Saipan (LHA 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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i Medal ltwo awardsl, Navy Expeditionary Medal Ctwo awardsl, Southwest Asia Service Medal, 11118 -ani S , r i ,Medal L.- ,.,,,.,,s 1 ,- K. Our SAIPAN - from the beginning until today M' ' i ion 21 July 1972 UsssA1PAN CLHA2jwas SAIPAN's keel was laid by Ingalls Shipbuilding Co., at Pascagoula, ISSISS PP . H Am' hibious Transport Dock Ship ' ' h' 1 g A h b ous Assault Sh1pCLP J, P 0 designed and built to do the work of five other s lp asses IDP 1 1 d A hibious Command Ship KLCCJ. SAIPAN was chnstened CLPDJ, Amphibious Cargo Ship KLKAJ, Dock Landing Ship CLSDJ, an IPP . n . , d v on 20 July 1974, by Mrs. Isabelle Middendorf, wife of former Secretary of the Navy, J- William Mldd9l1d0I'f, an C0mmlS5l0l10d as a U.S. Navy vessel on 15 October 1977. ' F W Johnston SAIPAN's operational career began in July 1979 when she Was f' d' Off' ' C ta . . . , Her lrst Comman mg mer Mis ap m - 1 ' f ossible non combatantevacuatlon of Americana diverted from Fleet Refresher Training to Special Contingency Operations or p ' tin U.S. Coast Guard .A lf N' d ' th t t ff ' 'l x 'ar.InMay 1980,SAIPAN was underway augmen g p personne Him lcaragua urmg a' Colm ry SCM N 't d States. On 25 August 1980, SAIPAN departed Norfolk efforts to assist Cuban refugees crossing the Straits of Florida to the Uni e . A d f her second tour in the Med. f th f' t M diterranean de loyment by a LHA, and on 3 September 1981, SAIPAN deploye or A ' 1 or e irs e p , During that deployment, SAIPAN visited or operated in seven different countries on three continents, translted the Suez Canal, and TIONAL WEEK. 1 participated in Exercises OCEAN VENTURE, DISPLAY DETERNIINATION, BRIGHT STAR and NA 5 From August 1982 through July 1983, SAIPAN was in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia for her first schedul E 4 complex overhaul. In September 1983, while undergoing Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, SAIPAN was diverted to S I - ' - ' hi d M diterranean de loyment on 22 Jan ' ti 1985. During this deployment, she steamed more than 32,000 miles, logged over 6,700 safe aircraft landings, and visited ports Q P ts th Vir ' 'a from October 1985 to February 1986 SAIPAN sailed to Guantanamo Bay to complete Refresher Training. Amphibious Refresher Training was held later V L , A 99 97 all de the hi hest score ever achieved by any amphiblousmg off the Coast of North Carolina with SAIPAN achieving a . over gra , p g ship. Q pne' i On 17 August 1986, SAIPAN departed on her fourth Mediterranean deployment. Extended brieflyinp the Eastern Mediterranean fob, contingency operations, SAIPAN returned to Norfolk on 24 February 1987. From 17 March September 1990, . was deployed to the Mediterranean and conducted the evacuation of war-tonn t support of Operation SHARP EDGE. From 17 September 1991 to 17 March to the Persian ARG 3-91 in support of operation DESERT STORM. During,1993, SAIPAN waslout pon 245 days. ,Q 4 SAIPAN again deployed to the Mediterranean on 17 March with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operations DENY FLIGHT and PROVIDE PROMISE. The ship returned to Norfolk on 10 September 1993, and entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for Q her third scheduled complex overhaul on 29 April 1994. Mediterranean Sea On 28 June, 1996 SAIPAN deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Umt lSpec1al Operat1onsEapab During this deployment, SAIPAN participated in Operation DECISIVE ENDEAVOR and various multi-national training ex 8 , She returned to Norfolk on 21 December, 1996. Her next deployment which occurred 1 July to 9 December 19985:ma1'ked L SAIPAN's seventh deployment to the Mediterranean area. Turmoil in Albania set the tone for the deployment with the 22nd Expedlhpllary Unit. The ship conducted multiple exercises with the armed forces of the Mediterranean littoral nations and spent substantial operating time in the Adriatic Sea. Following the 1998 deployment, SAIPAN became the Q g test platform for the Vf22 Osprey aircraft. The ship played an integral role -in evaluating the Osprey include the Armed Forces Services Medal ftwoawardsl, NATO Medal ftwn ami ,add 9' S839 Ai erm' gl ed. www-J 'tii , A ,. . p A ini 9 gil? awmlsl, Navy Llnit Commendation, the Admiral Flatley Safety Award Ctwo awardsl, the Sledge Awami, ee ur ace Force Adnnral s COMPHIBRON Twelyess Glnmnze Anchors, for retention the 1993 COMNAVSURFLANT ment. for Command and'Control, Maritime Warfare and Lvgisfics lggffmcentll in Chief F leet I Award, Excellence Award, and the if ' as . We do it all - aptly describes the unique participate m Operation URGENT FURY off Grenada. SAIPAN then set sail for her t r e . . p . . V, three countries. After a maintenance period in Norfolk Naval Shipyard, or mou , gllll 2 1 I After completing her complex overhaul and returning to Norfolk, SAIPAN began preparations for another deployment to the ' I n A - n s c K :sr I 'Sk h erci

