SITE NAVIGATION

SHIP SPECIFIC INFORMATION

TYPE	AMPHIBOUS ASSAULT (LHD)
CLASS	WASP
OFFICIAL NAME	USS WASP
PENNANT NUMBER	1
NICKNAME	N/A
MOTTO	N/A
BUILDER	INGALLS SHIPBUILDING
CONTRACT AWARD DATE	02/28/1984
KEEL LAYING DATE	05/30/1985
LAUNCH DATE	08/04/1987
DELIVERY DATE	05/05/1989
COMMISSION DATE	07/29/1989
PLANNING YARD	NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, NORFOLK, VA
NAVSEA PMS	470
CUSTODIAN	US NAVY
STATUS	ACTIVE DUTY
HOMEPORT	NORFOLK, VA
MAILING ADDRESS	FPO, AE, 09556-1660
UIC (UNIT IDENT. CODE)	21560
TYPE COMMANDER	SURFLANT
FLEET COMMAND	N/A
GROUP COMMAND	N/A
SQUADRON COMMAND	PHIBRON 6

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS

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LHD 1 | USS WASP

Namesake:

Legacy name

In naming LHD-1 "Wasp", the Navy honors nine previous ships, dating to the American Revolution, which have borne this illustrious name.

Previous U.S. Navy ships named Wasp include:

a schooner (1775-1777), a sloop of war (1806-1813),
another schooner (1810-1814),
a tender sloop (1813-1814),
a ship-rigged sloop of war (1814),
an iron-hulled side wheel steamer (1865-1876),
a steam yacht (1898-1921),
and the most famous of the nine, two aircraft carriers, CV-7 (1940-1942) and CV-18 (1943-1972).

The eighth Wasp was a 14,700 ton, 741-foot aircraft carrier that earned two battle stars during World War II. Wasp's sterling performance evoked British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's famous quote, "Who said a Wasp couldn't sting twice?"

After shifting to the Pacific theater of operations, CV-7 participated in a number of major engagements before being sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal on September 15, 1942.

Following the loss of CV-7, CV-18, already under construction at the time, became the ninth Wasp. The ship earned eight battle stars for it's World War II service in the Pacific. After 29 years of gallant naval service, CV-18 was decommissioned in 1972.

Mission:

USS WASP (LHD-1) is the lead ship of an all-new class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Litton in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The Navy-Marine Corps team's newest amphibious warship has as its primary mission the support of a Marine Landing Force. USS WASP and her sister ships are the first specifically designed to accommodate new Landing Craft, Air Cushion for fast troop movement over the beach and Harrier II (AV-8B) Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing jets which provide close-in air support for the assault force. LHD-1, which is 844 feet long with a beam of 106 feet, also accommodates the full range of Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, conventional landing craft, and amphibious vehicles.

To carry out its primary mission, USS WASP has an assault support system that synchronizes the simultaneous horizontal and vertical flow of troops, cargo and vehicles throughout the ship. Two aircraft elevators service the hangar bay and flight deck. Six cargo elevators, each 12 by 25 feet, are used to transport material and supplies from the 100,000 cubic foot cargo holds throughout the ship to staging areas on the flight deck, hangar bay and vehicle storage area. Cargo is transferred to waiting landing craft docked within the ship's 13,000 square foot, 266 foot long, well deck. Helicopters in the hangar bay or on the flight deck are cargo-loaded by forklift.

LHD-1 has medical and dental facilities capable of providing intensive medical assistance to 600 casualties, whether combat incurred or brought aboard ship during humanitarian missions. The corpsmen also provide routine medical/dental care to the crew and embarked personnel. Major medical facilities include four main and two emergency operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, x-ray rooms, a blood bank, laboratories, and patient wards. In addition, three battle dressing stations are located throughout the ship, as well as a casualty collecting area at the flight deck level. Medical elevators rapidly transfer casualties from the flight deck and hangar bay to the medical facilities.

For the comfort of the 1,075 crewmembers and 1,600 embarked troops, all manned spaces and berthing areas are individually heated and air conditioned. Crew and troop berthing are on the same deck level, with galleys and mess facilities nearby. Berthing areas are subdivided to provide semi-private spaces without adversely affecting efficiency. Deck and wall coverings are decorative but also serviceable and easy to maintain. Messing areas facilitate rapid feeding in a restaurant atmosphere. Onboard recreational facilities include a state-of-the-art Library Multi-Media Resource Center with Internet access, a weight room, arcade machines and satellite television capabilities.

USS WASP's two steam propulsion plants--the largest currently in operation in the U.S. Navy--generate a total of 400 tons of steam per hour. The propulsion system develops 70,000 shaft horsepower, powering the ship to speeds in excess of 22 knots. USS Wasp was built using more than 21,000 tons of steel, 400 tons of aluminum, 400 miles of electrical/electronic cables, 80 miles of piping and tubing of various types and sizes, and 10 miles of ventilation ducting. WASP weighed more than 27,000 tons when moved onto the Ingalls floating dry-dock on July 30, 1987 for launch on August 4, 1987, becoming the largest man-made object rolled across land.

Historical Notes:

Not yet available

Ship's Crest:

Supporters: Not yet available

The Shield: Dark blue and gold are the traditional colors. Blue alludes to the sea, the theater of Naval operations. Gold is for excellence.

The chevron, a traditional symbol for support, represents the amphibious assault mission of the ship. It resembles a wave move to shore and refers to the deployment of men, women and cargo.

The wings highlight USS WASP's aviation heritage and capabilities. The modern ship with crossed officer sword and enlisted cutlass adapted from the surface warfare emblems represents leadership, teamwork and the ship's mission in surface operations. The pile of a sharp pointed "V" shape is expressive of assault, combat readiness and victory.

The counter-change of colors emphasizes the ship's capability to integrate sea, air and land combat missions to make an amphibious assault. The shield is divided into nine sections honoring the nine previous ships named "WASP."

The Crest: The Wasp, with its well-developed wings and ability to administer painful stings, epitomizes quick striking power. The stars recall two of the previous USS WASP's CV-7 and CV18, aircraft carriers that earned two and eight battle stars respectively for World War II service.

The red disc or sun refers to World War II Japan and the Pacific Theater where these aircraft carriers saw heavy combat action. The tridents are symbolic of sea power and weaponry.

Motto: On an azure-edged scroll are the words: "Honor, Tradition, Excellence"