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Contents 1 USS Missouri (BB-63) 1.1 Construction 1.2 World War II (1944-1945) 1.2.1 Shakedown and Service with Task Force 58, Admiral Mitscher 1.2.2 Service with the 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey 1.2.3 Signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender 1.3 Post-war (1946-1950) 1.4 The Korean War Period (1950-1955) 1.5 Reactivation (1985 to 1990) 1.6 Gulf War (1990 to 1991) 1.7 Deactivation (1991 to 1992) 1.7.1 Museum ship (1993 to present) 1.8 See also 1.9 External links 1.10 Missouri in Fiction 1.11 Notes 1.12 References 2 Fort Bliss 2.1 History 2.1.1 Early Fort Bliss 2.1.2 Service with the Confederacy 2.1.3 Reconstruction and The Pershing Expedition 2.1.4 World War I and World War II 2.1.5 The Cold War 2.2 Fort Bliss Today 2.3 Base Realignment and Closure 2.3.1 Base Realignment and Closure, 1988 2.3.2 Base Realignment and Closure, 1995 2.3.3 Base Realignment and Closure, 2005 2.4 Local impact of Fort Bliss 2.5 Geography & Demographics 2.6 External links 2.7 References 3 USS Mobile Bay rewrite 3.1 External links 4 That "Thing" 4.1 AE 4.1.1 Does it Exist? 4.1.2 Cyberization 4.1.3 Rewrite 4.2 Naval Surface Fire Support debate (1991-present) 4.2.1 References 4.3 Image Gallery 4.4 Wikibreak 4.5 External links 4.6 FA

[edit] USS Missouri (BB-63)

USS Missouri
Career
Ordered:	12 June 1940
Laid down:	6 January 1941
Launched:	29 January 1944
Commissioned:	11 June 1944
Decommissioned:	31 March 1992
Status:	Memorial
General Characteristics
Displacement:	45,000 t empty 58,000 t full
Length:	887 ft 3 in (270.43 m)
Beam:	108 ft 2 in (32.98 m)
Draft:	38 ft (11.6 m)
Speed:	33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement:	1,851
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-49 Air Search Radar AN/SPS-67 Surface Search Radar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	AN/SLQ-32
Armament:	1943: 9x16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns 20x5 in (125 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns 80x40 mm, 56 cal. Anti-Aircraft guns 49x20 mm, 70 cal. Anti-Aircraft guns 1950: 9x16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns 20x5 in (125 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns 1986: 9x16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns 12x5 in (125 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns 32xBGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles 16xRGM-84 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles 4x20 mm, 76 cal. Phalanx CIWS
Armor:	Belt: 12.1 in (307 mm) Bulkheads: 11.3 in (287 mm) Barbettes: 11.6-17.3 in (295-339 mm) Turrets: 19.7 in (500 mm) Decks: 7.5 in (190.5 mm)

The third USS Missouri (BB-63) ("Mighty Mo" or "Big Mo") is a U.S. Navy battleship, notable as the final battleship to be built by the United States and the site of the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II. Missouri was ordered on 12 June 1940 and her keel was laid at the New York Navy Yard in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on 6 January 1941.

During her career Missouri saw action in World War II during the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, and shelled the Japanese home islands of Hokkaidō and Honshū. After Word War II she returned to the United States before being dispatched to fight in the Korean War, and was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets in 1955. She was recommissioned in the 1980s, and refitted with modern armaments. In 1991, she participated in the Gulf War.

Missouri was decommissioned a final time on 31 March 1992, having received a total of eleven battle stars, and is presently a museum ship at Pearl Harbor.

[edit] Construction

Missouri was one of the Iowa-class "fast battleship" designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. She was launched on 29 January 1944 and commissioned on 11 June. The ship was the fourth of the Iowa class and the final battleship commissioned by the US Navy. The ship was christened at her launching by Mary Margaret Truman, daughter of Harry S. Truman, then a senator from Missouri.^[1]

Although Wisconsin is numerically the highest numbered US battleship built, she was actually completed before USS Missouri (BB-63), making Missouri the last completed US battleship.^[2]

[edit] World War II (1944-1945)

[edit] Shakedown and Service with Task Force 58, Admiral Mitscher

After trials off New York and shakedown and battle practice in Chesapeake Bay, Missouri departed Norfolk 11 November 1944, transited the Panama Canal 18 November and steamed to San Francisco for final fitting out as fleet flagship. She stood out of San Francisco Bay 14 December and arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Christmas Eve 1944. She departed Hawaii on 2 January 1945 and arrived in Ulithi, West Caroline Islands, 13 January 1945. There she was temporary headquarters ship for Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher. The battleship put to sea 27 January to serve in the screen of the Lexington carrier task group of Mitscher's TF 58, and on 16 February her aircraft carriers launched the first air strikes against Japan since the famed Doolittle raid, which had been launched from carrier Hornet in April 1942.^[1]

Missouri then steamed with the carriers to Iwo Jima where her main guns provided direct and continuous support to the invasion landings begun 19 February. After TF 58 returned to Ulithi 5 March, Missouri was assigned to the Yorktown carrier task group. On 14 March Missouri departed Ulithi in the screen of the fast carriers and steamed to the Japanese mainland. During strikes against targets along the coast of the Inland Sea of Japan beginning 18 March, Missouri shot down four Japanese aircraft.^[1]

Raids against airfields and naval bases near the Inland Sea and southwestern Honshū continued. During a Japanese attack, two bombs penetrated the hangar deck and decks aft of carrier Franklin, leaving her dead in the water within 50 miles (90 km) of the Japanese mainland. The cruiser Pittsburgh took Franklin in tow until she gained speed to 14 knots (26 km/h). Missouri’s carrier task group provided cover for Franklin’s retirement toward Ulithi until 22 March, then set course for pre-invasion strikes and bombardment of Okinawa.^[1]

Missouri joined the fast battleships of TF 58 in bombarding the southeast coast of Okinawa 24 March 1945, an action intended to draw enemy strength from the west coast beaches that would be the actual site of invasion landings. Missouri rejoined the screen of the carriers as Marine and Army units stormed the shores of Okinawa on the morning of 1 April. Planes from the carriers shattered a special Japanese attacking force led by battleship Yamato 7 April. Yamato, the world's largest battleship, was sunk, as were a cruiser and a destroyer. Three other enemy destroyers were heavily damaged and scuttled. Four remaining destroyers, sole survivors of the attacking fleet, were damaged and retired to Sasebo.^[1]

On 11 April Missouri opened fire on a low-flying kamikaze plane which penetrated the curtain of her shells and crashed on the starboard side just below her main deck level. The starboard wing of the plane was thrown far forward, starting a gasoline fire at 5 inch (127 mm) Gun Mount No. 3; yet the battleship suffered only superficial damage, and the fire was brought quickly under control.^[1] The remains of the pilot's body was recovered on board the ship just aft of one of the 40 mm gun tubs. Captain William Callaghan decided that the young Japanese pilot had done his job, to the best of his ability and with honor and that he deserved a military funeral. Not all of the crew agreed with that decision, after all the pilot was still their enemy and had tried to kill them, but the Captain's orders were respected and the following day the pilot was buried at sea with military honors.

About 23:05^[3] on 17 April 1945, Missouri detected an enemy submarine 12 miles (22 km) from her formation. Her report set off a hunter-killer operation by the light carrier Bataan and four destroyers, which sank Japanese submarine I-56.^[1]

Missouri was detached from the carrier task force off Okinawa 5 May and sailed for Ulithi. During the Okinawa campaign she had shot down five enemy planes, assisted in the destruction of six others, and scored one probable kill. She helped repel 12 daylight attacks of enemy raiders and fought off four night attacks on her carrier task group. Her shore bombardment destroyed several gun emplacements and many other military, governmental, and industrial structures.^[1]

[edit] Service with the 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey

Missouri arrived Ulithi 9 May 1945 and thence proceeded to Apra Harbor, Guam, 18 May. That afternoon Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., Commander 3d Fleet, broke his flag in Missouri. She passed out of the harbor 21 May, and by 27 May was again conducting shore bombardment against Japanese positions on Okinawa. Missouri now led the 3rd Fleet in strikes on airfields and installations on Kyūshū 2 June and 3 June. She rode out a fierce storm 5 June and 6 June that wrenched off the bow of the cruiser Pittsburgh. Some topside fittings were smashed, but Missouri suffered no major damage. Her fleet again struck Kyūshū 8 June, then hit hard in a coordinated air-surface bombardment before retiring towards Leyte. She arrived San Pedro, Leyte, 13 June 1945, after almost three months of continuous operations in support of the Okinawa campaign.^[1]

Here she prepared to lead the 3rd Fleet in strikes at the heart of Japan from within its home waters. The mighty fleet set a northerly course 8 July to approach the Japanese mainland. Raids took Tokyo by surprise 10 July, followed by more devastation at the juncture of Honshū and Hokkaidō 13 July and 14 July. For the first time a naval gunfire force wrought destruction on a major installation within the home islands when Missouri closed the shore to join in a bombardment 15 July that rained destruction on the Nihon Steel Co. and the Wanishi Ironworks at Muroran, Hokkaido.^[1]

During the night of 17 July to 18 July Missouri bombarded industrial targets in Honshū. Inland Sea aerial strikes continued through 25 July 1945, and Missouri guarded the carriers as they struck hard blows at the Japanese capital.^[1] As July ended the Japanese no longer had any home waters. Missouri had led her fleet to gain control of the air and sea approaches to the very shores of Japan.

