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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[Kathy in Alaska]

Once again, AP, a terrific pillow for our troops. Thank you.

[radu]

That's a cool gif from the APOD thread you posted today, MnM. Isn't APOD a neat site? I've been going to that site for a few years now. I've always been fascinated by outter space.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I'm caught up and falling down dead tired. I'm off to bed. Thanks, radu, for all you do here at the Canteen and with your emails with your deployed buddies. It is so important that they know that there is support at home. Good night and sleep well whenever you make it to the bat cave.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Brian, for letting us honor you and your ship today. God bless you all and thank you for doing the jobs you do to protect all of us.

Time for bed. God Bless all our troops, their families, our veterans and our Canadian, Israeli, Great Britain, Australian, New Zealand and Taiwanese allies. We pray for your safe and soon return. Thank you for doing the jobs you do to keep this UNITED STATES OF AMERICA safe. We love all of you.

Thank you Lurker, Toby, Tom Cat, Kyle, Joe, Jake, the Z-Tar, Sneakers, Scully and the Pirates, Brook, Leatherneck Rangler Jody, Cory, Jimmy, Winky, Chez, Martin, John, David C, Parker, Michael, Smitty, David, and Carol for being part of our family. Thank you to all who enter the Canteen. Salute!

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

And thanks to Scully and the Pirates, TSgt Munnell, Peter and Greg for your support.

Wherever you are, God is, and all is well! Amen.

[radu]

Good night, Kathy. Sleep well.

I'm not caught up and may not make it tonight. Gonna try though.

The troops and vets love you for your dedication to them and to the Canteen. Thanks for being there for them!

[radu]

AIR POWER
AH-1W Super Cobra

Thanks for posting these fabulous pics and info at the Canteen today, Johnny!!

[radu]

If I could quit getting knocked offline by the weather, I could maybe catch up here! LOL!

Seeing these pics of the children in Kabul, Afghanistan makes me smile. They look so happy to have a new playground.

These three little girls don't look very happy about having to wait to play. I love the expression on the face of the girl on the far right. ROTFL!

[radu]

Hi Fatima!

I'm exteeeeeeemely late seeing your ping but I have seen it. You'll find out soon enough that "late" is usual for me. The rest of the Canteen Crew is quite used to it. LOL!!!

It's great to see you posting here today! Hopefully you'll join us one night soon for a Wild Ride in one of the neat modes of transportation Tonk provides? If you're weak of stomach (like I am - lol) Kathy and I are good about providing Dramamine for the really wild rides. LOLOL!!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[radu]

Hiiiii knighthawk!! Glad to see you stopped by the Canteen!!

How's your weather these days? We've been warm, then cold, then warm again; and getting really cold again later today.

There's a saying in Tennessee..."If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes. It will change." LOL!

[radu]

Awesome pics you found of the USS TARAWA today, Kathy. These taken of the different aircraft on the decks of the ship are beautiful.

I need a magnifying glass to see if I can spot my pen-pal (LOL)...she's one of those who fuels the aircraft.

[Soaring Feather]

Good Morning radu, you still here?

[MeekOneGOP]

Yes, APOD is a great site...

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

NEW THREAD

[stand watie]

!!

[cmwells]

I have to say - what a great job you have done with the tribute to the USS Tarawa. My name is Christy Wells, and I am Brian's wife. I am so overwhelmed by all of the support that the Freepers have given to him and to the families. I love my husband more than anything, and all I want is for him and all of the other troops to return home to their families safely. But most of all, Thank you, Freepers, for your support!

[Kathy in Alaska]

The Welcome Mat is always out, Christy. The USO Canteen FReeper Style is open 24/7 to honor our troops, our veterans, their families (that would be you), and our allies. It was such a treat today to put a "face" to a "name" of a fellow freeper, and AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY GUY. And it was fun to learn some about his ship. It was wonderful to meet his Mom and sister, and now his wife. I hope you visit the Canteen often and enjoy some of the fun we have honoring our troops. God bless our troops and keep them safe as they work to keep us safe.

[cmwells]

Thanks for the welcome, Kathy - it is going to be good for me to be able to communicate with all of you - something special to look forward to each day - and I will do my best to log on as much as possible. Brian has told me how incredible the responses have been, and I know how much he appreciates it, as well as how much he enjoys FR - and now I have seen the FR light, so here I am!

[snippy_about_it]

Hi Christy, it's very nice to meet you. Thank you and Sheila and Melissa and the rest of the family for sharing Brian with us.

I hope you saw the big I LOVE YOU CHRISTY he put in his post yesterday.

We are happy to support Brian and all the crew of the Tarawa along with all our military men and women.

I have to say we were suprised to learn you were an entire family of freepers. :)

The pleasure is truly all ours. It gives us great pride to be able to offer prayers and support. It makes us feel apart of the effort and for that we are grateful.

Stop by now and again and stay in touch. If there is anything we can do for you, just holler, someone is always here at the Canteen.

By the way, my husband and I sent our first care package to the ship today! whoo hoo! We are thrilled to offer what support we can.

Thanks again Christy, rwgal and hunyb.

[knighthawk]

Hi radu.

It is cloudy, but no real rain. Also it has been moderate, and not freezing cold like we usualy get in January.