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Mission Statement SAIPAN. along with her sister amphibious assault ships. is designed to put troops on hostile shores, serving as primary landing ships for assault operations of Marine expeditionary units. Assaults are carried out by landing craft and helicopters. In a secondary role. using AV-SB Harrier aircraft, we also perform sea con- trol and power projection missions. Our purpose is to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid built-up of combat power ashore in the face of opposition. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world, and SAIPAN sails proudly on its front line. The third mission of the USS SAIPAN is to provide for evacuation and disaster relief. Hundreds of tons of medical supplies and food can be transported by SAIPAN for delivery to disaster victims anywhere in the world. In addition, fresh water and electricity can be provided by SAIPAN's engineering plant until domestic services are restored. The ship's Medical and Dental departments can accomodate nearly 400 patients, providing daily outpatient treatment for hundreds of additional sick or injured. Whether at peace or war, USS SAIPAN is the ship that Does It All. The First SAIPAN 9 . p The keel for the first ship to bear the name of USS SAIPAN, the light aircraft carriertCVIf2l8,j5yvas,rilaid on 10 July 1944 bythe New York shipbuilding corp., Camden, New Jersey. She wee July 1946, 11 months after the close of World War II, and under the command of Crommelin trained student pilots out of Pensacola, Florida for almost 2 years. In May 1948, she embarked Fighter Squadron 17A, the first carrier-based jet squadron in the Fleet. SAIPAN plied the Atlantic and Pacific, employed in maintaining an uneasy Korean truce and conducting several humanitarian missions in the Caribbean. She was decommissioned on 3 oereber 1957. Reeieseified Avro 01115 May 1959, SAIPAN remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until March 1963. She then entered the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co. yard at Mobile to begin conversion to a commandjship. On 8 April 1965, she was renamed ARLINGTON C AGMR 21 in honor of Arlington County, Virginia, theisite of ioneof the Navy's first wireless test stations. ARLINGTUN CAGMR 21 earned 7 Campaign service on Yankee Stationv off Vietnam, relaying vital communications. She was finally decommissioned on 14 January 1970. Yyjp lift? -, 'S ,t'z.., . '31 .1 ,, , 1 ..e,1,',,.-g,.,,5,..j,,.. ., .-.e,,...Z'f' ' , we .ggcarzsfgv -1.41 'ffm-4'-92.1.5 . ' 4 f ezg:1.,3:gyqgeg1s1 .1 3, -my - ,, utr?-. 2:73355-Q:fa8k'gs:1,1313, ' ' 'uf.g,f1:13-.,,-.xgesw H sg . 1i Tii'i1':Si-yiefaw A ,I , ,, 1 ty,,..A,' .Mex eg. L I., .1 .A Nw . ,, ee

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ii Cllfi lfelt' 'J'iigle'Ifs1! it CON S TR UCT1 ON BUILTBII' Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi KEEL LAID: 21 .lul5 1972 LAUNCHED: 20 July 1974 COMMISSIONED: 15 October 1977 is sP0Ns0R.- Mrs. Isabelle Middendorf 1 STATISTICS LENGTH fat waterlinej: 778 feet ' g' ' l BEAM: 106 feet, 8 inches gg L FLIGHT DECK aengfh 1- 820 feet ' ' DRAFT IUNBALLASTEDQ: 27 feet A f DISPLACEMENT' 40,000 tons I CREW fNavyj: 58 officers, 1,009 enlisted ' if TROOP CAPACITY' 60 officers, 1,730 enlisted , .lf .5 V. ,., eq, I ' PROPULSION C - MAIN: 'Iwo main engines powered by 600 psi boilers. Each engine cdevel0pse70,000 efle e shaft horsepower. These are the largest boilers ever constructed by the U.S. Navy. s ilfav Q g BOW THRUS TER: 900 horsepower 2 SPEED: 25+ knots 7 5 E VAPORATORS: Produce 140,000 gallons of fresh water daily . 5 I -,jklli . ' 1 . 1 V ,-V if V Mi, 157 f V ..Vy5,?5,6N:.,e v M e,,e 9' TY f.le ' I at e' 7 - ,.'l fy I 167 000 cubic feet A I l'1s 1' ' ' ' HICLES: 200 A LL DECK: Seven Landing Craft, Utility QLCUJ-type assault craft. SAIPAN can also serve as safe haven for Landing Craft, Air Cushioned CLCACJ. HELICOPTERS: Up to 35, depending on airframe mix. The usual aircraft inventory when deployed is 9 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters, 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicoptersg and 6 AV 8B Harrier attack planes. .41 y ARMAMENT with two Rolling Airframe Missile CRAMJ Guided Missile Launching are short-range weapons employed in Anti-Ship Missile Defense ASMD1. Systems: This fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20-millimeter gun system provides against anti-ship missiles that have penetrated other fleet defenses. De- cruise missiles and fixed-wing aircraft at short range, Phalanx automatically performed by separate, independent systems such as search, detection, threat firing, target destruction, kill assessment and cease fire. Inaddition, there machine guns. The MK-38 is a 25-mm fone inch diameterj heavy machine gun, effective to 12,457 meterslg and last there are three 50-Caliber Gun Mounts.