USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ TRIBUTE TO THE USS TARAWA (LHA-1)& FReeper Brian Wells ~ January 20 2003

January 20, 2003 | snippy about it

[snippy_about_it]

Our very own FReeper bkwells is deployed on the
USS TARAWA (LHA-1)

Tarawa's Mission
Global events continue to spotlight the requirement to successfully project power from the sea. Tarawa's capabilities make her the world's most formidable amphibious power projection platform. Her primary war fighting mission is to land and sustain United States Marines on any shore during hostilities. A "national asset," the Tarawa's location and readiness are briefed daily to the National Command Authority.

Characteristics,Tarawa Class (This information is derived from US NAVY Fact Files.)

USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Tarawa class, General Purpose Amphibious Warship
Description: Primary landing ships, resembling small aircraft carriers, designed to put troops on hostile shores.
Features: Modern U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships are called upon to perform as primary landing ships for assault operations of Marine expeditionary units. These ships use Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft and helicopters to move Marine assault forces ashore. In a secondary role, using AV-8B Harrier aircraft and warfare helicopters, these ships perform sea control and limited power projection missions.
Background: Amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. They must be able 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.
Specs
Builders: Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.
Power Plant: Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower
Length: 820 feet (249.9 meters)
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters)
Displacement: 39,400 tons (40,032 metric tons) full load
Speed: 24 knots (27.6 miles per hour)
Ships:USS Tarawa (LHA 1), San Diego, Calif.
USS Saipan (LHA 2), Norfolk, Va.
USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3), Sasebo, Japan
USS Nassau (LHA 4), Norfolk, Va.
USS Peleliu (LHA 5), San Diego, Calif.
Crew: Ships Company: 82 officers, 882 enlisted an embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit of 1,900 plus
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns; five .50 caliber guns;
Commisioned: May 29, 1976
Aircraft
(Actual mix depends upon mission)
Nine CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters -heavy lift aircraft
Twelve CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters -medium lift aircraft
Four AH-1W Cobra Helicopters -attack aircraft
Six AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft -close air attack and support aircraft
Two UH-1N Iriqouis helicopters -command and control aircraft
Landing Craft
1 LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion)-Air cushion craft for transporting, ship-to-shore and across the beach, personnel, weapons, equipment, and cargo of the assault elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
2 LCU (Landing Craft Utility)-Landing craft are used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore.
Tarawa mission Link

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She's a beauty! Eagle of the Sea

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A RAM missile being launched from the USS Tarawa

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PhalanxClose-In Weapons System-----------Mark 38 ~ 25 mm machine gun system

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Marines from 13MEU train for an amphibious assault on a beachhead

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Four AV-8B Harriers await launch from the flight deck of the USS Tarawa.

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An LCU leaves the welldeck of the Tarawa while two CH-53's commence flight operations off her port side

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A CH-153 heavy lift helicopter takes off of the flight deck.

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An AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter hovering by in the Persian Gulf.

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well deck

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USS Tarawa off the coast of Yemen

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The Official USS Tarawa Ship's Photo

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The Battle of Tarawa ~ History

The Central Pacific's Gilbert Islands were strategically important to the Allies in World War II. Tarawa, an atoll in those islands, was the scene of a major amphibious assault and on of the proudest testaments to valor in U.S. Marine Corps history.

Japan's Rear Admiral Shibasaki Meichi was quoted as saying before the assault that it would take the American forces "a million men and a hundred years" to capture the atoll. The Japanese had backed up this boast with an elite force of almost 5,000 men and heavily fortified the island of Betio in the southwestern corner of the atoll. Since capturing the islands three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese had spent two years positioning coastal defense guns, antiaircraft guns, anti-boat guns, light and heavy machine guns, and an airstrip they could use to strike at allied troops stationed in the area. The atoll was strategically vital to both sides, and the stage was set for one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific.

