View source for USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)

{{short description|Amphibious assault ship of the U.S. Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Kearsarge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= File:US Navy 040620-N-1512S-218 The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) underway while transiting the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea.jpg
|Ship caption= USS ''Kearsarge'' on 20 June 2004
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag= {{USN flag|1993}}
|Ship name= ''Kearsarge''
|Ship namesake= {{USS|Kearsarge|1861|6}}
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Ingalls Shipbuilding]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship laid down= 6 February 1990
|Ship launched= 26 March 1992
|Ship sponsor= Alma Powell
|Ship christened= 16 May 1992
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 16 October 1993
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=[[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk]]
|Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|368702000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NNKP
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Papa}}
*[[Hull number]]: LHD-3
|Ship motto= ''Proud—Trustworthy—Bold''
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honors=
|Ship status={{Ship in active service}}
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=[[File:USS Kearsarge LHD-3 Crest.png|150px]]
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Ship type={{sclass|Wasp|amphibious assault ship}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|41150|MT|LT|abbr=on|disp=flip}} full load
|Ship length={{convert|257|m|ftin|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
|Ship beam={{convert|31.8|m|ftin|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
|Ship draft={{convert|8.1|m|ftin|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=*Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, {{convert|70000|shp|kW|abbr=on}};
|Ship speed={{convert|22|kn}}
|Ship range={{cvt|9500|nmi}} at {{convert|18|kn|abbr=on}}
}}
{{Infobox|child=yes
| label1 = Well deck dimensions
| data1 = {{convert|81|by|15.2|m|ft|disp=flip|adj=on}} by {{convert|8.5|m|ft|disp=flip|adj=on}} high
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header=yes
|Ship boats=*3 [[Landing Craft Air Cushion]] or
* 2 [[Landing Craft Utility]]<ref name="Navy fact file">{{cite web |title=Fact File: Amphibious Assault Ships - LHD/LHA(R) |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&ct=4&tid=400 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121213000227/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&ct=4&tid=400 |archive-date=13 December 2012 |publisher=U.S. Navy |date=13 April 2016 |access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref> or
*12 [[Landing Craft Mechanized]]
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=1,687 troops (plus 184 surge) [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] Detachment
|Ship complement=1,208 men
|Ship sensors=*1 [[AN/SPS-49]] 2-D Air Search Radar
*1 [[AN/SPS-48]] 3-D Air Search Radar
*1 [[AN/SPS-67]] Surface Search Radar
*1 [[Mk23 Target Acquisition System]] (TAS)
*1 [[AN/SPN-43]] Marshalling Air Traffic Control Radar
*1 [[AN/SPN-35]] Air Traffic Control Radar
*1 [[AN/URN-25]] [[Tactical air navigation system|TACAN]] system
*1 [[AN/UPX-24]] Identification Friend Foe
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*Two [[RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile]] launchers
*Two [[RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]] missile launchers
*three 20&nbsp;mm [[Phalanx CIWS]] systems
*Four [[25 mm caliber|25 mm]] [[M242 Bushmaster#Naval|Mk 38]] [[chain gun]]s
*Four [[.50 BMG]] [[M2 Browning machine gun|machine guns]]
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=*''Actual mix depends on the mission''
*'''Standard Complement:'''
*6 [[AV-8B Harrier II]] [[Ground-attack aircraft|attack aircraft]]
*''or''
*6 [[F-35B Lightning II]] stealth strike-fighters
*4 [[AH-1W]] [[AH-1Z|/Z]] [[AH-1W|Super Cobra]] [[AH-1Z|/Viper]] attack helicopter
*12 [[MV-22B Osprey]] assault support tiltrotor
*4 [[CH-53E Super Stallion]] heavy-lift helicopters
*3–4 [[UH-1Y Venom]] utility helicopters
*'''Assault:'''
*22+ [[MV-22B Osprey]] assault support tiltrotor
*'''Sea Control:'''
*20 [[AV-8B Harrier II]] [[Ground-attack aircraft|attack aircraft]]
*''or''
*20 [[F-35B Lightning II]] stealth strike-fighters
*6 [[SH-60 Seahawk#SH-60F "Oceanhawk"|SH-60F]]/[[SH-60 Seahawk#HH-60H "Rescue Hawk"|HH-60H]] [[Anti-submarine warfare|ASW]] helicopters
|Ship aircraft facilities=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Kearsarge'' (LHD-3)''' is the third {{sclass|Wasp|amphibious assault ship}} of the [[United States Navy]].  She is the fifth ship to bear that name, but the fourth to serve under it, as the third was renamed {{USS|Hornet|CV-12|3}} before launching (after the prior {{USS|Hornet|CV-8|2}} was sunk).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uss-hornet.org/history#1556049471113-84158ff0-32b7/|title = History| date=18 December 2015 }}</ref>