Strikes on Hokkaidō and northern Honshū resumed 9 August 1945, the day the second atomic bomb was dropped. Next day, at 20:54, Missouri's men were electrified by the unofficial news that Japan was ready to surrender, provided that the Emperor's prerogatives as a sovereign ruler were not compromised. Not until 07:45, 15 August, was word received that President Harry S. Truman had announced Japan's acceptance of unconditional surrender.^[1]

[edit] Signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender

Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser of the Royal Navy, the Commander of the British Pacific Fleet, boarded Missouri 16 August, and conferred the order Knight of the British Empire upon Admiral Halsey. Missouri transferred a landing party of 200 officers and men to the battleship Iowa for temporary duty with the initial occupation force for Tokyo 21 August. Missouri herself entered Tokyo Bay early 29 August to prepare for the signing by Japan of the official instrument of surrender.^[1]

High-ranking military officials of all the Allied Powers were received on board 2 September. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz boarded shortly after 08:00, and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander for the Allies, came on board at 08:43. The Japanese representatives, headed by Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, arrived at 08:56. At 09:02 General MacArthur stepped before a battery of microphones and the 23 minute surrender ceremony was broadcast to the waiting world.^[1]

By 09:30 the Japanese emissaries had departed. The afternoon of 5 September Admiral Halsey transferred his flag to the battleship South Dakota, and early the next day Missouri departed Tokyo Bay. As part of the ongoing Operation Magic Carpet she received homeward bound passengers at Guam, then sailed unescorted for Hawaii. She arrived Pearl Harbor 20 September and flew Admiral Nimitz's flag on the afternoon of 28 September for a reception.^[1]

During this ceremony, the deck of the Missouri was decorated with just two American flags. One had flown on the mast of Commodore Perry's ship when he had sailed into that same bay nearly a century earlier to urge the opening of Japan's ports to foreign trade.

[edit] Post-war (1946-1950)

The next day, Missouri departed Pearl Harbor bound for the eastern seaboard of the United States. She reached New York City 23 October 1945 and broke the flag of U.S. Atlantic Fleet commander Admiral Jonas Ingram. Four days later, Missouri boomed out a 21-gun salute as President Truman boarded for Navy Day ceremonies. ^[1]

After an overhaul in the New York Naval Shipyard and a training cruise to Cuba, Missouri returned to New York. The afternoon of 21 March 1946, she received the remains of the Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Mehmet Munir Ertegun. She departed 22 March for Gibraltar and 5 April anchored in the Bosphorus off Istanbul. She rendered full honors, including the firing of 19 gun salutes during the transfer of the remains of the late ambassador and again during the funeral ashore.^[1]

Missouri departed Istanbul 9 April and entered Phaleron Bay, Piraeus, Greece the following day for an overwhelming welcome by Greek government officials and citizens. She had arrived in a year when there were ominous Russian overtures and activities in the entire Balkan area. Greece had become the scene of a Communist-inspired civil war, as Russia sought every possible extension of Soviet influence throughout the Mediterranean region. Demands were made that Turkey grant the Soviets a base of seapower in the Dodecanese Islands and joint control of the Turkish Straits leading from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean.^[1]

The voyage of Missouri to the eastern Mediterranean comforted Greece and Turkey. News media proclaimed her a symbol of U.S. interest in preserving both nations' independence.^[1]

Missouri departed Piraeus 26 April, touching at Algiers and Tangiers before arriving Norfolk 9 May. She departed for Culebra Island 12 May to join Admiral Mitscher's 8th Fleet in the Navy's first large-scale postwar Atlantic training maneuvers. The battleship returned to New York City 27 May, and spent the next year steaming Atlantic coastal waters north to the Davis Strait and south to the Caribbean on various Atlantic command training exercises.^[1]

Missouri arrived in Rio de Janeiro 30 August 1947 for the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Hemisphere Peace and Security. President Truman boarded 2 September to celebrate the signing of the Rio Treaty, which broadened the Monroe Doctrine by stipulating that an attack on one of the signatory American states would be considered an attack on all.^[1]

The Truman family boarded Missouri 7 September 1947 to return to the United States and debarked at Norfolk 19 September. Her overhaul in New York—which lasted from 23 September to 10 March 1948—was followed by refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. The summer of 1948 was devoted to midshipman and reserve training cruises. The battleship departed Norfolk 1 November for a second 3 week Arctic cold-weather training cruise to the Davis Strait. During the next two years, Missouri participated in Atlantic command exercises from the New England coast to the Caribbean, alternated with two midshipman summer training cruises. She was overhauled at Norfolk Naval Shipyard from 23 September 1949 to 17 January 1950.^[1]

Now the only U.S. battleship in commission, Missouri was proceeding seaward on a training mission from Hampton Roads early on 17 January when she ran aground 1.6 miles (3.0 km) from Thimble Shoals Light, near Old Point Comfort. She hit shoal water a distance of three ship lengths from the main channel. Lifted some seven feet above waterline, she stuck hard and fast. With the aid of tugs, pontoons, and an incoming tide, she was refloated on 1 February 1950.^[1]

The ship was eventually repaired, but the Navy had other plans for the dreadnought. Like most vessels in the post-WWII fleet, the Missouri was seen as a liability more than an asset, so the Navy began to prepare her for decommissioning. At the last second, President Truman learned of the Navy's decision. Truman—a Missouri native and formerly a senator from the state—issued an executive order stating that as long as he remained the President of the United States the battleship Missouri would remain an active part of the fleet. Ironically, this order worked in the Navy's favor.

[edit] The Korean War Period (1950-1955)

In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea. The United States intervened in the name of the United Nations, and sent troops, tanks, and a strong naval force to Korea to support the Republic of Korea. As part of the naval mobilization Missouri was called up from the Atlantic fleet and dispatched from Norfolk on 19 August to support U.N. forces on the Korean peninsula.

Missouri joined the U.N. just west of Kyūshū on 14 September, where she became the flagship of Rear Admiral A. E. Smith. The first American battleship to reach Korean waters, she bombarded Samchok on 15 September 1950 in an attempt to divert troops and attention from the Inchon landings. This was the first time since WWII that Missouri had fired her guns in anger, and in company with the cruiser Helena and two destroyers, she helped prepare the way for the 8th Army offensive.^[1]

Missouri arrived at Inchon 19 September, and on 10 October became flagship of Rear Admiral J. M. Higgins, commander, Cruiser Division 5. She arrived Sasebo 14 October, where she became flagship of Vice Admiral A. D. Struble, Commander, 7th Fleet. After screening the aircraft carrier Valley Forge along the east coast of Korea, she conducted bombardment missions from 12 October to 26 October in the Chonjin and Tanchon areas, and at Wonsan where she again screened carriers eastward of Wonsan.^[1]

Thoughout 1950 the UN Forces had succsessfully pushed the North Korean forces out of South Korea and well into North Korea; however, the Chinese grew concerned as the North Korean lines aproached thier country. On 19 October 1950 some 380,000 People's Liberation Army soldiers under the command of General Peng Dehuai crossed into North Korea and launched a full scale assault against advancing U.N. troops. Caught by surprise, the U.N. forces realized they would have to fall back, and quickly executed an emergency retreat. U.N. assets were shuffled in order to cover this retreat, and as part of the force tasked with covering the U.N. retreat

Missouri was moved into Hungnam 23 December to provide gunfire support about the Hungnam defense perimeter until the last U.N. troops, the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division, were evacuated by way of the sea on 24 December 1950.^[1]

Missouri conducted additional operations with carriers and shore bombardments off the east coast of Korea until 19 March 1951. She arrived Yokosuka 24 March, and 4 days later was relieved of duty in the Far East. She departed Yokosuka 28 March, and upon arrival at Norfolk on 27 April became the flagship of Rear Admiral James L. Holloway, Jr., commander, Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet. During the summer of 1951, she engaged in two midshipman training cruises to northern Europe. Missouri entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard 18 October for an overhaul, which lasted until 30 January 1952.^[1]

Following winter and spring training out of Guantanamo Bay, Missouri visited New York, then set course from Norfolk 9 June for another midshipman cruise. She returned to Norfolk 4 August and entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard to prepare for a second tour in the Korean combat zone.^[1]

