Tarawa Makes Landmark Launch From LHA Class Ship

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman David A. Brandenburg, USS Tarawa Public Affairs
Sailors and Marines aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) successfully launched and retrieved raiding craft combat rubber inflatables (CRRC) for the first time from an LHA class ship, March 29.
The successful execution proved Tarawa-class ships can utilize these boats for advanced covert insertion of Marine forces ashore.
"These types of craft can be launched on all other amphibious ships as well." said Chief Warrant Officer Danny Lee, assistant first lieutenant of Tarawa's Deck Department. "Unlike other amphibious ships, we don't have a stern gate that lowers into the water, since we don't have one, we had to improvise and come up with a different procedure altogether to launch the CRRCs."
The morning of the launch, Marines attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, staged the CRRCs in the well deck, and carried them to the water's edge. From there, the boats were pushed into the water.
"The evolution went great, and ran very smoothly" said Lee. "There was a lot of effort put into this, and a ton of coordination with Marines."
Successfully completing the evolution will enable LHA class ships and their embarked Marines to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) with expanded mission capabilities.
Tarawa is on a regularly scheduled deployment to the 5th Fleet area of operations in support of MSO.