==Etymology==
Named in honor of {{USS|Kearsarge|1861|6}}, a [[sloop-of-war]] that gained fame hunting [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] raiders during the [[American Civil War]].  The sloop was named for [[Mount Kearsarge (Merrimack County, New Hampshire)|Mount Kearsarge]] in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]].

==Construction==
''Kearsarge''{{'}}s [[keel]] was laid down on 6 February 1990<ref>[http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/amphibious_assault_ships/kearsarge_lhd_3/uss_kearsarge_lhd_3_page_1.htm Maritimequest USS Kearsarge LHD-3 Photo Gallery]</ref> at Litton-[[Ingalls Shipbuilding]] Corporation of [[Pascagoula, Mississippi]].

Ingalls built ''Kearsarge'' using efficient pre-outfitting and modular construction techniques. Hundreds of smaller sub-assemblies, containing piping, ventilation ducting and other hardware, as well as major machinery equipment, generators, and electrical panels were constructed. The sub-assemblies were then joined with others to form assemblies, which were in turn welded together to form five completed hull and superstructure modules. These giant modules, each weighing thousands of tons, were joined on land to form the completed ship's hull. The result of this early outfitting was a ship that was over 70 percent complete at launch.

She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 26 March 1992, in a ceremony attended by then-[[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] General [[Colin Powell]]. The warship was christened on 16 May 1992, and [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 16 October 1993.

==Characteristics==
[[File:US Navy 030216-N-2972R-065 LCAC returns to the USS Kearsarge LHD 3.jpg|thumb|A Landing Craft Air Cushion returns to the well deck]]
The assault support system on the ship coordinates vertical and horizontal movement of troops, cargo and vehicles. A [[Monorail]] system, moving at speeds up to 600&nbsp;ft/min (3&nbsp;m/s), transports cargo and supplies from storage and staging areas throughout the ship to a {{convert|13600|ft2|m2|adj=on}} well deck, which opens to the sea through huge gates in the ship's stern. There, the cargo, troops and vehicles are loaded onto landing craft for transit to the beach. The [[Air-cushioned landing craft|air cushion landing craft]] can "fly" out of the dry well deck, or the well deck can be flooded so that conventional [[landing craft]] can float out on their way to the beach.<ref name=FAS>{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/lhd-1.htm |title=LHD-1 ''Wasp'' class |publisher=[[Federation of American Scientists]] |date=9 May 2000 |access-date=8 April 2011}}</ref>

Simultaneously, helicopters can be lifted from the hangar deck to the flight deck by two deck-edge elevators and loaded with supplies from three massive cargo elevators.

''Kearsarge''{{'}}s armament suite includes the NATO [[RIM-7 Sea Sparrow]] point defense system for [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] support, [[RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile]]s, [[25 mm caliber|25-mm]] [[chain gun]]s and the [[Phalanx CIWS|Phalanx close-in weapon system]] to counter threats from low-flying aircraft and close-in small craft. Missile decoy launchers augment the anti-ship missile defenses.

==Operations==
{{Multiple image
|image1=A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aircraft, above, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 approaches the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) as an MV-22B Osprey 130527-M-SO289-086.jpg
|caption1=An [[McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II|AV-8B Harrier]] about to land on ''Kearsarge'' as an [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey|MV-22B Osprey]] prepares to launch.
|image2=Ambassador Shapiro Visits Amphibious Assault Ship USS Kearsarge in Eilat.webm
|caption2=U.S. Ambassador [[Daniel B. Shapiro|Dan Shapiro]] visits ''Kearsarge'' in Eilat, Israel.
|align=left
}}
''Kearsarge'' is capable of amphibious assault, advance force and special purpose operations, as well as non-combatant evacuation and other humanitarian missions. Since her commissioning, she has performed these missions all over the world, including evacuating non-combatants from [[Freetown]], Sierra Leone, on 31 May 1997 and rescuing [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] Captain [[Scott O'Grady]], whose F-16 aircraft had been shot down over Serb-controlled territory in [[Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]] on 8 June 1995, while taking part of [[Operation Deny Flight|Operation Deny Fly]].

