Assault Craft Unit TWO

Assault Craft Unit TWO
Active December 1959 - Present
Country United States
Branch USN
Garrison/HQ Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia
Engagements Korean War
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
War on Terror

Assault Craft Unit TWO , (ACU-2) is an Atlantic Ocean Maritime Prepositioning Force in the United States Navy operated under Naval Beach Group TWO out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia. ACU-2's force consists of Landing Craft Utility boats (LCU),[1] Landing Craft Mechanized, Mark 8 boats (LCM), and Maritime Prepositioning Force Utility Boats (MPFUB). The sister unit of ACU-2 is Assault Craft Unit 1 in Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.

History

Following WWII and the rise of the importance of a Sea to Shore connection, all Landing Craft were organized into Beach Party Battalions. The Beach Party Battalions joined and formed the Naval Beach Group TWO. Furthermore, in 1949 Boat Unit TWO[2] and Beachmaster Unit TWO were added to Naval Beach Group TWO.[3] Boat Unit TWO originally had LCM-6 craft and later gained the LCM-8 in 1957 and gained LCU's in 1959 when it merged with Landing Craft Squadron TWO. After the merger, Boat Unit TWO changed it name to Assault Craft Unit TWO (ACU TWO).[4]

Notable Campaigns or Events

1980 - Cuban Refugees in the Florida Straights

1982 - PLO Evacuation from Beirut

1983 - Grenada Island Evacuation

1992 - Liberation of Kuwait

1994 - Restoration of Democracy in Haiti

1999 - Operation Allied Force

2006 - Joint Task Force Lebanon Civilian Evacuation[5][6]

Structure

The six departments of ACU-2 are Landing Craft, Administration, Engineering, Medical, Operations, and Supply.

The most prevalent ratings at the command are Boatswain's Mates (BM), Enginemen (EN), Quartermasters (QM), and Undesignated Seamen (SN).

Secondary and support ratings at ACU-2 include Culinary Specialists (CS), Damage Controlmen (DC), Electrician's Mates (EM), Electronics Technicians(ET), Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT), Logistics Specialists (LS), Machinist's Mates (MM), Operations Specialists (OS), Navy Counselors (NC), and Yeomen (YN).[7]

The LC department is divided into two divisions; LCU and MPF.

The LCU Division operates its LCUs which can make long deployments independently or aboard larger amphibious vessels such as LHDs and LHAs.

The MPF Department operate and maintain its LCM-8 and MPFUB crafts locally and are mobilized and flown to theaters to perform maritime prepositioning operations within 24 hours notice.

References

  1. ↑ "The US Navy -- Fact File: Landing Craft, Mechanized and Utility - LCM/LCU". www.navy.mil. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  2. ↑ "Boat Unit TWO History". www.public.navy.mil. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  3. ↑ Boose, Donald (2008). Over the Beach: US Army Amphibious Operations in the Korean War. Combat Studies Institute Press. p. 444. ISBN 1907521089.
  4. ↑ "ACU 2 History". www.public.navy.mil. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  5. ↑ Virginian-Pilot, The. "Norfolk-based ship Nashville ferries evacuees from Lebanon". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  6. ↑ Virginian-Pilot, The. "Photos: Norfolk ship takes on Lebanon evacuees". Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  7. ↑ MacDonnell, Emily (Jan 2010). "The Surfrider Jan 2010" (PDF). Navy - ACU1 Documents. Department of the Navy, PEO. Retrieved Jan 18, 2016.

External links

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