The Allies were faced with serious problems in capturing Tarawa. The big coastal guns would keep the Navy guns either under constant fire or at bay, and the Japanese had used sunken ships and other pieces of metal to create obstacles which blocked the avenues of approach from the sea. The approaching craft would have to slow down to maneuver, putting them in prearranged ambush sites where they would be subject to deadly, concentrated fire from fortified positions. The next line of obstacles included a double apron of barbed wire, log barriers, and concrete obstacles which surrounded the island. After breaching these defenses, the Marines would still be faced with the beach itself, where the Japanese had fortified heavy machine guns which created a series of interlocking fields of fire in addition to antipersonnel mines and anti-vehicle mines in the fringing reefs where the boats would have to land. With the added benefit of antiaircraft guns and planes of their own, the defenders were well prepared for any assault.

The Allies had to take Tarawa, however, and on November 19, 1943 the assault began. Faced with the near-impossible odds and hounded from all sides, the Marines made it to the beach; by the last day of battle the Japanese had been forced into the east end of the the three-mile long island. They had prepared a series of fortified positions to fall back on in their retreat, and had defended each one almost to the last man. Those three miles may be some of the longest in Marine Corps history, as they slowly advanced at a terrible price. Organized resistance on Tarawa ceased by 1:30 PM on the third day.

The Battle of Tarawa took 76 hours and cost the lives of 1,020 Marines. The list of Americans wounded was listed as high as 2,296. The cost was much higher for the Japanese defenders- of the 4,386 elite troops on Betio, only 146 were left alive.

Four Marines received the Medal of Honor for their heroism, three of them posthumously. The fourth, Colonel David M. Shoup, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Marines and Betio Island Assault forces, later became the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

USS Tarawa (LHA-1) website

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Introducing FReeper Brian Wells (bkwells)

I am married with 2 kids, a boy age 8 and a girl age 4. We have lived in Las Vegas for almost 3 years now.

I am an Air Force brat and have moved around all my life. In fact, when I hit the 10th grade, that was my 8th different school! Graduated from Hirschi High School in Wichita Falls, TX in 1985 and joined the Navy in Feb 1986.

I have been stationed aboard the USS MT WHITNEY (LCC-20), NAS Kingsville TX (Where I met my wife!), the USS CONSTELLATION (CV-64), Guam, Brunswick Maine, and now the USS TARAWA (LHA-1).

I am a Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8) and my field is Meteorology (AG rating in Navy lingo - Weather Guesser for slang Navy lingo).

My primary job is running the weather office but as with all Navy ships, I have other duties throughout the ship among them:

Operations Department Leading Chief Petty Officer (I'm the senior enlisted man within my department), I am in charge of a Repair Locker during Battle Stations - we fight fires, control flooding, run a denomination station in case of chemical,biological, or nuclear attack, etc.... and I run a duty section when we are inport.

It's more than enough to keep me busy!

Places I've been:

England, Belgium, Portugal, France, Copenhagen, Ft Lauderdale, St Thomas, Nassau, Curacao, Trinidad-Tobago, Acapulco, Vancouver, Hawaii, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Thailand, Australia (Perth, Sydney, and Darwin), Jebal Ali UAE, Bahrain, and Seychelles.

Sat off the coast of Kuwait Cit, and sat off the coast of Aden Yemen in support of Operation Determined Response after the terrorist bombing of the USS COLE.

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[snippy_about_it]

See Brian's post 172.

[bkwells]

I see you also went to my neighbors, Belgium.

We had a port visit to Antwerp where I also got to tour Paris and Brussels. That stop is tops on my list!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, TS, for stopping by with well wishes for Brian. And thank you for your service to our country, too.

[southerngrit]

Brian - thanks for your service. Sheila - thank you for you and your husband's service, and for sharing your values with your son.

My Dad (BethBG79's Papa) survived the Battle of Tawara in spite of all odds, and went on to achieve the all-American dream - success in business, a loving family, a long life surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Why he made it when so many of his fellow Marines did not is a question which plaqued him throughout his lifetime.

Beth...that gentle voiced, wonderful grandfather you loved so much had a backbone of steel forged in a surrealistic, bloody hell. He was YOUR age in 1943. Think about that for a moment.

Your Papa experienced hell on earth and survived, no, TRIUMPHED over evil because he and his fellow Americans refused to give up.

The determination of America's fighting forces to fight for that in which they believe, at Tarawa and through every battle before and since is why America is the greatest country in the world, and why you are able to live in freedom. NEVER FORGET!!