Missouri stood out of Hampton Roads on 11 September 1952 and arrived Yokosuka 17 October. She broke the flag of Vice Admiral Joseph J. Clark, commander of the 7th Fleet, on 19 October. Her primary mission was to provide seagoing artillery support by bombarding enemy targets in the Chaho-Tanchon area, at Chongjin, in the Tanchon-Sonjin area, and at Chaho, Wonsan, Hamhung, and Hungnam during the period 25 October through 2 January 1953.^[1]

Missouri put in to Inchon 5 January 1953 and sailed thence to Sasebo, Japan. General Mark W. Clark, Commander in Chief, U.N. Command, and Admiral Sir Guy Russell, the Royal Navy commander of the British Far East Station, visited the battleship 23 January. In the following weeks, Missouri resumed "Cobra" patrol along the east coast of Korea to support troops ashore. Repeated strikes against Wonsan, Tanehon, Hungnam, and Kojo destroyed main supply routes along the eastern seaboard.^[1]

The last gunstrike mission by Missouri was against the Kojo area 25 March. She sustained a grievous casualty 6 March 1953, when her commanding officer Captain Warner R. Edsall suffered a fatal heart attack while conning her through the submarine net at Sasebo. She was relieved as the 7th Fleet flagship 6 April by her older sister New Jersey.^[1]

Missouri departed Yokosuka 7 April 1953 and arrived Norfolk 4 May to become flagship for Rear Admiral E. T. Woolridge, commander, Battleships-Cruisers, Atlantic Fleet, 14 May. She departed 8 June on a midshipman training cruise, returned to Norfolk 4 August, and was overhauled in Norfolk Naval Shipyard 20 November to 2 April 1954. Now the flagship of Rear Admiral R. E. Kirby, who had relieved Admiral Woolridge, Missouri departed Norfolk 7 June as flagship of the midshipman training cruise to Lisbon and Cherbourg. She returned Norfolk 3 August and departed the 23rd for inactivation on the West Coast. After calls at Long Beach and San Francisco, Missouri arrived in Seattle 15 September 1954. Three days later she entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where she decommissioned 26 February 1955, entering the Bremerton group, Pacific Reserve Fleet.^[1]

Upon arrival in Bremerton, Missouri was moored at the last pier of the reserve fleet berthing. This placed her very close to the mainland, and she served as a popular tourist attraction, logging about 180,000 visitors per year, who came to view the "surrender deck" where a bronze plaque memorialized the spot where Japan surrendered to the Allies, and the accompanying historical display that included copies of the surrender documents and photos. A small cottage industry grew in the civilian community just outside the gates, selling souvenirs and other memorabilia. Nearly thirty years would pass before Missouri would again return to active duty.

[edit] Reactivation (1985 to 1990)

As part of President Ronald Reagans Navy Secretary John F. Lehman's effort to build a 600-ship Navy, Missouri was reactivated in 1984 and moved under tow to the Long Beach Naval Yard for moderinization.^[4] During the modernization Missouri had all of her remaining Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns removed, due to their ineffectiveness against modern day jet fighters and enemy anti-ship missiles; additionally, the two 5" gun mounts located in the aft on the port and starboard side of the battleship were removed.^[5]

Over the next several months the ship was upgraded with the most advanced weaponry available; among the new weapons systems installed were four MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Armored Box Launcher (ABL) mounts for 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles, and a quartet of the United States Navy's Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) gatling guns for defense against enemy anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft.^[5] Missouri also received eight RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, which are remotely controlled drones that replaced the helicopters previously used to spot for her nine 16"/50 Mark 7 guns.^[6] Also included in her modernization were upgrades to radar and fire control systems for her guns and missiles, and improved electronic warfare capabilities.^[5][7] Armed as such, Missouri was formally recommissioned in San Francisco, California on 10 May 1986. "This is a day to celebrate the rebirth of American sea power," Secretary of Defense Casper W. Weinberger told an audience of 10,000 at the recommissioning ceremony, instructing the crew to "listen for the footsteps of those who have gone before you. They speak to you of honor and the importance of duty. They remind you of your own traditions."^[8]

Four months later, the nation's most accomplished battleship departed her new homeport of Long Beach for an around-the-world cruise, bringing the message of "Strength for Freedom" to eight nations: Australia, Diego Garcia, Egypt, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Panama. Missouri became the first battleship to circumnavigate the globe since Theodore Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet" 80 years before—a fleet which included USS Missouri (BB-11), the first battleship of that name.

In 1987, Missouri was given additional smaller-caliber weapons and sent to take part in Operation Earnest Will, the escorting of reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. On 25 July, the ship departed on a six-month deployment to the Indian Ocean and North Arabian Sea. The ship spent more than 100 continuous days at sea in a hot, tense environment—a striking contrast to the World Cruise months earlier. As the centerpiece for Battlegroup Echo, Missouri escorted the tanker convoys into the Strait of Hormuz, keeping the fire control system trained on land-based Iranian Silkworm missile launchers.

Missouri returned to the United States via Diego Garcia, Australia and Hawaii in early 1988. Several months later, Missouri's crew again headed for Hawaiian waters for the Rim of the Pacific (RimPac) exercises, which involved more than 50,000 troops and ships from the navies of Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States. Port visits in 1988 included Vancouver and Victoria in Canada, San Diego, Seattle and Bremerton.

1989 was a hectic year in the life of the Missouri. The early months found the ship in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for routine maintenance. Independence Day weekend brought its share of fireworks. A few months later, the battleship departed for Pacific Exercise (PacEx)'89, where the Missouri and her sister ship the New Jersey performed a simultaneous gunfire demonstration for the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Nimitz. The highlight of PacEx was a port visit in Pusan, Republic of Korea. In 1990, Missouri again took part in the RimPac Exercise with ships from Australia, Canada, Japan and Korea in addition to United States Navy ships.

[edit] Gulf War (1990 to 1991)

On 2 August 1990, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded the tiny emirate of Kuwait. In the middle of the month, President George H. W. Bush sent the first of several hundred thousand troops, along with a strong force of naval support to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf area to support a multi-national force in a standoff with the Iraqi dictator. Missouri's scheduled four-month Western Pacific port-to-port cruise set to begin in September was cancelled just a few days before the ship was to leave. She had been placed on hold in anticipation of being mobilized as forces continued to mass in the Middle East.

The word came. Missouri departed in mid-November for the troubled waters of the Persian Gulf. Amid the press coverage that a ship of the stature of Missouri is used to receiving, the historic dreadnought pulled away from Pier 6 at Long Beach and headed for Hawaii, her first stop on the long journey to the Persian Gulf. Missouri's crew celebrated Thanksgiving in Pearl Harbor, then headed for the Philippines for more work-ups enroute to the Persian Gulf. Next stop after Subic Bay was Pattaya Beach, Thailand, for a couple days of liberty, amid the underway training for gunnery, General Quarters and defense against chemical weapons.

Missouri arrived in the Persian Gulf a few days into the new year of 1991, and immediately answered a distress call from a ship on fire in Persian Gulf waters. Missouri dispatched firefighting experts to help, and then journeyed on to the island emirate of Bahrain.

After a very short liberty in Bahrain, Missouri headed north for operations. It was a few days after that, on 17 January 1991 that the ship fired Tomahawk missiles at Iraqi-held targets. These early morning launches helped mark the start of the war. As the United States and other countries around the world heard the words "The liberation of Kuwait has begun", Missouri continued to fire Tomahawks—28 in all.

On 29 January 1991 Missouri, escorted by the frigate Curts, moved northward to engage Iraqi forces. In her first combat action of the Gulf War, Missouri’s gun crews sent 2,700 pound (1200 kg) shells crashing into an Iraqi command and control bunker just north of Khafji, Saudi Arabia. This marked the first time her 16 inch (406 mm) guns had been fired in combat since March 1953 off Korea. Missouri’s gun crews returned to action 5 February, silencing an Iraqi artillery battery with another 10 rounds. Over a three-day period, Missouri bombarded Iraqi strongholds with 112 16 inch shells. Missouri shared gunnery duties with her younger sister Wisconsin, and the two battleships continued to hammer their targets with 16 inch shells.

In support of the ongoing ground offensive Missouri trained her guns on Faylaka Island during the night of 23 February in a pyrotechnic feint intended to convince Iraqi troops along the Kuwaiti coast that the sea-borne invasion was imminent. Wisconsin, escorted by the frigate McInerney, joined her younger sister in the offshore bombardment to lend additional credibility to the threat of an allied amphibious invasion. The feint worked, as Iraqi forces, believing that a sea-born invasion was imminent, reinforced their lines along the coast, allowing the real allied invasion force to circle around the coastal defense units. Shortly after Missouri’s shelling of Faylaka Island Wisconsin launched her Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to spot for her 16 inch guns. When Wisconsin’s drone arrived over Faylaka Island it observed several Iraqi soldiers waving white flags following Missouri’s attack on their trench lines—the first ever surrender of enemy troops to an unmanned aircraft controlled by a ship.^[9] By the time President Bush ended hostilities both Missouri and Wisconsin had passed the million-pound (450 t) mark of ordnance delivered on Iraqi targets. During the Persian Gulf War the Iraqis fired two Silkworm missiles at the ship. One missile fell harmlessly into the sea, while the other was shot down by the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Gloucester using two Sea Dart missiles.

