Inchon (LPH 12) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS INCHON (LPH 12) was named in honor of the joint Navy-Marine assault at Inchon, Korea, on September 15, 1950. Her motto, Never More Brightly , is derived from General Douglas MacArthur ' s message to the fleet on that occasion, The Navy and Marines have never shone more brightly than this morning . INCHON is designed to deploy with United States Marines wherever their presence is required. The ship can carry two thousand Marines including a reinforced Marine Helicopter Squadron. Other missions include providing medical relief in the event of natural disaster and evacuation of United States citizens from troubled areas. Commissioned June 20. 1970 at the U.S. Naval Shipyard. Portsmouth, Virginia. INCHON is the seventh and last of the IWO JIMA (LPH 2) class of amphibious assault ship. She was initiated to United States fleet operations in the spring of 1971 when she participated in Operation Exotic Dancer IV. From September 1971 to March 1972. INCHON visited the Mediterranean and served under the operational control of Commander, Sixth Fleet and as a unit of Task Force 61 and Amphibious Squadron Ten. INCHON participated in Exotic Dancer V in the spring of 1972. In July 1972, INCHON was present for Exercise High Boot, an amphibious exercise off the North Carolina coast. In August 1972. INCHON was presented with the Admiral Flatley Award for aviation safety, the Battle Efficiency Award for operational readiness, the Amphibious Assault Award, and five departmental awards for excellence.

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Lieutenant Colonel Ralph B. Orey, USMC Commanding Officer HMM-162

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Later in August 1972, INCHON departed for the NATO exercise Strong Express, a large land, sea and air assault which involved about 64,000 men, 500 ships, and 700 aircraft. After returning home in the latter half of October 1972, preparations immediately began for another extended deploy- ment. On 9 November 1972, Captain J.K. THOMAS relieved Captain F.T. BROWN as Commanding Officer, and later the same day, INCHON was underway for the Western Pacific to join the Seventh Fleet and Amphibious Ready Group Bravo for duty in the Gulf of Tonkin. After the Vietnam Peace agreement was signed in January 1973, INCHON became part of Task Force 78 and participated in ENDSWEEP, the U.S. Navy minesweeping operation in Haiphong Harbor and other North Vietnamese waters. After completing ENDSWEEP, INCHON returned to the United States on 1 September 1973 via the Indian Ocean and Cape of Good Hope. She became the first LPH to complete a cruise around the world and the last Atlantic Fleet ship to return from the Vietnam conflict. On her way home, INCHON was honored by her receipt of the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award, the Battle Efficiency Award, the Amphibious Assault Award, the Majorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, and four departmental awards for excellence. On April 29, 1974 INCHON left Norfolk for the Mediterranean to participate in Operation Nimbus Star, the Aerial minesweeping of the Suez Canal. Following the completion of Nimbus Star on 3 June, INCHON sailed to Alexandria, Egypt, and became the first U.S. Navy ship to visit that seaport since 1962. Later in June, she served as support ship for a Presidental visit to the Middle-East countries.