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USS BATAAN
memorializes the valiant resistance of American and Filipino troops on
the Bataan Peninsula in the dawning days of World War II. Fighting on
the Philippine Islands of Luzon and Corregidor began just 10 short hours
after the raid on Pearl Harbor. After weeks of Japanese air raids and
beach landings on the north of Luzon, General Douglas MacArthur ordered
withdrawal from the fortified north to the narrow jungle peninsula December
23, 1941. There, combined Army, Navy, Marine Corps and American-trained
Filipino forces opposed teeming Japanese aggressors.
Despite
rampant disease, malnutrition, insufficient supplies and ammunition, the
“Battling Bastards of Bataan” defended the peninsula until April 16, 1942.
Corregidor fell shortly after on May 6, 1942. During combat, some units
absorbed as high as 80 percent casualties. Tens of thousands of American
service members died either in battle or during the unconscionable “Bataan
Death March.” The 65-mile “Death March” alone claimed the lives of more
than 21,000 allies in less than a week and is marked as one of the greatest
travesties of World War II. Those who survived the march faced starvation
and disease aboard “hell ships” during transportation and later in prison
camps until Japan's formal surrender in 1945. Two of every three Americans
who defended Bataan and Corregidor never returned home.
Bataan
was the last American stronghold in the Pacific theater to fall until
MacArthur fulfilled his famed prophecy, “I shall return,” by reconquering
the Philippine Islands two-and-one-half years later. The battle of Bataan
and ensuing “Death March” are widely regarded as one of the greatest examples
of allied courage, endurance and sacrifice in the history of military
conflict.
USS BATAAN (LHD 5) was commissioned September 20, 1997. BATAAN is the
fifth ship in the WASP class of United States Navy multipurpose amphibious
assault ships. The mission of BATAAN is to enable the Navy and
Marine Corps team to accomplish a seamless transition “….from the sea” to
the land battle, as the lead ship and centerpiece of
an Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG). A multi-mission ARG is capable of
amphibious assault, advance force, and special purpose operations, as
well as non-combatant evacuation and other humanitarian assistance missions.
LHDs embark, transport, deploy, command and
fully support all elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) of
2,000 Marines, inserting forces ashore via helicopters, landing craft and
amphibious vehicles. The WASP class ships are the first ships
specifically designed to utilize landing craft air-cushion vehicles (LCACs) for assault.
LHDs can accommodate the full range of Navy and Marine
Corps helicopters, conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles, along with
all of the tanks, vehicles, artillery, ammunition and other supplies necessary
to fully support the assault force. The WASP class ships were
also specifically designed to carry a squadron of Harrier II (AV-8B) V/STOL
(Vertical Short Take Off and Landing) jets for operational support and are
capable of carrying and supporting the MV-22 Osprey and the Marine
Joint Strike Fighter. Bataan is the first ship to carry the Osprey for
an operational deployment.
One of the fleet's busiest ships over the last four years, BATAAN has participated in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation IRAQI
FREEDOM I and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II while supporting combat operations in both
Afghanistan and Iraq. During their 2009 deployment, Bataan became the
first Navy ship to embark the MV-22B Osprey on an
operational deployment. During OIF II, January-March 2004, the crew's mission was to
offload Marines from Second Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), along
with their equipment and ammunition, into Kuwait in order to help stabilize
Iraq. The Marines were part of a 25,000 member air-and-ground task force
that contributed to the largest rotation of U.S. Forces since World War
II. During OIF I January-June 2003, her crew developed the Harrier Carrier
concept, flying up to 26 AV-8B's off her deck during OIF I. This innovation
maximized the combat capabilities of assets in theater and directly resulted
in the destruction of hundreds of military targets within Iraq and once
again proved the flexibility of this mighty warship.
For
combat support, as well as non-combatant evacuation and other humanitarian
missions, LHDs have hospital facilities second only to the Navy's hospital
ships, including six fully-equipped medical operating rooms, and hospital
facilities capable of caring for as many as 600 patients.
BATAAN
is 844 feet long, with a beam of 106 feet. Her well deck is 267 feet long
and capable of holding three LCACs. Two steam propulsion plants, developing
a combined 70,000 horsepower, drive the 40,500-ton ship in excess of 20
knots. The ship's living areas can accommodate approximately 3,200 crewmembers
and embarked troops.
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