| Commissioned: September 23, 1978 | |||||||||
| Decommissioned: October 28, 2005 | |||||||||
| Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss. | |||||||||
| Propulsion system: two boilers, two geared steam turbines | |||||||||
| Propellers: two | |||||||||
| Aircraft elevators: two | |||||||||
| Length: 833,34 feet (254 meters) | |||||||||
| Flight Deck Width: 132,2 feet (40.3 meters) | |||||||||
| Beam: 106,6 feet (32.5 meters) | |||||||||
| Draft: 26,25 feet (8 meters) | |||||||||
| Displacement: approx. 39,300 tons full load | |||||||||
| Speed: 24 knots | |||||||||
Aircraft: (depends upon mission)
| |||||||||
| Crew: Ship: 82 officers, 882 enlisted Marine Detachment: 1,900+ | |||||||||
| Armament: two Rolling Airframe Missile Systems (RAM), four 25mm Mk 38 Gun Mounts, two Phalanx CIWS, four .50 Cal. Mounts |
USS Belleau Wood and 31st MEU support INTERFET by JOC (SW/AW) Mike Welding, USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) Public Affairs Officer
USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3), OFF THE COAST OF EAST TIMOR (NNS)-- In less than a year, USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked upon their second no-notice deployment to a world crisis area, once again demonstrating the value of the Navy and Marine Corps' Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF).
Last November the BWD/MEU Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) unexpectedly deployed to the Arabian Gulf where it supported Operations Desert Thunder, Southern Watch and Desert Fox. Earlier this month, the Navy's only permanently forward deployed amphibious assault ship received another sudden set of orders, and set sail for the beleaguered island of East Timor.
Currently assigned to U.S. Forces assisting the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET), Belleau Wood left Okinawa Oct. 1 with four CH-53 helicopters from the Okinawa-based 31st MEU to provide heavy-lift logistical capabilities for the Australian-led UN forces.
Based in Darwin, Australia, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John G. Castellaw, Commander of U.S. Forces participating in INTERFET, said that Belleau Wood and its embarked Marines were a welcome and needed addition to the forces already in place. "The Australians are stretched thin. Our mission is to ensure the Australians succeed. I was very happy to have the Belleau Wood and the 31st MEU come down here. It will mean a great deal to the Australians to have the added capabilities of the CH-53s," said Castellaw.
Capt. Tom Parker, Belleau Wood's Commanding Officer, echoed and expanded on Castellaw's sentiments. "We're the ideal platform to come down here with our logistics, communications, medical and repair facilities. We bring an enormous capability to help out the forces and people of East Timor," noted the 47-year-old Savannah, GA., native. "Whatever we are asked to do within the parameters of our mission guidelines, we'll do, and do it as well as we can," he emphasized.
While Belleau Wood's crew has assisted INTERFET through anticipated activities such as air traffic control coordination and planning, much of their assistance thus far was unforeseen.
In addition to providing general stores, medical supplies and building materials, Cmdr. Steve Romano, Belleau Wood's Supply Officer, stated that the ship is currently providing hotel services, processing about 100 pounds of laundry daily, and also provided a commercial washer, dryer and refrigerator for use ashore. Additionally, Belleau Wood is making daily ice runs, serving hot meals to forces visiting the ship and allowing visitors to take showers, something many of them have been unable to do for weeks due to considerable damage to East Timor infrastructure facilities.
Romano said it was good to see the smiles on the ground troops' faces, stating, "It is the least we can do to help our shipmates ashore."
As good as the hot meals and showers make the ground troops feel, probably the most significant service from the ship's crew has been its unique handyman repair team. Each day, several Belleau Wood crewmembers from its Engineering Department go ashore to make repairs to damaged buildings. While they have done everything from clearing sewage lines to repairing air conditioners, their most extensive tasks have involved making electrical repairs. HTC(SW) Larry Baker, 37, said his whole team has done a remarkable job, but gave exceptional praise to one electrician, EM1(SW) Simplicio Vilale. "He has managed to repair various wiring and electrical systems when others said it couldn't be done. Without him I don't think we would be as far ahead as we are now," said the Frederick, MD., native.
Within a short period, Belleau Wood has already made a significant impact on the East Timor operations. "The importance of the Navy cannot be overstated," noted the Commander of the International Forces, Australian Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove. "You're providing tremendous support and presence."
For Belleau Wood's crew, supporting the East Timor operations caused some initial disruptions, particularly with their families. Yet many crewmembers were not that surprised; the unexpected nature of no-notice deployments is no longer rare. "Belleau Wood is like the 911 of the fleet," noted SM1(SW/AW) Chris Cation, a 40-year-old native of Humble, TX. "We're always ready to respond to anything we are asked to do. That's what makes Belleau Wood the great ship and crew it is."
