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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Frank M. Egger

USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - November - Kilo - Papa
 NNKP
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (5)
Second Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Kosovo Service Medal (2) - Armed Forces Service Medal
Third Row - Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (5) - Humanitarian Service Medal (Nobel Obelisk, 25 May 97 - 6 June 97) - NATO Medal
Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ship (Multi-Purpose):
  • Laid down, 9 February 1990, at Litton-Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula, MS.
  • Launched, 26 March 1992
  • Commissioned USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), 16 October 1993
  • USS Kearsarge is a unit of Amphibious Squadron Six, Amphibious Group Two, US Atlantic Fleet, and is homeported at Norfolk, VA.
    Specifications:
    Displacement 40,650 tons (fl.)
    Length 844'
    Beam 105'
    Speed 20 kts.+
    Complement 104 Officer, 1004 Enlisted
    Marine Force 1894 (plus 184 surge)
    Armament
    two RAM launchers
    two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers
    three 20mm Phalanx (CIWS) mounts
    four .50cal. machine guns
    Aircraft
    twelve CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters
    four CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters
    six AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft
    three UH-1N Huey helicopters
    four AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters
    planned capability to embark MV-22 Osprey VTOL tilt-rotors
    Power Plant
    two 600 psi boilers
    two geared steam turbines
    two shafts
    70,000 total shaft horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed By/
    Source
    Kearsarge 27k Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway in the Gulf of Mexico prior to Commissioning during builders trials, 1993.
    US Navy photo    		 David Holst
    Kearsarge 93k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway, 1994, location unknown. Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 75k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo by John M. Hall PH3.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 110k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) first test firing of Sea Sparrow launchers during underway trials in 1993.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo by John M. Hall PH3 USN
    Kearsarge 87k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) first test firing of Sea Sparrow launchers during underway trials in 1993.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo by John M. Hall PH3 USN
    Kearsarge 12k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway, 29 May 1997, location unknown.
    US Navy photo # 1-970529-N-0000A-001    		 Bernard A. Cardali USN, USS LST-308
    Kearsarge 22k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) moored pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kearsarge 44k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway during her first Mediterranean Deployment, 1995.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kearsarge 43k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Kearsarge 88k Nearing the end of her maiden deployment USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) is at Barcelona, Spain, 1 September 1995, with CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters parked aft on her flight deck, CH-46 Sea Knights and at least one AH-1 Super Cobra amidships, and "Tilly" (heavy lift crane) forward. Earlier in this deployment (June 8) Marines and helicopters of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), operating from Kearsarge, rescued Capt. Scott O'Grady, USAF, whose F-16 had been shot down over Bosnia on June 2. For this brilliantly executed operation the Secretary of the Navy awarded Kearsarge the Navy Unit Commendation on 21 September 1995. Photo by Fabio Peņa
    Kearsarge 72k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway, 18 February 1999, during Joint Task Force Exercise 99-1. A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) returns to the ship operating off the coast of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.
    US Navy photo # 2-990218-N-9593R-002    		 Bernard A. Cardali USN, USS LST-308
    Kearsarge 77k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) starboard view. Photo taken, in port, Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001 Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 100k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in port, Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001 Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 83k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) flight deck view with aircraft from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Two Six Six (HMM-266) on board. Photo taken, in port, Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001. Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 170k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) island view from the forward flight deck looking aft. Photo taken, in port, Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001. Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 198k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) ship's bell. Photo taken, in port, Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001. Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 96k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) forward flight deck view with RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile and RIM-7 Sea Sparrow launchers to starboard. Photo taken in port,Rijeka, Croatia, 7 August 2001. Photo by Frank M. Egger - Lienz/Austria
    Kearsarge 97k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)'s deck loaded with CH-53E Super Stallion helos from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron Four Six Four (HMH-464) as the ship steams in the Northern Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 30 March 2003.