To all who serve, know that you have my everlasting gratitude, and that you are all in my prayers.

As an aside, my son worshipped his Papa, as did all of the grandchildren. He wanted to join the Marines "just like you did, Papa." Dad encouraged him to join the Navy, instead.

Here are a few images from that battle in 1943:

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you for your beautiful post.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you Linda, it was an honor.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Tex, I can see the gears turning in your head, plotting how to make the cable car fly. The "Speed Crew" is up to something. LOL!!

[bkwells]

Well, one meeting down, countless more to go....

I want to take a minute to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all in the Canteen! My heart is swelling with pride for these Great Americans which is my pleasure to protect. This makes it all worth while.

But, most importantly, I wish to express my tribute to my wife!! I thank God everyday for her! Her love and support for me through all this is just incredibile and I couldn't make it without her. Christy: I LOVE YOU!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good day to you, BIS.

[snippy_about_it]

Okay, now that you have us all in tears you send Christy right over and have her join us here occasionally.

And send some of your shipmates by, tell not to be shy and jump right in.

Take care bk and thanks again to you and all our military for going into harms way and standing watch to protect those of us at home.

We'll keep a candle burning for you all and do what we can here.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, TS, for the hints of what the troops might enjoy.

[southerngrit]

No thanks necessary.

Words take little or no effort. Actions, on the other hand, speak much louder, as the old axiom goes.

The actions of our troops, past and present, speak volumes.

[Radix]

From the radixionary!


2 entries found for egress.
To select an entry, click on it.
egress[1,noun]egress[2,intransitive verb]

Main Entry: 1egress
Pronunciation: 'E-"gres
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin egressus, from egressus, past participle of egredi to go out, from e- + gradi to go -- more at GRADE
Date: 1538
1 : the action or right of going or coming out
2 : a place or means of going out : EXIT

[PhilDragoo]

Swift Victory and Safe Return to the Finest Fighting Force on Earth.

God Bless Our Troops, Our Veterans, and their Families.

SADDAM-FREE IN '03

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Johnny, for the history of the Super Cobra. It looks decidedly unfriendly.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Nancy Jennifer Barr

[Kathy in Alaska]

USS Tarawa ... Bump!

Thanks, blackie.

[Kathy in Alaska]

020628-N-3228G-002 Pearl Harbor, HI (Jun. 28, 2002) -- The amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) leaves Pearl Harbor to participate in exercise "Rim of the Pacific" (RIMPAC) 2002. RIMPAC 2002 is designed to improve tactical proficiency in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while building cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participating nations. Countries participating this year are: Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class William R. Goodwin. (RELEASED)

National Geographic Television Spotlights USS Tarawa
Story Number: NNS021125-04
Release Date: 11/25/2002 12:35:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class Crystal King, USS Tarawa Public Affairs

ABOARD USS TARAWA, At Sea (NNS) -- Heads turned and eyes darted towards a film crew aboard USS Tarawa (LHA 1) recently, as the amphibious assault ship's Sailors and Marines became the major focus for the video cameras of a National Geographic television documentary team.

The four-member film crew came aboard Tarawa from Nov. 14-21 during Fleet Exercise operations, the second-to-last phase of the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group’s training exercises in conjunction with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, off the Southern California coast.

“We’re making a documentary about the Sailors and Marines preparing for deployment, potentially towards the Arabian Gulf,” said production correspondent Michael Davie. “We want to paint a television portrait of these people, particularly the young adults, about their feelings and the lifestyle aboard ship, and what they think about the possibility of going to war.”

Throughout the week, various crew members allowed the National Geographic team to look at their daily lifestyle, as well as their roles in a variety of training exercises, including a mass casualty drill, well deck and flight deck operations, and a search-and-rescue drill.

“We do this because we want to, not because we have to,” said Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Michael Garcia, one of Tarawa’s search-and-rescue swimmers.

“I think this will make citizens of the United States of America realize how hard the American Sailor and Marine work during a normal work day, and how well trained and prepared they are in case they have to go to war,” said Capt. Jay Bowling, the ship’s commanding officer.

The documentary does not have a scheduled air date yet.