During the Gulf War Missouri was involved in a friendly fire incident with the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Jarrett (FFG-33). Allegedely, Jarrett’s Phalanx engaged the chaff fired by Missouri as a countermeasure against enemy missiles, and some stray rounds struck Missouri, one of which penetrated through a bulkhead and embedded in an interior passageway of the ship. Another round struck the ship on the forward funnel passing completely through it. One sailor aboard Missouri was struck in the neck by some flying shrapnel and suffered minor injuries. Those familar with the incedent are skeptical of this account, however, as Jarrett was reportedly over 2 miles away at the time and the characteristics of chaff are such that a Phalanx normally would not regard it as a threat and engage it. There is no dispute that the rounds that struck Missouri did come from Jarrett and that it was an accident. The suspicion is that a Phalanx operator on Jarrett may have accidentally fired off a few rounds manually; however, no evidence to support this theory has ever been discovered.^[10]

In mid-March, Missouri made the long transit back to the West Coast, via two ports in Australia: Perth and Hobart, Tasmania. The ship returned to a joyous reunion with loved ones six months to the day after her departure.

[edit] Deactivation (1991 to 1992)

Missouri's final year found the ship visiting Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia and San Francisco, California The ship left for one final mission the day after Thanksgiving 1991. Heading across the Pacific, "Mighty Mo's" last act of diplomacy was to visit Pearl Harbor for the remembrance of those who had died 50 years earlier on 7 December 1941. It was a rare sight to see the beginning and the end of U.S. involvement in World War II in the same port.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the corresponding perceived lack of a threat against the United States came drastic cuts to the defense budget, and the high cost of maintaining battleships as part of the active fleet was deemed an ineffective expenditure. Missouri, veteran of three wars, was decommissioned for the final time on 31 March 1992 at Long Beach, California. Her last commanding officer, Captain Albert L. Kaiss, wrote this note in the ship's final Plan of the Day:

"Our final day has arrived. Today the final chapter in battleship Missouri's history will be written. It's often said that the crew makes the command. There is no truer statement ... for it's the crew of this great ship that made this a great command. You are a special breed of sailors and Marines and I am proud to have served with each and every one of you. To you who have made the painful journey of putting this great lady to sleep, I thank you. For you have had the toughest job. To put away a ship that has become as much a part of you as you are to her is a sad ending to a great tour. But take solace in this—you have lived up to the history of the ship and those who sailed her before us. We took her to war, performed magnificently and added another chapter in her history, standing side by side our forerunners in true naval tradition. God bless you all."[11]

[edit] Museum ship (1993 to present)

On 4 May 1998, Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton signed the donation contract that transferred the historic battleship to the nonprofit USS Missouri Memorial Association (MMA) of Honolulu, Hawaii. The ship was towed from Bremerton, Washington, on 23 May to the Port of Astoria, Oregon where she sat in fresh water at the mouth of the Columbia River to kill and drop the barnacles and sea grasses that had grown on her hull in Bremerton. She was open to public tours for two days and then was towed across the eastern Pacific, and was gently docked at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor on 22 June, just 500 yards (about 450 meters) from the Arizona Memorial. Less than a year later, on 29 January 1999, Missouri was opened as a museum operated by the MMA.

Originally, the decision to move Missouri to Pearl Harbor was met with much resistance. Many people feared that the battleship, whose name has become synonymous with the end of World War II, would overshadow the battleship USS Arizona, whose dramatic explosion and subsequent sinking during December 7 air raid at Pearl Harbor has since become synonymous with the attack on Pearl Harbor. To help guard against this perception Missouri was placed well back of the Arizona Memorial, and positioned in Pearl Harbor in such a way as to prevent those participating in Military Ceremonies on Missouris aft decks from seeing the Arizona Memorial. The decision to have Missouris bow face the Arizona Memorial was intended to convey that Missouri now watches over the remains of the battleship Arizona so that those interred within Arizonas hull may rest in peace. These measures have helped preserve the individual identities of the Arizona Memorial and the Missouri Memorial, which has improved the publics perception of having both Arizona and Missouri in the same harbor.

Missouri is not eligible for designation as a National Historic Landmark, even though she is the last completed U.S. battleship and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on 14 May 1971 for hosting the signing of the instrument of Japanese surrender that ended World War II. This is because much of her original equipment was removed when she was reactivated and modernized in 1986, and her configuration changed to accommodate new weapons, which resulted in a net loss of her historical integrity. Still, the battleship has secured her place in history, and her role as a museum in Pearl Harbor ensures that future generations will not forget her contribution.

According to museum officials, the Missouri is still owned by the U.S. Navy, and if needed can be restored and re-commissioned for active duty at any time.

Missouri received three battle stars for her service in World War II, five for her service during the Korean War, and three for her service during the Gulf War.

See USS Missouri for other ships of the same name.

[edit] See also

• Victory over Japan Day
• Japanese Instrument of Surrender
• Crossing the T
• List of broadsides of major World War II ships

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 21.362122° -157.953395°
  • Satellite image from WikiMapia, Google Maps or Windows Live Local
  • Street map from MapQuest or Google Maps
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image from TerraServer-USA

[edit] External links

{{Spoken Wikipedia|Uss_missouri_BB63.ogg|2006-7-27}}

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: USS Missouri (BB-63)

• Memorial museum site
• Photo gallery
• USS Missouri at FactPlace
• history.navy.mil: USS Missouri
• navsource.org: USS Missouri
• hazegray.org: USS Missouri
• nvr.navy.mil: USS Missouri
• navysite.de: USS Missouri
• Timeline of Combat for Operation Desert Storm
• Maritimequest USS Missouri BB-63 Photo Gallery
• Video: Inside one of Missouri’s 16" gun room, about 1955. (Windows Media File)
• WWII Battleship Site Entry for USS Missouri

[edit] Missouri in Fiction

• USS Missouri was used for a reenactment of the Japanese surrender in the 1977 movie MacArthur starring Gregory Peck.
• The ship was used several times as a prop for the 1983 television mini-series The Winds of War, starring Ralph Bellamy and Robert Mitchum.
• The 1992 movie Under Siege, starring Steven Seagal is set aboard the USS Missouri, although the onboard footage in the movie is of the USS Alabama.
• Cher's music video for "If I Could Turn Back Time" was filmed largely aboard USS Missouri.
• Parts of the movie Pearl Harbor starring Ben Affleck and Cuba Gooding, Jr. were filmed aboard USS Missouri.
• The USS Missouri played a prominent part in John Ringo's book Gust Front, where she shelled bridges with her 16 inch guns, killing thousands of Posleen.

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Paul Chan, Ian and McAuley, Rob. The Battleships. Channel 4 Books, London ISBN 0-7522-6188-6
• Naval Historical Foundation. The Navy. Barnes & Noble Inc, China ISBN 0767076218X

{{Please check ISBN|0767076218X (too long)}} *{{DANFS}} [[Category:Iowa class battleships|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Battleships of the United States|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:World War II battleships of the United States|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Cold War battleships of the United States|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Korean War battleships of the United States|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Ships at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Museum ships|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Registered Historic Places in Hawaii|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships|Missouri (BB-63)]] [[de:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[es:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[fr:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[ko:BB-63 미주리 호]] [[io:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[ia:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[it:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[ms:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[ja:ミズーリ (戦艦)]] [[pt:USS Missouri (BB-63)]] [[zh:密蘇里號]] {{Iowa class battleship}} {{featured article}}

[edit] Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss
Southwestern United States
An Abrams tank crew makes its way off Fort Bliss’ Doña Ana Range after completing their qualification table.
Type	Military Base
Built	1849-1893[12]
In use	1849-Present[13]
Controlled by	1849-1861: United States 1861-1862: The Confederacy 1862-Present: United States
Garrison	32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade 204th MI Battalion Joint Task Force Six USACAS McGregor Range U.S. 1st Armored Division

Fort Bliss is a census-designated place and United States Army post in El Paso County, Texas, United States. The Fort is named for Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss, who was a son-in-law of President Zachary Taylor and was re-interred at Fort Bliss National Cemetery on post.

Fort Bliss, a U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) installation, is comprised of approximately 1.12 million acres of land which extend across Texas and New Mexico, which makes Fort Bliss comparable in size to the state of Rhode Island.^[14] The main facilities of Fort Bliss is located adjacent to El Paso, Texas. Fort Bliss also includes McGregor Range and Doña Ana Range–North Training Areas in New Mexico, and the South Training Areas in Texas.^[15] Fort Bliss is the largest installation in TRADOC (1.1 Million Acres), and within the Army is second only to White Sands Missile Range, which is adjacent to Fort Bliss. Unsurprisingly, Fort Bliss is the largest Maneuver Area in the Army, at 550 square miles, which is three times the size of the National Training Center. Fort Bliss also provides the largest contiguous tract of virtually unrestricted airspace in the Continental United States (1500 Square Miles).^[16]

Fort Bliss has seen three major military composition changes and one territorial change since its creation. Originally a United States military base with an infrantry garrison, the facility was occupied by Confederate forces at the outbreak of the United States Civil War. Following the defeat of the Confederacy the infantry units gradually gave way to calvary units. During the time of two World Wars the post shifted from calvalry to anti-aircraft artillery, and then to its present role of air defense artillery, which incorporates guided missiles into the air defense arena.

