USS Boxer (LHD-4)
|
|
| Missing image USS_Boxer_LHD-4.jpg USS Boxer in the Persian Gulf USS Boxer in the Persian Gulf, CH-53 in foreground | |
| Career | 
|
|---|---|
| Laid down: | 18 April 1991 |
| Launched: | 13 August 1993 |
| Commissioned: | 11 February 1995 |
| Fate: | Template:Active in service |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 40,722 tons full |
| Length: | 844 ft (256 m) |
| Beam: | 106 ft (32.3 m) |
| Draft: | 28 ft ( m) |
| Speed: | 24 knots |
| Complement: | 73 officers, 1,009 enlisted |
| Marines: | 1,894 |
| Armament: | Sea Sparrow, Phalanx CIWS |
| Aircraft: | varies, as many as 42 helicopters |
The sixth USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy.
Boxer was constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, launched 13 August 1993, and commissioned 11 February 1995. She immediately left for San Diego, California via the Panama Canal, but although designed to fit the canal, her bridge wing and other smaller components were sheared off in the transit.
After minor repairs and system checkout, Boxer deployed to the Western Pacific 24 March 1997 to 24 September 1997, along with Ogden (LPD-5) and Fort Fisher (LSD-40), and visited many foreign ports of call. Boxer also participated in RIMPAC the following year, then on 5 December 1998 deployed again to the Western Pacific.
Boxer deployed again to the Western Pacific, Persian Gulf and Red Sea on March 14 2001 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Northern Watch. She visited Singapore, Thailand, Guam, Jebel Ali, Bahrain, and Jordan, returning to the United States on 14 September 2001, just three days after the attacks of September 11, 2001.
As a result of the impending war and need for troops in Iraq, Boxer found herself deploying yet again, this time six months ahead of schedule. This was a 6 month deployment in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Deployed with six other ships from San Diego, CA on January 17, 2003: Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), Anchorage (LSD-36), Cleveland (LPD-7), Comstock (LSD-19), Dubuque (LPD-8) and Pearl Harbor (LSD-52). She returned back to the United States on July 26, 2003.
In another early deployment to become known as a surge deployment, Boxer steamed alone from San Diego on January 14, 2004 to support on the ongoing rebuilding efforts in Iraq, dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom II. She delivered equipment and supplies to Kuwaiti Naval Base in the northern Persian Gulf for the continuing support of the post-war rebuilding of Iraq. She returned home on April 29, 2004.
See USS Boxer for other Navy ships of the same name.
External link
- USS Boxer homepage (http://www.boxer.navy.mil)
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
| Wasp-class amphibious assault ship |
| Wasp | Essex | Kearsarge | Boxer | Bataan | Bonhomme Richard | Iwo Jima | Makin Island |
| List of amphibious assault ships of the United States Navy |