[[Operation Noble Obelisk]] was the evacuation of civilians from [[Sierra Leone]] in 1997 undertaken by USS ''Kearsarge''. More than 400 Americans and more than 3,000 third-country nationals were taken aboard Kearsarge over 4 days.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/noble_obelisk.htm Global Security.org "Operation Noble Obelisk" Accessed December 26, 2013]</ref><ref>W. M. Kennedy Operation Noble OBELISK: An Examination of Unity of Effort. Naval War Coll., Newport, RI. Joint Military Operations Dept.Technical report Feb 2001</ref>

Additionally, ''Kearsarge'' is fully equipped with state-of-the-art [[Command and control (military)|command and control]] (C&C) systems for flagship command duty, and her medical facilities are second in capability only to the Navy's hospital ships, {{USNS|Comfort|T-AH-20|6}} and {{USNS|Mercy|T-AH-19|6}}. These facilities allowed ''Kearsarge'' to serve a dual role during the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]] in 1999, as a platform for bombing missions against [[Serbia and Montenegro|Yugoslav]] forces in [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia|Operation Allied Force]], and as a treatment facility for [[Republic of Kosova|Kosovar]] refugees in [[Operation Shining Hope]]. In August 1999, ''Kearsarge'' participated in relief efforts for [[Operation Avid Response]].

On 19 August 2005, ''Kearsarge'' and {{USS|Ashland|LSD-48|6}} were [[Rocket attacks on Eilat/Aqaba|targeted by rockets]] while in port in [[Jordan]]. The rockets flew over ''Ashland''{{'}}s bow and struck the pier adjacent to the ships. The vessels were not hit but one Jordanian soldier was killed and another was wounded.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fattah |first=Hassan M. |last2=Wong |first2=Edward |date=2005-08-20 |title=U.S. Ships Target in Rocket Attack in Jordan's Port |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/20/world/middleeast/us-ships-target-in-rocket-attack-in-jordans-port.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The sailors aboard both warships were awarded the [[Combat Action Ribbon]] as a result of the attack.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-03-08 |title=USS Kearsarge Command History for 2005 |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/FOIA/2013-000371-CHR-USS%20KEARSARGE-2005_FINAL_Redacted.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428110117/https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/FOIA/2013-000371-CHR-USS%20KEARSARGE-2005_FINAL_Redacted.pdf |archive-date=2024-04-28 |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=www.history.navy.mil}}</ref>

[[File:LHD-3 in Portsmouth 2006-01-29.jpg|thumb|''Kearsarge'' docked in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], 2006]]
In 1994, 2006, 2008, and again in 2017, USS ''Kearsarge'' served as the principal attraction for New York's "[[Fleet Week]]". In August 2007, the ship visited the port of Valletta, Malta on the way to a six-month deployment to Iraq (5th Fleet AOR). The ship deployed Sailors and Marines in a relief effort in Bangladesh following [[Cyclone Sidr]] and provided support for President [[George W. Bush]]'s January 2008 visit to [[Israel]].

On 6 August 2008, ''Kearsarge'' deployed in support of Operation Continuing Promise. The ship's crew, along with augments from the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Army, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service, Canadian Forces, and other multi-national forces and NGO's, provided medical, construction and humanitarian services to six Central, South, and Caribbean American countries (Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Trinidad). The ship also provided Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations in Haiti following four Atlantic hurricanes.<ref name="LHD3" />

[[File:1000w q95 (2).jpg|thumbnail| [[Turkish Marines]] board an [[MV-22 Osprey]] on the flight deck of ''Kearsarge'' while participating in Turkish-led and hosted amphibious exercise Exercise Egemen.]]
[[File:Royal Marines onboard USS Kearsarge.jpg|thumbnail|British [[Royal Marines]] on ''Kearsarge''{{'}}s flight deck]]