[edit] History

Fort Bliss has a rich history in the Southwestern United Sates, one that can be traced back to the 1800s. The mission of Fort Bliss and the men assigned to have evolved over time to meet the changes of the United States and the world.

[edit] Early Fort Bliss

The first American military use of the area that was to become Fort Bliss was in 1846 when Colonel Alexander Doniphan led a group of Missouri volunteers through El Paso del Norte en route to military successes at Chihuahua and the Sacramento Pass. Two years after Colonel Doniphan`s campaign, on 7 November 1848, the War Department ordered the establishment of a post in El Paso.<sup>[17][18]</sup> On 8 September 1849 the garrison party of several companies of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, commanded by Jefferson Van Horne, arrived in this area. On the noth side of the Rio Grande they found only four small and scattered settlements. When the fort was first established at the site of Smith`s Ranch, which is now downtown El Paso, Fort Bliss was one of the Southwestern outposts protecting a recently won frontier war against harassing Apaches and Comanches. At the time of its creation the post occupied territory that was considered to be part of New Mexico, and the base remained the strongest military encampment in New Mexico until the 32nd parrel of Latitude was made the official boundry between New Mexico and Texas in 1850.^[19] Subsequently, Fort Bliss was reclassified a Texas military installation.^[20]

The troops did not remain at El Paso long, however, since Indian raids were constant and shifting, and garrisons had to be moved frequently to meet the chainging threats. In 1851 the two companies of troops stationed in El Paso were moved 40 miles north to Fort Fillmore. For more than two years there was no garrison at The Pass. In 1854 the post was officially named Fort Bliss in honor of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss, General Zachary Taylor’s adjutant general during the Mexican War and later his Secretary when General Taylor became President of the United States. Colonel Bliss is buried in the Fort Bliss National Cementary, and his monument stands in Howze Stadium on this reservation. When the post was reoccupied in 1854, the original site at Smith`s Ranch was abandoned and a new post was established at Magoffinville. There it remaind for the next 14 years, serving as a base for troops guarding the area against Apache attacks. Until 1861 most of these troops were units of the 8th Infantry.^[21]

[edit] Service with the Confederacy

At the outbreak of the United States Civil War, the garrison received orders from General David Emanuel Twiggs in San Antonio to surrender the post to Confederate commissioners.^[22] Confederate forces held the post in 1861, and used the base as a platform to launch attacks into New Mexico and Arizona in an effort to force the Union garrisons still in the state to surrender.^[23] Initially the Conferederate Army had succsess in their attempts to gain control of New Mexico, but following the Battle of Glorieta Pass Conferederate soldiers were forced to retreat. The Confederate garrison abandoned Fort Bliss without a fight the next year when a Federal column of 2,350 men under the command of Colonel James H. Carlton advanced from California.^[24] The Californians maintained an irregular garrison at Fort Bliss until 1865 when 5th Infantry units arrived to reestablish the post.^[25]

[edit] Reconstruction and The Pershing Expedition

Protecting settlers and travelers against Indians was the primary duty of the garrison until the surrender of Geronimo in 1886. Early in 1868, flood waters from the Rio Grande seriously damaged the Magoffinville post, and in March of that year Fort Bliss was moved to higher ground and was rebuild on a site called Concordia. It continued as Camp Concordia until 1869 when the old name, Fort Bliss, was resumed. Water, heating, and sanitation facilities were at a minimum in the adobe builings of the fort. Records reveal that troops suffered severely from dysentery and malaria. Supplies arrived irregulary over the Santa Fe Trail by wagon train. The Concordia post was abandoned in December 1876. When troops left in January, El Paso was without a garrison for more than a year. At that time the town and its environs on the north side of the river had swelled to a population of almost 800.

In 1879 Fort Bliss was set up as a permanent post. Up to this time the government had a policy of simply leasing property for its military installations; However, a tract of 135 acres was purchased at Hart`s Mill on the river`s edge in the Pass near what is today the University of Texas at El Paso. On the basis of $40,000 appropriation, a building program was begun. The first railroad arrived in 1881, and tracks were laid across the military reservation, thereby solving the supply problems for the fort and rapidly growing town of El Paso.

By 1890 Hart`s Mill had outlived its usefulness, and Congress appropriated $1,500,000 for the purchase of land and for construction of a military installation on the mesa approximately 5 miles east of El Paso. This area, the present site of Fort Bliss, was first occupied by units of the 18th Infantry in October of 1893. Brick structures raised in that day are still in use today. Fort Bliss has grown from the original area of 1,265 acres to more than 3,000,000 acres, which comprise the Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, and Alamogordo complex. Fort Bliss assumed new prominence during the Mexican revolution, when General John J. Pershing took command of Fort Bliss in 1914 and 2 years later led a punitive expedition from here into Mexico in an attempt to capture Pancho Villa.

[edit] World War I and World War II

Fort Bliss had predominantly been a cavalry post since 1912, but that gradually began to change as the army started to experiment with armoured vehicals and their applications on a battlefield. On 8 November 1928 three light arnoured cars, eight medium armoured cars, two motorcycles, and to trucks arrived at Fort Bliss.^[26]. The mechanized forces proved to be better suited to warfare than horses, and the army reacted by phasing out horse mounted cavalry in 1943.^[27]

After World War I the army began forming dedicated anti-aircraft artillery units to deal with the threat of airplanes on the field of battle. This led to another composition change at Fort Bliss during World War II, when the post shifted its focus from maintaining armoured vehicals and training their crews to anti-aircraft batteries and the training of soldiers to handle them. In September of 1940 the anti-aircraft training center was established, and in 1941 the 1st Tow Target Squadron arrived, tasked with flying drones to allow anti-aircraft gunners to hone in their skills. ^[28]On 3 August 1944 the Anti-Aircraft Artillery School in North Carolina was ordered from Camp Davis to Fort Bliss to make the training of anti-aircraft gunners easier, and they became the domiate force at Fort Bliss following the departure of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division. ^[29] On 1 July 1957 the U.S. Army Air Defense Center was established at Fort Bliss. Located at this Center, in addition to Center Headquaters, are the U.S. Army Air Defense School; Air Defense; the 6th Artillery Group (Air Defense); the 61st Ordnance Group; and other supporting elements. ^[30][31]

[edit] The Cold War

Fort Bliss trained thousands of U.S. Soldiers during the Cold War. As the United States gradually came to master the art of building and operating missiles Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range became more and more important to the country, and were expanded accordingly. In 1957 Fort Bliss and its anti-aircraft personel began using Nike Ajax, Nike Hercules, Hawk, Sprint, Chaparrel, and Redeye missiles.^[32][33] Fort Bliss took on the important role of providing a large area for troops to conduct live fire exercises with the missiles.

Due to the large number of Army personel enrolled in air defense Fort Bliss saw to large rounds of construction in 1954 and 1958. The former was aimed at creating more barracks facilities, while the latter was aimed at building new classrooms, materials labs, a radar park, and a missile labratory.^[34] Between 1953 and 1957 the United States the Army also expanded McGregor Range in an effort to accomadate live fire exercises of the new missile systems.^[35]

Throughout the Cold War Fort Bliss remained a premire site for testing anti-aircraft equipment. As one of the largest bases in the United States the post has welcomed military members from all parts of the United States, and from various other noations either allied with or friendly to the United States, including Japan, Spain, Kuwait, Germany, and Jordan.^[36]

Until 1990 the base was used for Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). The 1/56 ADA Regiment, part of 6th ADA Brigade under TRADOC. Before 1989, 1/56 had three basic training companies and two AIT batteries. Now the mission is three Air Defense batteries (AIT, Officer's Basic Course, and Captain's Career Course) and one company that trains army truck drivers (MOS 88M).

[edit] Fort Bliss Today

Fort Bliss today is vastly different from the original post created in 1849 to guard the area from indian and mexican raids. The mission of Fort Bliss has changed to providing anti-aircraft and missile defense capabilities, a role which Fort Bliss retains. As the largest military base in the continental United States Fort Bliss is also uniquely suited to conducted live fire exercises of nearly every type of military weapon in the current US Army arsenel. Fort Bliss routinely conducts joint military exercises with other units from other US Bases, and has trained soldiers from several nations around the world. Fort Bliss is the host base for Exercise Roving Sands, a massive army exercise which incorporates military personel from several different Forts across the United States.

