC from Panama City, Florida, to Camp Pendleton, California, and in 1991, FORT FISHER supported counter-narcotics operations off the coast of Mex- ico and Central America. In September 1992, FORT FISHER deployed with the first ARG (Amphibious Ready Group) to patrol off the coast of So- malia in support of humanitarian relief efforts. Preceding Operation RESTORE HOPE, FORT FISHER assisted in the insertion of the first United Nations forces into Mogadishu. During her most recent deployment from October 1994 through April 1995, the ship was again assigned to the re- gion and was a highly visible part of Operation UNITED SHIELD, as the United Nations closed out operations in So- malia. FORT FISHER was a cornerstone in what developed mto a 23-ship, 7-nation coalition of naval, gi-ound and an- forces, executing a night-time amphibious landing and sub- sequent withdrawal under non-permissive conditions from the Somali capital. This was the first amphibious withdrawal conducted by United States forces in an operational, non- permissive environment since the Korean War nearly 50 years ago. Performing both conventional as well as unconventional missions with customary excellence and panache, FORT FISHER has earned a well-earned waterfront reputation for professionalism and versatility. THE SUPERGATOR is the 4.0 ship of the Navy.