On 2 March 2011, ''Kearsarge'', along with {{USS|Ponce|LPD-15|6}}, traveled through the [[Suez Canal]] in response to the [[2011 Libyan civil war]]. [[Robert Gates]] had said days earlier that he ordered the two warships into the Mediterranean, along with an extra 400 Marines, in case they are needed to evacuate civilians or provide humanitarian relief.<ref>{{cite news |title=2 US warships move closer to Libya via Suez Canal |first=Salah |last=Nasrawi |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/02/AR2011030201087.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |agency=Associated Press |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=2 March 2011}}</ref> As of 20 March, [[McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II|AV-8B Harrier II]] attack aircraft from ''Kearsarge'' have been reported attacking Libyan targets as part of [[Operation Odyssey Dawn]].<ref>[http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3aa872f6c7-412f-4d83-80fb-9666e033198f]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100321164415/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog|date=21 March 2010}}</ref> On 22 March, [[Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey|V-22 Ospreys]] from ''Kearsarge'' conducted a successful [[Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel|TRAP]] operation to recover the crew of a [[United States Air Force|USAF]] [[McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle|F-15E Strike Eagle]] after it crashed in Libya due to a mechanical failure during a combat mission. The ''Daily Telegraph'' reported a military source, stating that, during the rescue, strafing runs were carried out and two Harriers dropped two 500&nbsp;lb bombs on a convoy of Libyan vehicles,<ref>{{cite news |title=Libya: Gaddafi's air force 'has been destroyed' |first1=Victoria |last1=Ward |first2=Alex |last2=Spillius |first3=Nick |last3=Squires |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8402281/Libya-Gaddafis-air-force-has-been-destroyed.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=1 April 2011 |access-date=23 March 2011}}</ref> with other reports alleging that Libyan civilians were wounded in the operation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Off the coast of Libya, aboard America's floating fortress |first=Tom |last=Kington |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/01/aboard-uss-kearsarge-off-libya |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=1 April 2011 |access-date=1 April 2011}}</ref> The ship returned to home port at Norfolk on 16 May 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last=McMichael |first=William H. |url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/05/navy-kearsarge-ready-group-home-051611w/ |title=Kearsarge back from extended deployment |website=[[Military Times]] |date=16 May 2011 |access-date=22 October 2015}}</ref>

Following a three-day delay due to bad weather, ''Kearsarge'' deployed from Naval Station Norfolk on 11 March 2013 for a scheduled eight-month deployment. One of her first port visits was to Cyprus. ''Kearsarge'' later docked at the Israeli port of [[Eilat]] for several days beginning on 14 May 2013 before continuing her deployment.<ref>{{cite web|title=US aircraft carrier docks in Eilat |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-aircraft-carrier-docks-in-eilat/ |last=Sterman |first=Adiv |date=14 May 2013 |work=The Times of Israel |access-date=16 May 2013}}</ref> One of her MV-22s exercised in a joint operation with {{HMS|Illustrious|R06|6}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/8865 |title='A little bit special' – unique US aircraft lands on Illustrious |publisher=Royal Navy |date=19 September 2013 |access-date=22 October 2015}}</ref>

In September 2017, ''Kearsarge'' was called upon to assist in search-and-rescue operations during [[Hurricane Maria]], after contact was lost with a ship carrying four people that issued a distress signal while battling {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}} seas and {{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} winds off the coast of [[Vieques, Puerto Rico]]. The [[United States Coast Guard]], [[United States Navy|Navy]], and the [[Royal Navy]] utilized an [[HC-130]] aircraft, a fast response cutter, and Navy helicopters. A woman and two children were rescued, but a man died aboard their capsized vessel.<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=Miami Herald|date=21 September 2017|access-date=21 September 2017|title=The Latest: Boat missing off Puerto Rico with 4 aboard|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article174535966.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922002153/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article174535966.html|archive-date=22 September 2017}}</ref>

''Kearsarge''  participated in Ft. Lauderdale's 2018 Fleet Week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.browardnavydaysinc.org |title=Broward Navy Days, Inc |publisher=Broward Navy Days, Inc. |date=2007-02-26 |access-date=2021-11-20}}</ref>