Fort Bliss is home to a large number of maintenance crews and supply units, and serves as one of the Army's premier bases for test driving tanks and other equipment. The fort also houses thousands of military vehicles, among them all the equipment needed to set up Patriot missile sites. Fort Bliss is the home of the United States Army Air Defense Artillery Center, and monitors missile launches conducted by White Sands Missile Range, located 70 miles (110 km) to the north, in New Mexico.

The base is the largest maneuver area in the continental United States, encompassing approximately 1,177,000 acres (4,760 km²), almost the size of Rhode Island. Given this fact it is not uncommon to encounter military vehicals on roads near the base or on US 54, which serves as a major transportation route for military equipment. On base railroads also provide transporation for army vehicals and, to a lesser extent, personel.

In addition to the maintince and air defense artillery capabiliy, Fort Bliss also serves as the epicenter for Exercise Roving Sands, a multinational air and missile defense exercise. Roving Sands is designed to place emphasis on the interoperability of joint forces air component command (JFACC), joint missile defense command and air area defense command.^[37] Since its inception in 1989 Roving Sands has been an annual exercise, but is held as a full-scale event every other year due in large part to budget constraints and real world missions.^[38] Roving Sands typically takes place in June, when the weather in Southwest is best suited for large scale exercises.^[39]

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks Fort Bliss has served as one of the major deployment centers for troops bound for Iraq and Afghanistan. This mission is accomplished by Biggs Army Airfield, which is included in the installation's supporting areas. Biggs Army Airfield (formerly Biggs AFB), is home to the Army's Command Sergeant Major Academy, and which also was the site for the return of the 507th Maintenance Company, also based at Fort Bliss. Following the U.S. Liberation of Afganistan in 2001 Fort Bliss began training Afgan security forces at the U.S. Army Sergents Major Acadamy at Fort Bliss, with the hope that these newly trained soldiers will eventually be able to take control of there own national security.

The support structure of the Fort Bliss area also includes a large medical installation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center and a Veterans Administration center, both located on a separate campus from the main post, at the eastern base of the Franklin Mountains. Training missions are supported by the McGregor Range Complex, located some 25 miles to the northeast, in the New Mexico desert. All of these supporting missions serve the military and retired-military population here, including having served General Omar N. Bradley in his last days.

The installation is also within close proximity to the El Paso Airport (with easy access from the fort via Robert E. Lee Road), Highway 54, and Interstate 10. There is a replica of the original Fort Bliss on the post simulating the adobe style of construction. Other items of interest include the Buffalo Soldier memorial statue on Robert E. Lee Road, and a missile museum on Pleasanton Road.

To this day, the walls of the Fort Bliss Officers Club still contain adobe bricks from over a century ago, and the installation has survived, in contrast to Fort Selden, New Mexico (where Arthur MacArthur was posted, when Douglas MacArthur was a boy), 45 miles (72 km) to the northwest, which is crumbling back into desert.

[edit] Base Realignment and Closure

Fort Bliss has, at various times in the past, been effected by the United States Base Realignment and Closure Program. To date the base has never been selected for closure, but has been realigned several times.

[edit] Base Realignment and Closure, 1988

Under the first BRAC round in 1988 Fort Bliss lost 321 people.^[40][41]

[edit] Base Realignment and Closure, 1995

In 1995 then President Bill Clinton authorized another round of the Base Realignment and Closure program. During this BRAC round the Department of Defense recommended that the U.S. 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, which had called Fort Bliss home since 1972, be relocated to Fort Carson, Colorado. Efforts to consolidate units from another fort with those units that remained at Fort Bliss were overruled by the BRAC commission, leaving Fort Bliss on the losing end of the 1995 BRAC process, as this Realignment left Fort Bliss without any armoured vehicals save for those associated with the US Army’s MIM-104 Patriot Missile Defense System, which remained at Fort Bliss.

[edit] Base Realignment and Closure, 2005

On May 13 the Pentagon recommended realigning this base to include approximately 11,500 new troops (and their families) from the U.S. 1st Armored Division currently stationed in Germany. The panel also recommended that the Air Defense Artillery School and its accompaning equipment (including the MIM-104 Patriot Missile Anti-Aircraft/Anti Missile defense system) be moved to Fort Sill. On August 25 officials representing Fort Bliss went before the BRAC Commission to plead their case for maintaning the ADA school and its accompaning equipment at Fort Bliss, citing among other thing the size of Fort Bliss and the history of the ADA school in the region. The BRAC Commission ultimatly ruled against Fort Bliss, and the roughly 4,500 affected soldiers will be heading for Fort Sill at some point in the near future.

[edit] Local impact of Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss is one of El Paso’s major economic influences; on average the base contributes about $500 million dollars to the city’s economy.^[42] The base also serves as a major source of revenue for the Northeast and Central parts of El Paso, and many businesses in the region are talored toward serving the US Army personel from base. For these two reasons El Paso is sensative to changes in the troop composition at Fort Bliss, and when troops are transfered to other bases or called up for service overseas the economic fallout can be felt throughout the city. One good example came following the departure of the 3d Cavalry Regiment in 1995, which had an adverse effect on El Paso’s economy. The loss of so many soldiers at the fort prompted many businesses located in the Central and Northeast parts of the city close or move to other areas of the city in an effort to regain lost revenue. Conversly, the expected influx of troops from the newly realigned 1st Armoured Division has led to a sudden boom of construction in both the Central and Northeast areas of El Paso as the city prepares for the new troops, many of whom have families. This in turn has led to an expansion of construction of schools and other city and commercial structures.

Fort Bliss has also assisted El Paso during local disasters. In 1897, and again in 1925, the fort provided food and housing to those displaced by flood waters.^[43] Following the 2006 flooding Fort Bliss dispatched troops to the flood effected areas to help with cleanup, moniter and secure the Rio Grande, and to tow vehicals stuck in standing water to safety.

[edit] Geography & Demographics

Fort Bliss is located at 31°48′7″N, 106°25′29″W (31.801847, -106.424608)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the portion of the base occupied by housing has a total area of 16.0 km² (6.2 mi²), all land.

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 8,264 people, 1,527 households, and 1,444 families residing in the installation. The population density was 517.1/km² (1,340.1/mi²). There were 2,309 housing units at an average density of 144.5/km² (374.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the installation was 58.11% White, 25.11% African American, 1.33% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.69% Pacific Islander, 8.93% from other races, and 3.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.31% of the population.

There were 1,527 households out of which 80.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 5.4% were non-families. 4.9% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.54 and the average family size was 3.62.

In the post the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 33.6% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 2.3% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 167.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 204.8 males.

The median income for a household in the installation was $35,970, and the median income for a family was $34,679. Males had a median income of $19,920 versus $17,227 for females. The per capita income for the installation was $13,201. About 9.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

[edit] External links

• Fort Bliss official web site
• The Moniter, the official paper of Fort Bliss
• Unofficial Fort Bliss MWR page
• History of Fort Bliss (Source for history body)
• McGregor Range
• Biggs Army Airfield
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 31.801847° -106.424608°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

[edit] References

{{TRADOC}} [[Category:United States Army posts|Bliss]] [[Category:El Paso County, Texas]] [[Category:Census-designated places in Texas]] [[de:Fort Bliss]]

[edit] USS Mobile Bay rewrite

USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) in the Persian Gulf
Career (US)
Ordered:	15 January 1982
Laid down:	6 June 1984
Launched:	22 August 1985
Commissioned:	21 February 1987
Status:	Active in service as of 2006.
Homeport:	San Diego, California
General Characteristics
Displacement:	approx. 9,600 tons full load
Length:	567 feet (173 meters)
Beam:	55 feet (17 meters)
Draught:	33 feet (10 meters)
Propulsion:	4 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 80,000 shp
Speed:	32.5 knots (60 km/h)
Complement:	33 officers & 327 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPY-1 multi-function radar AN/SPS-49 air search radar AN/SPG-62 fire control radar AN/SPS-55 surface search radar AN/SPQ-9 gun fire control radar AN/SQS-53 sonar AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare Suite
Armament:	2 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems 122 × RIM-67 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk, or RUM-139 VL-Asroc 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon missiles 2 × Mark 45 5 in / 54 cal lightweight gun 2 × 25 mm 2–4 × .50 cal (12.7 mm) gun 2 × Phalanx CIWS 2 × Mk 32 12.75 in (324 mm) triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:	2 x Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters.
Motto:	Full Speed Ahead

USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the naval Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War in 1864.

With her guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, she is capable of facing and defeating threats in the air, on the sea, or the ashore, and underneath the sea. She also carries two Seahawk LAMPS multi-purpose helicopters, but mainly for anti-submarine warfare, ASW.

USS MOBILE BAY was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries. The cruiser was commissioned on 21 February 1987 at the Alabama State Docks in Mobile, Alabama.

