The U.S. Navy has selected the name Makin Island for its
next amphibious assault ship, which honors the daring raid
carried out by Marine Corps Companies A and B, Second Raider
Battalion, on Japanese-held Makin Island, in the Gilbert
Islands, Aug. 17-18, 1942.
The raid was launched from the submarines USS Nautilus and
USS Argonaut and succeeded in routing the enemy forces based
there, gaining valuable intelligence. The raid's leader, Marine
Corps Lt. Col. Evan Carlson was awarded the Navy Cross for his
actions, while Marine Corps Sgt. Clyde Thompson, was awarded the
Medal of Honor for heroism and was the first enlisted Marine to
be so honored during World War II.
The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Michael Hagee,
cited the transformational nature of the engagement in a letter
to Secretary Johnson and noted that many considered the raid the
Marine Corps' first action in the realm of special operations.
In 2001, the bodies of 19 Marine Corps raiders who died
during the operation or were executed after being captured were
recovered on the island of Kwajalein and returned to the United
States for burial.
An amphibious warship is uniquely designed to support
assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. The
844-foot ship weighs more than 40,500 tons and carries a crew of
approximately 1,000 Sailors and 1,900 Marines. Aircraft
normally carried by this class of ships include a mix of Marine
Corps helicopters and the Harrier attack aircraft.
The United States maintains the largest and most capable
amphibious force in the world, and the Wasp-class ships are the
largest amphibious ships in the world. The lead ship USS Wasp
was commissioned in July 1989 in Norfolk, Va. Other ships in
the class include USS Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan, USS
Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, USS
Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San
Diego, and USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk.
The Makin Island will be built at Northrop-Grumman Ship
Systems in Pascagoula, Miss, and is expected to be christened in
2006.
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/...and/naming.txt
next amphibious assault ship, which honors the daring raid
carried out by Marine Corps Companies A and B, Second Raider
Battalion, on Japanese-held Makin Island, in the Gilbert
Islands, Aug. 17-18, 1942.
The raid was launched from the submarines USS Nautilus and
USS Argonaut and succeeded in routing the enemy forces based
there, gaining valuable intelligence. The raid's leader, Marine
Corps Lt. Col. Evan Carlson was awarded the Navy Cross for his
actions, while Marine Corps Sgt. Clyde Thompson, was awarded the
Medal of Honor for heroism and was the first enlisted Marine to
be so honored during World War II.
The Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Michael Hagee,
cited the transformational nature of the engagement in a letter
to Secretary Johnson and noted that many considered the raid the
Marine Corps' first action in the realm of special operations.
In 2001, the bodies of 19 Marine Corps raiders who died
during the operation or were executed after being captured were
recovered on the island of Kwajalein and returned to the United
States for burial.
An amphibious warship is uniquely designed to support
assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. The
844-foot ship weighs more than 40,500 tons and carries a crew of
approximately 1,000 Sailors and 1,900 Marines. Aircraft
normally carried by this class of ships include a mix of Marine
Corps helicopters and the Harrier attack aircraft.
The United States maintains the largest and most capable
amphibious force in the world, and the Wasp-class ships are the
largest amphibious ships in the world. The lead ship USS Wasp
was commissioned in July 1989 in Norfolk, Va. Other ships in
the class include USS Essex (LHD 2), Sasebo, Japan, USS
Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, USS
Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San
Diego, and USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk.
The Makin Island will be built at Northrop-Grumman Ship
Systems in Pascagoula, Miss, and is expected to be christened in
2006.
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/...and/naming.txt
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