USS America commissioning ceremony

**sailortats** · 12th October 14, 06:40 AM

Yesterday I attended the commissioning ceremony of LHA 6, the USS America. The first of her class as a new amphibious warship. I did go kilted but was the only one there in a kilt. I did however get asked to pose for photos several times while in the hangar deck for an informal breakfast before the ceremony.

On arrival to the pier

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Proof positive of wearing the kilt

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Dining area on hangar deck

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MV 22 Osprey VTO - one of her aircraft

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more in next post

**sailortats** · 12th October 14, 06:50 AM

More commissioning photos

Not every day I get to put my arm around a Rear Admiral

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the ship's band and Marine color guard

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Flag and commissioning pennant raised - flag only in pic

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Man the ship and bring it to life - note Marines running to board her

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Manning the rails of the newly commissioned ship

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**Father Bill** · 12th October 14, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by sailortats

Not every day I get to put my arm around a Rear Admiral

... glad to see you kept away from the Rear Admiral's Rear!

**Jim Simmons** · 12th October 14, 07:19 AM

Your kilted attire looks great.

**bwat** · 12th October 14, 07:56 AM

I think you look very smart.

**MacEanruig** · 12th October 14, 08:26 AM

You're the best dressed person at the commissioning by far, Sir.

**MacMillans son** · 12th October 14, 02:20 PM

You look great Phil (and it looks like you chose not to have to deal with taking that pesky cover on and off all day!

). It is a beautiful ship and I am sure it was a wonderful event, so nice that you were able to be a part of it.

Thanks for the photos!

**The Wizard of BC** · 12th October 14, 05:40 PM

Wow, quite a bit different than my days on an LPH.

**tky58** · 12th October 14, 07:33 PM

Which Ship, Steve?
My father is a plank holder of the Guadalcanal LPH7.

Steve Wilson
(Marine and proud Navy brat)

**The Wizard of BC** · 12th October 14, 09:06 PM

USS Inchon LPH-12. I served on her for Operation End Sweep that was supposed to remove the mines from Haiphong Harbor after the Paris Peace Talks. Jan-Sep '73.
I was a CH-53D pilot with HMH-463.

There must have been 2 ships named Inchon. The current listing is for a ship commissioned in '70 yet I distinctly remember looking up at the underside of the flight deck and seeing the original wooden flight deck. The current listing does not mention Inchon being involved with TF 78 in '73 at all.
If you search Operation End Sweep however, there she is.

All Marines have a love/hate relationship with sailors. The symbol of Inchon was, of course, an inch worm. A little green guy.
My helicopter squadron was based out of Hawaii so of course our symbol was a pineapple.

One day we arrived on the flight deck to find little green inch worms painted on the nose of all our birds looking like they were eating our pineapples.
That started a feud that lasted for the entire operation. They would paint inch worms and we would paint pineapples.
If you have never hung in a bosuns chair off the fantail of an aircraft carrier, under full steam, in the middle of the night, to paint a 20' tall pineapple across the stern, you just have not lived.