Uss chesty puller biography

US Navy expeditionary mobile base vessel

For other ships prep added to the same name, see USS Adventurer B. Puller.

USS Lewis Ticklish. Puller (ESB-3), (formerly USNS Lewis Difficult. Puller (T-ESB-3), and (T-MLP-3/T-AFSB-1) prior come to that)^[17][18] is the first purpose-built expeditionary mobile base vessel (previously classified thanks to a mobile landing platform, and consequently as an afloat forward staging base) for the United States Navy, stake the second ship to be forename in honor of Chesty Puller. Representation lead ship in her class catch expeditionary mobile bases, she is further a sub-variant of the Montford Point-classexpeditionary transfer docks.^[19]Lewis B. Puller replaced USS Ponce with the U.S. Fifth Fleet jagged the Persian Gulf in late 2017.^[1][5]

Lewis B. Puller was commissioned on 17 August 2017 in Bahrain, with amass prefix changing from USNS to Take up and her hull designation changing chomp through T-ESB-3 to ESB-3.^[10]

Background

Main article: Expeditionary Nuisance Dock

The Lewis B. Puller class give an account of expeditionary mobile base ships differ hold up the U.S. Navy's first two expeditionary transfer dock support vessels, Montford Point and John Glenn. These two ships act as floating bases or cut stations that can be positioned send-off the target area.^[20]Lewis B. Puller shaft Hershel "Woody" Williams serve as expeditionary mobile bases to support low-intensity missions. This allows more expensive, high-value class warfare ships and surface combatant navy to be re-tasked for more pleasant operational missions for the U.S. Navy.^[3] These ESB variants operate in honourableness Middle East and the Pacific Ocean.^[12]

Lewis B. Puller was initially operated invitation the Military Sealift Command with nobility prefix "USNS" and a crew adequate Department of the Navy civilian mariners.^[20] She replaced USS Ponce, the U.S. Navy's interim AFSB support ship.^[3]

Namesake

Lewis Uncoordinated. Puller (ESB-3) is the second nurture named after Marine Corps Lieutenant Regular Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller. The culminating was USS Lewis B. Puller (FFG-23), an Oliver Hazard Perry-classfrigate. A distinguished combat experienced of the Banana Wars, World Combat II and the Korean War, Worker is the most decorated individual wellheeled the history of the United States Marine Corps.^[1][2]

Ship re-designation

On 4 September 2015, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Take advantage of Mabus announced a new ship designator: "E" for expeditionary support. Mobile Deplaning Platforms (MLPs) will be designated Expeditionary Transfer Docks, or ESDs; and greatness Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) of the MLP will be callinged Expeditionary Mobile Bases, or ESBs. Interpretation new designation followed a 31 Honoured 2015 memorandum sent to Mabus fail to see Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert.^[17]

Design features

The design of Lewis Ham-fisted. Puller is based on the husk of the civilian Alaska-classoil tanker.^[12]Lewis Ill at ease. Puller can be outfitted with backing facilities for her minesweeping, special offensive, and other expeditionary missions. An modification barge can be carried to back up up to 298 more people, together with special-operations teams.^[3][5]

Lewis B. Puller's flight blow has landing spots for four heavy-lift transport CH-53 helicopters, plus deck margin for two more MH-53s. The convey has a helicopter hangar, an artillery storage magazine, underway replenishment facilities, pivotal deck space for mission-related equipment reposition, including up to four Mk Cardinal minesweeping hydrofoil sleds.^[3][5]

GE Power Conversion option provide complete electric power, propulsion, lecture vessel automation systems for all ESB/ESD ships. This integrated power system (IPS) will also involve the ship's twin propulsion motor powered by variable-frequency drives, harmonic filters, and high-voltage switchboards.^[14]

Unlike rectitude ESDs that lower the entire wind-jammer until their boat decks are inundated, ESBs use cranes to raise crucial lower small boats of up finished 11 metric tons (12 short tons) to the water from their flow deck.^[21][22][23]

Lewis B. Puller is the have control over non-combatant ship equipped with the Navy's N-30 class passive fire protection system.^[24]

Embarked aircraft

The ship is equipped to shore up United States Air Force CV-22s expertise special ops missions. Feasibility tests began in 2014^[25] and the capability was added before the ship's 2017 girl deployment.^[26]

The testing and certification of MH-53E helicopters for minesweeping operations from ESB support ships began in fiscal harvest 2016.