After commissioning, MOBILE BAY joined the U. S. Atlantic Fleet, arriving at its Mayport, Florida, homeport in March 1987. Following a year of crew qualifications, tests and systems trials, MOBILE BAY embarked on its maiden deployment on 11 May 1989. During this cruise, MOBILE BAY earned its first two awards: the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Armed Services Expeditionary Medal, for operations conducted in the Gulf of Oman.

In June of 1990, MOBILE BAY shifted homeports from Mayport, Florida to Yokosuka, Japan. Shortly thereafter, MOBILE BAY deployed in August 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield and Storm, becoming the first Aegis cruiser to circumnavigate the globe. In the Arabian Gulf, the ship distinguished itself by becoming the first Battle Force Anti-Air Warfare Commander to control a four-carrier Task Force. MOBILE BAY launched 22 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile strikes, and controlling carrier-launched attack aircraft that contributed to the complete destruction of the Iraqi Navy.

In May of 1991, MOBILE BAY was ordered to Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, to participate in Operation Fiery Vigil, the evacuation of thousands of people displaced by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. In December 1991, MOBILE BAY began work-ups for a spring 1992 Arabian Gulf deployment.

On 15 April 1992, MOBILE BAY once again set sail for the Arabian Gulf. En route, the ship and crew visited Sydney, Australia, to represent the U. S. Navy at the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Battle of Coral Sea. Sailing through the Straits of Hormuz in late May 1992, the ship began duties as the Arabian Gulf Anti-Air Warfare Commander. MOBILE BAY also played a vital role in Operation Southern Watch, the enforcement of the U. N.-mandated "No Fly Zone" over Southern Iraq. Returning to Japan in October, MOBILE BAY participated in ANNUALEX-92, a major naval exercise involving units of the U. S. Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. MOBILE BAY served as the Anti-Air Warfare Commander for a joint U. S. - Japanese flotilla.

In May 1993, MOBILE BAY steamed to Western Australia for SPRING TRAINING-93, a multi-national exercise involving units of the U. S., Royal Australian, and Singaporean Navies. In September of 1993, MOBILE BAY made an historic visit to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok. Departing Russia, MOBILE BAY participated in ANNUALEX-93 before returning to Yokosuka to finish preparations for an upcoming Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf deployment.

On 17 November 1993, MOBILE BAY departed Yokosuka for a third deployment in three years. Arriving in the Arabian Gulf a month later, MOBILE BAY immediately assumed duties as Anti-Air Warfare Commander for naval forces in the Gulf. Remaining on station until February 1994, MOBILE BAY helped to maintain stability in the region. MOBILE BAY completed this deployment on 17 March 1994, returning to Yokosuka.

In May of 1994, MOBILE BAY left home waters to participate in RIMPAC-94, a month-long exercise in the mid-Pacific involving over 50 warships from five Pacific Rim nations.

In spring 1999, the MOBILE BAY sailed three times through the Taiwan Straits during a period of tension between Taiwan and China, and in June 1999 it was dispatched to Korea during the "Crab Wars" over fishing rights between North and South Korea.

In early May 1999, USS MOBILE BAY deployed to Singapore to participate in the 1999 International Maritime Defense Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia, there.

In mid-1999, USS MOBILE BAY deployed to serve US forces supporting INTERFET operations off the coast of East Timor. Sailing south on August 23, 1999, for a series of routine Australian port visits and Exercise Crocodile 99, USS MOBILE BAY was redirected by Commander, 7th Fleet, and told to sail for the waters of East Timor. As the first U.S. forces on the scene, MOBILE BAY was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Timor Sea Operations (CJTF TSO). During Timor Sea operations, MOBILE BAY performed many missions including guard ship; U.S. armed forces sanctuary; air surveillance; intelligence gathering; Timor ground operations repair efforts; link manager (which provided primary air tracking in support of aircraft into and out of East Timor carrying supplies and troops); and ship escort.

Following the East Timor operation, MOBILE BAY Bay visited Singapore; Pattaya, Thailand; Kagoshima and Sasebo, Japan. After the Sasebo port visit, MOBILE BAY participated in early November in the joint exercise Annualex, with the Japanese navy.

In July 2000, USS MOBILE BAY changed homeports from Yokosuka, Japan, to San Diego, CA, ending 10 years of 7th Fleet service.

USS MOBILE BAY was refurbished in 2001 as one of the Navy’s first "Smart Ships," and one of four ships selected to test how well Navy vessels can operate with sharply reduced crews. MOBILE BAY had been nominated for the Navy’s "Optimal Manning Project", an early test of concepts to be integrated into the design of DD-21.

On December 21, 2001, a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, operating from the USS MOBILE BAY, seized 10.5 metric tons of cocaine approximately 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.

See USS Mobile (disambiguation) for other ships carrying the name "Mobile".

[edit] External links

• Official web site
• USS Mobile Bay webpage

{{NVR}} {{Ticonderoga class cruiser}} [[Category:Ticonderoga class cruisers|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cruisers of the United States Navy|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cold War cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Active cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[ja:モービル・ベイ (ミサイル巡洋艦)]] {{US-mil-ship-stub}}

[edit] That "Thing"

High Wind Advisory - Unique to the Southwestern region of the United States, high wind advisories are issued in advance of aproaching cold fronts to advise people about the potential aproaching hazard. Cold fronts have heavy winds, which can (and frequently do) kick up power dust storms in the desert; such storms severely limit visability and, if powerful enough, can overturn vehicals, topple utility poles, and blow roofs off houses. Typical these advisories are issued when a cold front’s winds are aproximated to be 35-40 miles per hour, and last thoughout the duration of the storm.

[edit] AE

[edit] Does it Exist?

There are some people who believe that the American Empire and the United States are in fact one country. These people are quick to point out that throughout the series the term American Empire appears very infrequently, and that citizens from or representatives of the American Empire are stilled refered to as Americans. Moreover, the United States is never directly mentioned as an actually country, which suggests that the armed forces of the United States may be the only branch of the U.S. refered to as "Imperial" (American Imperial Army, American Imperial Navy, etc).

Supporters of an independent nation named American Empire point to several episodes in which references were made to the American Empire, or alternatively, "Imperial America". In the first season of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex the term American Empire appeared only twice, once in Episode 10 (SA: A Perfect Day for a Jungle Cruise – JUNGLE CRUISE) and again in Episode 21 ( Left-Behind Trace – ERASER). In the second season, Episode 14 (Beware the Left Eye - POKER FACE) makes references to Imperial America, and the Tachikoma’s discuss the reason for the American Empire’s desire to renegotiate a security treaty with Japan. The American Empire also plays prominately in the CIS plot to turn the Japanese against the war refugees living in the country. This seemingly supports the existance of an independent nation named American Empire.

Those who oppose this view say the the American Empire is merely another name for the present day United States. In support of this conclusion, members of this camp point to the United States’ status as a superpower, which they think may be the reason why the US would be refered to as the American Empire. Within the anime series these members are quick to note that the administrative offices and postitions like the Secratary of State and the Central Intelligence Agency currently used by the United States are maintained in the series with no change in title, as was the case with the armed service branches. They also point out that the citizens from the American Empire are still refered to as Americans, and that the term United States does appear in the series (1st GIG, episode 16:Chinks in the Armor of the Heart – Ag2O). Others feel that this may simply be a Japanese reaction to the United States victory during World War II. This last explination seems plausable, as the United States has maintained naval bases in Japan since the occupation of Imperial Japan by Allied forces at the end of WWII. One such base was mentioned in the 1st Stand Alone Complex series, in Episode 16 (Chinks in the Armor of the Heart – Ag2O).

[edit] Cyberization

Cyberization is a term applied to those that have replaced their biological bady parts with high quality prosthetic device designed to do the same job but more efficently. All branches of Ghost in the Shell take place in a future when hi-tech prosthetics exist and are commonplace, and the use of prosthetics and other cybernetic devices on humans has resulted in much ambiguity over what exactly constitutes cyberization and what should be considered a cyborg. This ambiguity is further enlarged by the fact that Ghost in the Shell does not explicitly define what cyberization is and at what point it makes a person a cyborg.

In a broad sense cyberization could best be described as undergoing some level of cyber enhancement, such as receiving replacement prosthetics for limbs rendered missing, badly-damaged or ineffective. This process may be as simple as having a finger or toe replaced, or it may be as complicated as transferring a cyberbrain in order to completely switch one’s body. Others have argued that replacing a large portion of the body with prosthetics should not be considered cyberization, but cyborgization. Used in this sense, those bearing mechanization but lacking heavy amounts of it (50% or greater appears to be the common baseline level among military personnel) would still be considered natural humans, while those over a certain replacement level would not.

Several discussions throughout the Ghost in the Shell universe attest to the difficulty of conclusively reaching a definition that can be agreed upon. In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Section 9's members are all revealed to have undergone cyberization, yet the group refers to Togusa as a "natural" as he lacks anything beyond the basic cyberbrain upgrade, which everyone needs to have. The Laughing Man, the primary focus of the "Complex" episode story arc, gave insight to a cyborg's ability to share and synchronize memories, thus depriving humans of the uniqueness. The Major countered his point by noting that each person’s curiosity can overcome sychronization. Even the Tachikoma mini-tanks debate these points in episode 15 (Time of the Machines – MACHINES DÉSIRANTES) of Stand Alone Complex when one of the units points out that Japanese citizens who have undergone cyberization resented being called cyborgs.