On 13 May 2022, ''Kearsarge'' took part in a [[PASSEX]] training with the [[Finnish Navy|Finnish]] and [[Swedish Navy|Swedish]] navies in the northern [[Baltic Sea]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/05/finnish-navy-holds-drills-in-northern-baltic-sea/ |title=Finnish Navy Holds Drills In Northern Baltic Sea |work=Naval News |date=16 May 2022 |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> From 17 May to 23 May, ''Kearsarge'' and her amphibious readiness group took part in the NATO vigilance activity, Neptune Shield 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/05/nato-begins-vigilance-activity-neptune-shield-2022/ |title=NATO Begins Vigilance Activity NEPTUNE SHIELD 2022 |work=Naval News |date=19 May 2022 |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> On 27 May, ''Kearsarge'' docked at [[Tallinn]], Estonia ahead of the Exercise BALTOPS 22.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.usni.org/2022/05/31/u-s-warships-now-in-the-baltic-ahead-of-baltops-as-sweden-finland-move-through-nato-membership-process |title=U.S. Warships Now in the Baltic Ahead of BALTOPS as Sweden, Finland Move Through NATO Membership Process |work=USNI News |last=LaGrone |first=Sam |date=31 May 2022 |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> During BALTOPS 2022 ''Kearsarge'' trained operating [[Autonomous underwater vehicle|UUVs]] and [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|UAVs]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=U.S. Naval Forces Europe |date=2022-06-17 |title=BALTOPS 22, the premier Baltic Sea maritime exercise, concludes in Kiel |url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3066830/baltops-22-the-premier-baltic-sea-maritime-exercise-concludes-in-kiel/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=America's Navy |publisher=US Navy}}</ref> On 2 June, she arrived in [[Stockholm]], Sweden.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Langert |first1=Danielle |date=2022-06-02 |title=Jättefartyget USS Kearsarge glider in i Stockholms skärgård |language=sv |work=SVT Nyheter |url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/stockholm/har-tranger-sig-jattefartyget-fram-i-skargarden |access-date=2022-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Helene |title=U.S. Warship Arrives in Stockholm for Military Exercises, and as a Warning |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/04/us/politics/uss-kearsarge-stockholm.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=4 June 2022}}</ref> On 20 August, she arrived in [[Klaipėda]], [[Lithuania]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.c6f.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/News-Display/Article/3134692/kearsarge-amphibious-ready-group-and-uss-paul-ignatius-ddg-117-visit-baltic-all/ |title=Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) visit Baltic allies |publisher=U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Public Affairs |date=20 August 2022 |access-date=20 August 2022}}</ref>

==Deployments== 
*January to August 1995; Mediterranean<ref name="LHD3" >{{cite web|url=http://www.hullnumber.com/LHD-3|title=LHD-3|publisher=hullnumber.com}}</ref>
*April to October 1997 - North Atlantic - Mediterranean<ref name="LHD3" />
*April to October 1999;  Mediterranean<ref name="LHD3" />
*April to October 2001; Mediterranean<ref name="LHD3" />
*January to July 2003; North Atlantic - Mediterranean - Indian Ocean - Persian Gulf<ref name="LHD3" />
*March to October 2005; Mediterranean<ref name="LHD3" />
*September 2007 to February 2008; Mediterranean - Indian Ocean - Persian Gulf.
*August 2010 to May 2011; Mediterranean - West Africa<ref name="LHD3" />
*October 2015 to May 2016; Mediterranean - Indian Ocean - Persian Gulf <ref name="LHD3" />
*August 2017 to November 2017; Caribbean Sea after hurricanes Irma and Maria <ref name="LHD3" />
*December 2018 to July 2019; Mediterranean - Indian Ocean - Persian Gulf <ref name="LHD3" />
*March 2022 to October 2022; Baltic Sea, (and the [[BALTOPS]] 2022 exercise in June)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.usni.org/2022/05/31/u-s-warships-now-in-the-baltic-ahead-of-baltops-as-sweden-finland-move-through-nato-membership-process|title=U.S. Warships Now in the Baltic Ahead of BALTOPS as Sweden, Finland Move Through NATO Membership Process|publisher=usni.org|date=31 May 2022|access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref>

==Awards==
USS ''Kearsarge'' has been awarded the Golden Anchor for Retention Excellence, Ronald Reagan Distinguished Service Award, the CNO Environmental Safety Award, the Admiral Flatley Memorial Award (aviation safety), SECNAV Energy Award (2002), [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]] (DOE) [[Federal Energy Management Program]] (FEMP) Mobility Energy Efficiency Award (2002), the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award and the Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic Safety Award.

