USS Mesa Verde

USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) is the third San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock of the United States Navy. She is the first U.S. Navy warship to be named after the Mesa Verde National Park in the U.S. state of Colorado.

USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19)
USS Mesa Verde during builders' sea trials in late 2007.
History
United States
Name: USS Mesa Verde
Namesake: Mesa Verde National Park
Awarded: 29 February 2000
Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems
Laid down: 25 February 2003
Launched: 19 November 2004
Christened: 15 January 2005
Commissioned: 15 December 2007
Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia
Identification:
Motto: Courage Teamwork Tradition
Status: in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type: San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
Displacement: 24,433 tons (full)
Length:
  • 208.4 meters (684 ft) overall,
  • 201.4 meters (661 ft) waterline
Beam:
  • 32 meters (105 ft) extreme,
  • 29.5 meters (97 ft) waterline
Draft: 7 meters (23 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 Two LCACs (air cushion) or one LCU (conventional)
Capacity: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge to 800 total.
Complement: 28 officers, 83 enlisted (including 550 marines)[1]
Armament:
  • 1 × 16 cell MK 41 VLS (capable, but not currently installed)
  • 2 × RIM-116 RAM launchers for air defense;
  • 2 × 30 mm Bushmaster II cannons, for surface threat defense;
  • 2 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns for close protection
Aircraft carried: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or recovered simultaneously.

History

The contract to build Mesa Verde was awarded on 29 February 2000 to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and her keel was laid down on 25 February 2003. She was launched on 19 November 2004, and christened on 15 January 2005 with Linda Price Campbell, wife of former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, serving as the ship's sponsor. The ship was commissioned on 15 December 2007 in Panama City, Florida.[2]

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References
This article contains information from the Naval Vessel Registry and various other United States Navy Web sites.
  1. "Norfolk-based USS Mesa Verde heads to Persian Gulf with 550 Marines aboard".
  2. "U.S. Navy commissions new ship built by Northrop Grumman". Associated Press. 15 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2007.
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