    US Navy photo # 030330-N-2972R-014 by PH3 Angel Roman-Otero.    		 Bill Gonyo
    Kearsarge 83k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) underway in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 January 2005. A Marine Corps CH-46E helicopter, assigned to the "Golden Eagles" of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron One Six Two (HMM-162), lifts off from the flight deck of Kearsarge.
    US Navy photo # 050120-N-7506R-002 by PHAN Dexter Roberts.    		 Navy News Stand
    Kearsarge 53k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) gets underway from her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, VA. as she departs on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism, 25 March 2005. U.S. Navy photo by PHJ3 Timothy Bensken (RELEASED) Navy News Stand
    Kearsarge 55k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) off Camp Lejeune, N.C., 26 March 2005. A Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC), assigned to Assault Craft Unit Four (ACU-4), enters Kearsarge's well deck carrying vehicles from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU-26). The 26th MEU is departing Camp Lejeune, N.C., for a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
    US Marine Corps photo # 050326-M-5900L-004 by LCpl. Daniel R. Lowndes.    		 Navy News Stand
    Kearsarge 133k A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier launches from the flight deck of USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during flight operations in the Mediterranean Sea, 19 April 2005.
    US Navy photo # 050419-N-5313A-049 by PHAN Sarah E. Ard,    		 Jack Treutle
    Kearsarge 184k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) transits the Bab Al Mandeb after departing the Red Sea and into the Gulf of Aden. Kearsarge is surge deployed to transport elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the Central Command Area of responsibility in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and the global war on terrorism.
    US Navy photo # 040701-N-2972R-068 by PH3 Angel Roman-Otero .    		 Navy NewsStand
    Kearsarge 91k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) steams into New York Harbor during Fleet Week New York City 2006, 21 May 2006. Sam Middleton
    Kearsarge 2024k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) steams up the Hudson River, 21 May 2008 during the parade of ships for the 21st Fleet Week New York 2008. More than 4,000 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen will participate in various community relation projects and have the opportunity to visit popular attractions in New York City.
    US Navy photo # 080521-N-8907D-131 NEW YORK CITY (May 21, 2008) by MC3 David Danals.     		Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 1869k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) steams up the Hudson River, 21 May 2008 during the parade of ships for the 21st Fleet Week New York 2008.
    US Navy photo # 080521-N-8907D-967 NEW YORK CITY (May 21, 2008) by MC3 David Danals.     		Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 1608k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) steams up the Hudson River, 21 May 2008 during the parade of ships for the 21st Fleet Week New York 2008.
    US Navy photo # 080521-N-8907D-921 NEW YORK CITY (May 21, 2008) by MC3 David Danals.     		Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 3699k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) steams up the Hudson River, 21 May 2008 during the parade of ships for the 21st Fleet Week New York 2008.
    US Navy photo # 080521-N-8907D-879 NEW YORK (May 21, 2008) by MC3 David Danals.     		Robert M. Cieri
    Kearsarge 712k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) pulls alongside the former USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), 30 July 2007, off the Atlantic coastline, as the carrier is being towed to Norfolk, VA.
    US Navy photo # 070330-N-6216H-006 ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 30, 2007) by Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 3rd Class Cesar Huerta    		 Chet Morris
    Kearsarge 1382k USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) moored at Naval Station Norfolk, VA., circa April 2008. Photo by Larry Backus
    Kearsarge (LHD-3) Memorabilia
    Kearsarge
    Commissioning Program
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri    		 Kearsarge
    1994
    Welcome Aboard
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri    		 Kearsarge
    1994
    Public Affairs Office Booklet
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri    		 Kearsarge
    2001
    Welcome Aboard
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri    		 Kearsarge

    Maiden Med Deployment
    Contributed by
    Robert M. Cieri
    There is no DANFS history available for Kearsarge (LHD-3) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)
    Amphibious Assault Ships - LHA/LHD/LHA(R)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 27 June 2008