Rushmore (LSD 47) - Naval Cruise Book

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WESTPAC I 996 A QM M W 'W' ' W. ff - 'K K W , Q' ,JW A x ' . X + aww APRIL I9-OCTOBER I9, I996

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Ship's Mission United States Ship RUSHMORE CLSD-473 is the seventh ship of the LSD-41 Wl-IIDBEY ISLAND class and the fourth ship of that class to serve in the Pacific Fleet. RUSHMORE s mission is to transport Marines with their combat equipment to areas designated throughout the wor ld, Then to launch and support assault landing craft and helicopters during amphibious operations against hostile shores. RUSHMORE carries Air Cushioned Landing Craftlvehicles CLCACD. LCAC s are assault landing craft capable of speeds in excess of 4O knots while carrying a 6O-ton payload.. Using this versatile craft, RUSHMORE is able to carry out an amphibious assault against-a wider range of beaches at distances which before were not operationally feasible. Officially designated a Landing Ship Dock CLSDD, RUSHMORE accomplishes her mission through the use of a well deck which is flooded to recover and launch landing craft. After departing the ship, the assault craft are directed toward the shore by the ship's Combat Information Center CCICJ. D RUSHMORE is superbly designed to carry out her mission. With a 44O foot well deck capable of holding four LCAC's, a flight deck able to launch up to two CH-53E helicopters, the Navy's latest diesel propulsion and engineering technology, advanced repair facilities, complete medical and dental facilities, and troop berthing accommodations for up to 627 embarked Marines, warship RUSHMORE presents an exciting and formidable amphibious assault capability. Ship's History USS RUSHMORE is named after the Mount Rushmore National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota. RUSHMORE was built by Avondale Industries in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Meredith Brokaw, wife of NBC News anchorman, Tom Brokaw, christened the ship RUSHMORE May 6, 1989. Commissioning ceremonies were held June 1, 1991 onthe banks of the Mississippi River at the River Walk, New Orleans. The ship's first assignment was to deliver three Air Cushioned Landing Craft CLCACD to Camp Pendleton, California from Panama City, Florida. Along the way, RUSHMORE conducted a port visit in Jamaica, traversed the Panama Canal, and visited Rodman, Panama. Camp Pendleton was the last stop before arriving at its homeport of San Diego. Since RUSHMORE's maiden voyage, she has been to San Francisco, Portland, Hawaii, and Mazatlan, Mexico. Most notably, during her first six-month deployment, USS RUSHMORE spearheaded the beach landing on Somalia during Operation Restore Hope, the largest military humanitarian operation in history. Operation Restore Hope was designed to provide food and medical relief to the starving people of Somalia. RUSHMORE's 1994 WESTPAC deployment came almost one year ahead of schedule. She deployed with only four weeks notice and participated in Operation Support Hope off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya, the USLO relocation in Somalia and Operation Vigilant Warrior off the coast of Kuwait. Additionally, RUSHMORE conducted amphibious operations with forces of Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The 1994 deployment earned RUSHMORE the Navy Unit Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal. The latest deployment began April 19, 1996. RUSHMORE participated in Operation Cobra Gold an airborne-landing force exercise involving U.S. and Thailand forces off the coast of Thailand , and Exercise Infinite Moonlight in Jordan. Crewmembers also participated in humanitarian efforts in both Malaysia and the Philippines.