USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3)

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USS Belleau Wood on 11 July 2005
History
United States
Name	Belleau Wood
Namesake	USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
Ordered	15 November 1969
Builder	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down	5 March 1973
Launched	11 April 1977
Commissioned	23 September 1978
Decommissioned	28 October 2005
Renamed	from Philippine Sea
Stricken	28 October 2005
Homeport	San Diego
Identification	Callsign: NBWD Hull number: LHA-3
Fate	Sunk as target, 13 July 2006
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement	40,000 tons
Length	820 ft (250 m)
Beam	106 ft (32 m)
Draft	26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion	Steam turbine
Speed	24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
Troops	2,000 Marines plus equipment
Complement	930 officers and sailors
Armament	2 × 21 cell RAM launchers 2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 4 × 25 mm Mk 38 Bushmaster gun mounts 5 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) mounts
Aircraft carried	30 helicopters and Harriers

USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), nicknamed "Devil Dog", was an amphibious assault ship and the second ship named after the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood. Her keel was laid down on 5 March 1973 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding. She was launched on 11 April 1977, and commissioned on 23 September 1978.

Belleau Wood was the third of five ships in a new class (Tarawa class) of general-purpose amphibious assault ships, which combined into one ship type the functions previously performed by four different types: the landing platform helicopter (LPH), the amphibious transport dock (LPD), the amphibious cargo ship (LKA), and the dock landing ship (LSD). She was capable of landing elements of a United States Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft, helicopters, or a combination of both.