[edit] Rewrite

While in Puerto Vallarta the steelworkers donated their time to paint an orphanage, touching in a positive way the lives of many less fortunate children. In the ensuing months Stethem embarked on her third Inter Deployment Training Cycle (IDTC) and served as Command Destroyer Squadron 23’s flagship throughout the month of February. In March, Stethem completed the Command Assessment of Readiness for Training II (CART II). Between the weeks of 1 April and 3 May 2002 Stethem completed the Tailored Ship’s Training Availability period. On 6 May Stethem served as the opposition forces for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group’s Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX).

In early June, Stethem ensured her seventh Engineering Command excellance award as a result of outstanding performance during the Engineering Underway Demonstration. On July 8-12, she commenced a Supply Management Assessment which was upgraded to an Inspection because of her exemplary Combat Logistics readiness. Returning to the site of her commissioning in 1995, at the end of July, STETHEM took part in the 60th Anniversary of SEABEE Days in Port Hueneme, CA in honor of her namesake. She then transited to Everett, WA, embarked families and friends for the short transit to participate in the Seattle Seafair Festival. On September 12, 2002, STETHEM was given the distinct privilege of leading the Parade of Sail into San Diego Bay. In the beginning of October, STETHEM occupied a place of honor downtown at Broadway Pier as part of San Diego’s Fleet Week Celebration. While at Broadway Pier, STETHEM safely hosted the first public Navy ship tours in San Diego after the September 11th attacks. Soon afterward, on October 16, STETHEM successfully launched the first Tomahawk Cruise Missile using the new Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS). At the end of October, STETHEM once again played the role of opposition force, this time for the CONSTELLATION Carrier Battle Group.

In January 2003, STETHEM played the opposition force role for the NIMITZ Carrier Battle Group. On February 5, 2003, STETHEM returned to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for another port visit. Working with the San Diego and Puerto Vallarta Navy League Chapters, STETHEM delivered medical equipment for distribution to handicapped residents of Puerto Vallarta. The STEELWORKERs also painted the local library frequented by many of Puerto Vallarta’s school children. On April 5, 2003, STETHEM successfully performed the first ever surface ship launch of a Block IV Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile, bringing it one big step closer to fleet introduction. This was followed up on 08 May with the first surface ship launch of a Block IV Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile with a live warhead. After the missile left the launcher, STETHEM’s strike team became the first to demonstrate Tactical Tomahawk’s post launch execution capability when they redirected the missile in flight. Both the team and the missile performed flawlessly completely destroying the intended target on San Clemente Island after over 2 hours and 700 miles of missile flight.

On May 14th, after a two week Intermediate Maintenance Availability, STETHEM sailed in support of a different kind of missile firing exercise. During this exercise STETHEM’s Airwarfare Team engaged two air borne targets with Standard Missiles. After this successful engagement, STETHEM celebrated by transiting north to Juneau, Alaska and Victoria, B. C. for some well deserved rest and relaxation. All of the STEELWORKER’s took advantage of great opportunities for sightseeing and shopping.

Returning from her trek up North in June, STETHEM rested for one week and then put back to sea to serve as the Opposition Force against Pacific Fleet’s first Expeditionary Strike Group which was headed up by USS PELELIU.

On July 3, 2003, surrounded by friends and family, Commander David W. Melin was relieved by Commander Charles F. Williams. Today, we are continuing our successes with our new Commander and our great crew.

[edit] Naval Surface Fire Support debate (1991-present)

{{gcheck}} There has been much controversy over the development of the DD(X) destroyer with regards to its funding and its role. Questions have been raised in the United States Congress over the cost of the destroyer program, with support for the ship(s) dwindling in light of the mounting cost of the planned new technologies in the vessel(s)^[44]. To counter this the Navy has drastically reduced the number of DD(X) destoyers it plans on building and has implemented an incrimental funding method to help pay for the cost^[45], but doubts in Congress remain over the ship's ability to meet the demands and roles the US Navy has for it^[46]. As a consequence of this perception, the US Congress has thus far alloted only enough funding for one DD(X) destroyer; this destoyer will serve as a "technology demonstator". Congress has also stated that it has mixed feelings over the use of incimental funding for ship classes, a decision which may effect funding for the DD(X) destroyers in the future^[47].

thumb|right|300px|Artists impression of the Advanced Gun System aboard a DD(X) Destroyer Another controversial point of the DD(X) destoyer(s) is their planned naval surface fire support role. At one point this role was filled, in part, by the remaining Iowa-class battleships, whose 16in (405mm) guns are capable of firing 2,700 lbs projectiles aproximatly 24 nautical miles inland. The DD(X) destroyers, by comparison, will mount a much smaller gun (about 6in, or roughly 155mm), but should be able to fire a specially designed "guided" artillery shell some 63 nautical miles inland^[48]. Partially as a result of this new gun the last two battleships were struck from the Naval Vessel Register (NVR), a decision that has sparked controversy.

Although somewhat complicated, the controversy breaks down into two basic camps:

• The first camp (and arguably the most politically powerful one) holds that the utility of battleship class vessels has expired in the face of technological advances, and that the DD(X) destroyer program should be more than adequate to fill the role that decommissioned battleships leave in the US Navy.

In support of this conclusion members of this camp refer to the cost it would take to modernize ships like the USS Iowa and USS Wisconsin. Both are now over 60 years old and would require extensive moderinization to return to the fleet since both have been using outdated technology.

During the 1991 Gulf War the battleships were said to be hindered by Iraqi naval mines, and reports on the internet suggest that the majority of the shore bombardments were succsessfully carried out by US Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates and their 3in (76mm) guns. Moreover, this camp believes that a naval gun round that can take out an enemy command post so they can not see the coming invasion is just as effective as a 100 round bombardment against a landing beach to soften it up. Members of this camp also point out that returning the battleships to active duty would entail finding some 3,000 sailors to operate the ships, and the Navy already suffers from an 8,000 personnel shortfall.

• The second camp alleges that the US still has a use for its battleships, and want Iowa and Wisconsin reactivated, or at the very least maintianed with the United States Navy reserve fleets (or less formally, the "mothball fleet").

Members of this camp allege that the US Navy has a "batleship bais", and that the DD(X) destroyer’s guns are not as superior as the 16in guns on the battleships. Some members of this camp even go so far as to claim that the companies overseeing production of the DD(X) destroyer(s) are only in it for the money they will recieve as part of the so called military-industrial complex^[49]. Members of this camp also point out that the first DD(X) destroyer is not slated to enter service until 2013 at the earliest^[50], leaving a multi-year gap without any direct replacement for this loss of long-range seaborne artillery.

The official postion of the US Marine Corps and the US Navy is that the DD(X) destroyer(s) will be adequate for both of the service branches requirements with regards to its intended role as naval surface gunfire support ships, although there are dissenters^[51]. On March 17, 2006, the Secretary of the Navy exercised his authority to strike Iowa and Wisconsin from the NVR, which has cleared the way for both ships to be donated for use as museums; however, Congress remains "deeply concerned" over the loss of naval surface gunfire support that the battleships provided, and has noted that "...navy efforts to improve upon, much less replace, this capability have been highly problematic."^[52] Partially as a consequence the US House of Representatives have asked that the battleships be kept in a state of readiness should they ever be needed again^[53], and have also directed the Navy to increase the number of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that the Navy is currently modernizing^[54]. Among other things this moderinazation includes extending the range of the 5in guns on the Flight I Arleigh Buke-class destroyers (USS Arleigh Burke to USS Ross) with extended range guided munitions (ERGMs) that would enable the ships to fire projectiles about 40 nautical miles inland.^[55][56][57]

[edit] References

[edit] Image Gallery

Sleep	16-50 Mark 7	Jack Daniels	Battle of Midway
Pocket watch	Tornado	USS Enterprise	NEXRAD
Final examination	World War II	A classic example of homeomorphism: a coffee mug and a donut are topologically the same.	Operation Market Garden
color wheel	Tunnel

[edit] Wikibreak

{wikibreak|TomStar81|when the Confederacy of Collage Finals is supressed by the United Student Resistance Faction.}

[edit] External links

http://users3.ev1.net/~cfmoore/history/1944normandy.html

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:WSigs2jXFCgJ:www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D1547%26page%3D6+CVN+78+and+Enterprise&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=47

[edit] FA

These are some of the featured works I have contributed to

Articles USS Missouri Iowa class battleship USS Wisconsin Able Archer 83

Pictures Image:Pennsylvania Lingayen.jpg Image:GoldenSpikev3.JPG Image:ISS Aug2005.jpg Image:4-Stroke-Engine.gif Image:Cuban missiles.jpg Image:Us declaration independence.jpg

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