USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19)

Fully loaded 24,900 ts

208.05 m

31.9 m

7.0 m

28 officers, 332 teams, up to 800 Marines

2 propellers, four diesel engines; 41,000 shaft horsepower

22 nodes

2 guns 30 mm, 2 starters for air defense missiles

The USS Mesa Verde (LPD -19 ) is an Amphibious transport dock of the San Antonio - class of the United States Navy. It is the first U.S. Navy ship to be named after the Mesa Verde National Park.

History

The construction contract was awarded on 29 February 2000 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula in the U.S. state of Mississippi, the keel was laid on 25 February 2003. During Launched on 19 November 2004 christened Linda Price Campbell, wife of former U.S. Senator from Colorado, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the ship. About three years later, on 15 December 2007, the Mesa Verde was officially put into service and first commander is Comdr. Shawn Lobree.

In August 2008, the Shock Trials, which runs through a ship of each new class, performed at the Mesa Verde. It detonated near the ship under water an explosive rate, which may cause damage to the ship but not seriously. In April 2009, the Mesa Verde participated in the UNITAS exercise, in September on the exercise PANAMAX. The beginning of 2010 should move as part of the battle group led by the USS Nassau ( LHA -4) in the Persian Gulf the ship. After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the group was, however, summoned at short notice on the coast of the affected region to provide assistance to the affected people there. In March 2011, the Mesa Verde was part of the battle group led by the USS Bataan (LHD- 5), which moved as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn in the Mediterranean.