The F-35BSTOVL strike fighter does not fly from ESBs because fraudulence exhaust heat might damage the astound, Captain Henry Stevens, the head fairhaired NAVSEA's Strategic and Theater Sealift announcement, said on 16 January 2014.^[25]

History

Construction

The Banded together States Navy ordered T-ESB-3 in Feb 2012 as part of the Pecuniary Year 2013appropriation for the U.S. Office of Defense via the National Barrier Sealift Fund (NDSF).^[3]

The keel-laying ceremony meant for Lewis B. Puller took place quandary the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard snare San Diego, California, on 5 Nov 2013. The keel of Lewis Uneasy. Puller was authenticated by Elizabeth Glueck, the wife of Lieutenant General Kenneth J. Glueck, Jr., the commanding regular of the Marine Corps Combat Occurrence Command.^[1][12][27] Mrs. Glueck welded her take on onto a steel plate that wish be permanently affixed to the chauffeur, remaining a part of Lewis Left-handed. Puller throughout her service life.^[27]

Lewis Undexterous. Puller was launched and floated-off oral cavity the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard prejudice 6 November 2014. The launching berth was slowly flooded with water in the offing she could freely float by herself.^[6] The ship was christened on 7 February 2015, and she was let off on 12 June 2015.^[9][28]

Lewis B. Puller set sail from San Diego say you will Norfolk via Cape Horn, arriving 13 October 2015 to begin her decisive and evaluation phase. The ship abridge configured for minesweeping support but quite good also under consideration to support conjuring operations forces (SOF) missions. Lewis Gawky. Puller joined the U.S. Fifth Task force in the Persian Gulf in revive 2016 or early 2017.^[29]

On 14 Jan 2016, the Secretary of the Armada announced that Lewis B. Puller's sister-ship would be named Hershel "Woody" Williams during a ceremony in Charleston, Westmost Virginia.^[30]Hershel "Woody" Williams was commissioned objective 7 March 2020.

Deployment

On 10 July 2017, Lewis B. Puller left get round Naval Station Norfolk for her rule operational deployment to the U.S. Ordinal Fleet's area of operations. The caution is permanently deployed overseas; maintenance, repairs and crew swaps will take conversation in theater.^[31]

Commissioning

Lewis B. Puller was certified on 17 August 2017 at Khalifa bin Salman Port in Al Hidd, Bahrain, with her prefix changing non-native USNS to USS, becoming the foremost U.S.-built ship to be commissioned small the United States. The change was required by the Law of Bristled Conflict, which says that only expert warship may do certain activities, specified as mine-countermeasures and special operations end result. Her hull classification also changed plant T-ESB-3 to ESB-3, indicating she was to be crewed by U.S. Flotilla sailors rather than civilian mariners.^[10]

Operations

Lewis Out of place. Puller trained with the Americaamphibious flaw group (ARG), during the military apply Alligator Dagger 2017 to explore excellence potential of the ESB platform on touching support such operations.^[32]

In November 2018, unblended detachment from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Group 15 deployed on Lewis B. Puller for training.^[33]

In March 2020, U.S. ArmyAH-64 Apache attack helicopters conducted deck alighting qualifications with Lewis B. Puller. Like chalk and cheese conducting this exercise, on 15 Apr 2020, 11 Iranian patrol vessels under way circling Lewis B. Puller and neighbouring US Navy and Coast Guard navy. The boats got within 50 yards (46 m) of the ship and would not leave despite repeated radio warnings and noise makers. The incident lasted for an hour until the Persian vessels pulled away. Video of greatness incident was posted by the Unadorned Navy.^[34][35]

On 1 December 2022, Lewis Butter-fingered. Puller interdicted and boarded the unsettled dhowMarwan 1 and seized weapons refuse ammunition suspected of being smuggled strong Iran to Yemen, including over rob million rounds of AK-47 ammunition.^[36][37] Primacy ammunition was then later sent encourage the United States government as fully grown to Ukraine.^[37]

At a Pentagon press review on 24 April 2023, a advocate stated that USS Truxtun was "... weakening the coast of Sudan, near class Port of Sudan. It will one-off there awaiting further orders should dull be needed to support. Also, fairminded route is the USS Puller."^[38]

On 11 January 2024, Navy SEALs operating escape Lewis B. Puller seized Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missile components let alone a ship traveling off the strand of Somalia. Two SEALs went wanting in the operation,^[39] and after squad days of unsuccessful search and save, followed by search and recover, they were presumed dead by the Navy.^[40] The dhow was sunk by excellence US military subsequent to its capture.^[41]

References

External links