A spectacular photo
from a most unusual viewpoint. Point Loma is tucked away out of
the picture on the left, with hangars visible on the tarmac at North
Island. Mount Soledad is barely visible in the haze at the top
middle. How strange to see the Coronado Bridge from the
south. There appears to be at least one Arleigh Burke-class
destroyer tied up to every pier. In the foreground the USS Essex
(LHD-2) is parked next to a sister ship I can't identify. At the
next pier is the futuristic USS Michael Mansoor (DDG-1001). At the
fourth pier I can see the unique outline of what may be the USS
Canberra (LCS-30)
(LEFT)
The Essex (LHD-2) is the second ship in the Wasp-class of multipurpose
amphibious assault ships. It is designed to carry a full range of
Navy and Marine Corps helicopters, Harrier Jump Jets, Air Cushion
Landing Craft, and many other landing craft and amphibious
vehicles. (RIGHT) Arleigh Burke-class
destroyers, named after Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, are multi-mission
warships featuring the powerful Aegis Combat System.
(LEFT) The
USS Michael Monsoor ((DDG-100)1) is designed as a multi-mission surface
combatant for land attack and littoral operations with a mission of
supporting both ground campaigns and the joint/naval battle space.
Michael Mansoor was a United States Navy SEAL killed in Operation Iraqi
Freedom during the Battle of Ramadi when he dove onto a grenade to
shield his fellow SEALs. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. (RIGHT)
The USS Canberra (LCS-30) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship
named after the cruiser Canberra, sunk during the WW II Battle of Savo
Island.
