Some people said they were aircraft carriers, but I thought they were to small. They did have a flat deck and a super structure similar to an aircraft carrier. I saw a huge "4" on one ship and a "6" on the other. They were crusising around off the Norfork coast. I was on a fishing boat about an hour out from Rudy's inlet.
I am just curious as to the type of ship and what their names were.
Thanks.
2006-06-23 12:52:20 · 10 answers · asked by Robert 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
According to the USN website the 'carriers' you claim to have seen would have been:
# 4 "USS Ranger" (CV 4) 4 Jun 1934 /18 Oct 1946 - Sold for scrap 31 Jan 1947 to Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.
AND
# 6 "USS Enterprise" (CV 6) 12 May 1938 /17 Feb 1947 Sold, 1 Jul 1958.
Now these WERE Aircraft Carriers. However, they were a LOT SMALLER than to-day's 'Flat-tops'. But then neither of them have been around, lately.
You don't say WHEN YOU SAW them, so ..... the question is: "How long ago did you see them?"
If you saw these ships, recently, they could well have been Amphibious Assault Ships - LHA/LHD/LHA(R).
Theses are the largest of all amphibious warfare ships; and they resemble a small aircraft carrier. They are capable of Vertical/Short Take Off and Landing (V/STOL), Short Take Off Vertical Landing (STOVL), Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) tiltrotor and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft operations; contains a welldeck to support use of Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and other watercraft.
They would, typically, carry:
Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters. (planned capability to embark MV-22 Osprey VTOL tiltrotors).
The only TWO that fit your description/numbering are the "Wasp Class" LHD's:
USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, CA
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), San Diego, CA
However, both these are normally home-based (as seen above) in San Diego - so it's unlikely, but not impossible, they would have been off the Norfolk coast. Alternatively, you may have seen:
USS Nassau (LHA 4), Norfolk, VA
As you can see she is also numbered '4' - but there are only five in her class (Tarawa Class).
There is also the LPD's - which have a 'normal' front-end, with a large flight deck - at the rear. However there is no #6, but there is a #4. USS Austin (LPD 4), Norfolk, VA - and, as you can see her home-port is Norfolk.
For any additional information - and data on these - suggest you visit: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/our_ships.asp
2006-06-23 13:45:29 · answer #1 · answered by ozbaal 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since an aircraft carrier is literally a floating city, all sorts of job disciplines are need to provide for service when they are at sea. They are usually isolated out at sea and need to be able to run independently. It is also not just the carriers; there are a variety of support vessel within a carrier group as well. A carrier is a lot more than just pilots, flight deck crew and operations personnel.
2016-03-27 02:27:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are smaller carriers used for landing craft and helicopters mostly. They may house a few harriers for self defense but are mostly for invading other land masses and putting supplies on shore. They are also called amphibious assault ships known as the Tarawa Class
2006-06-23 13:00:57 · answer #3 · answered by netjr 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LHA 4 is the Nassau, an amphibious ship....not sure what the 6 is, but it's some kind of amphib also!
They are not "smaller carriers"!
2006-06-23 13:09:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The #4 is the USS Nassau
http://navysite.de/ships/lha4.htm
The #6 could have been visiting, I'm not aware of anything with the #6 that's actually stationed here!
They are amphibious assault ships...you can check out the Nassau page for details!
2006-06-29 10:25:07 · answer #5 · answered by yogazen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're called amphibious assualt ships. They carry marines, helicopters, harriers, & landing craft. Their job is to insert marines over the beach & provide air support during expeditionary landing operations. Follow the links below for pictures, specs, & to figure out the exact ship names by hull number.
2006-06-23 13:09:07 · answer #6 · answered by djack 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
helicopter carrier, or the might be for harrier jets which don't need a catpult to take off with, because the launch like a helicopter, straight up
2006-06-23 12:56:24 · answer #7 · answered by dahorndogd013 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't know for sure but its possible they were what was known as a pocket carrier, but I don't believe they have been used sense WWII, unless they are being moved or something.
could also be a helicopter carrier, never know with this kinda stuff.
2006-06-23 12:58:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were probably Helicopter carriers.I would have no idea of their names.
2006-06-23 12:57:40 · answer #9 · answered by asmikeocsit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a cruiser?
2006-06-23 12:56:31 · answer #10 · answered by jstanotherqwtchic 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