Additionally, ''Kearsarge'' has qualified for the following medals and unit awards: [[Combat Action Ribbon]], Humanitarian award, [[Navy Unit Commendation]] (three awards), [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] (one award), [[Battle Efficiency "E" Award]] (seven awards),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=93558 |title=Kearsarge Earns Battle "E" |access-date=29 March 2016 |archive-date=11 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311104939/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=93558 }}</ref> [[National Defense Service Medal]] (two awards), [[Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal]], [[Kosovo Campaign Medal]] (with bronze star), [[Armed Forces Service Medal]], [[Sea Service Deployment Ribbon]] (five awards), and the [[NATO Medal]].<ref>http://awards.navy.mil {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041014224730/https://awards.navy.mil/ |date=14 October 2004 }}</ref>

==Shield and crest==
Blue and gold are colors traditionally associated with the Navy and symbolize the sea and excellence. The green chevron suggests the green-peaked Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire. The amphibious nature of the combat operations of the present USS ''Kearsarge'' is represented by green and blue, alluding land and sea. The arrowheads, together with the white chevronel, which represents a shore line, allude to assault landings. The stars commemorate the battle stars the third ''Kearsarge'' received for Korean War and Vietnam War service.

The wings of the crest symbolize the aviation capabilities of both the present and the third ''Kearsarge''; they are gold for the honor and achievement. The white anchor recalls the round-the-world cruise of the second ''Kearsarge'' of the [[Great White Fleet]] in 1907 and denotes the naval prowess of the USS ''Kearsarge''s. The blue-and-gray wavy bar highlights the Civil War service for the first USS ''Kearsarge''. The swords (one a [[United States Navy|Navy]] cutlass and the other a [[United States Marine Corps|Marine]] [[Mameluke Sword|mameluke]]) are crossed, to denote cooperation and teamwork, as well as the combined combat mission of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Motto ~ "Proud ... Bold ... Trustworthy."

==See also==
*{{sclass|Tarawa|amphibious assault ship|1}}
*{{sclass|America|amphibious assault ship|1}}
*[[List of New Hampshire historical markers (226–250)#243|New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 243]]: Mount Kearsarge and the U.S.S. Kearsarge

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)}}
* [http://www.kearsarge.navy.mil/ ''Kearsarge'''s official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717104059/http://www.kearsarge.navy.mil/ |date=17 July 2015 }}
* {{navsource|10/08/0803|USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)}}
*[http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/amphibious_assault_ships/kearsarge_lhd_3/uss_kearsarge_lhd_3_page_1.htm Maritimequest USS ''Kearsarge'' LHD-3 Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.uscarriers.net/lhd3history.htm USS ''Kearsarge'' history at U.S. Carriers]
* [http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/outdoors_news/4265161.html Popular Mechanics profile of USS ''Kearsarge'' during 2008 Fleet Week] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910171534/http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/outdoors_news/4265161.html |date=10 September 2009 }}
* [http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium/pm.cgi?action=display&login=kearsage Historic Image of USS ''Kearsarge'' by E. Caner at Historic Camera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171628/http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium/pm.cgi?action=display&login=kearsage |date=3 March 2016 }}
* {{hlist|USS ''Kearsarge'' (LHD-3) command histories – [[Naval History & Heritage Command]]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1993.pdf 1993]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1994.pdf 1994]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1995.pdf 1995]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1996.pdf 1996]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1997.pdf 1997]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1998.pdf 1998]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/1999.pdf 1999]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/2001.pdf 2001]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/2002.pdf 2002]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/2003.pdf 2003]
* [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kearsarge-lhd-3-v/2004.pdf 2004]
}}

{{Wasp class amphibious assault ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kearsarge (Lhd-3)}}
[[Category:Wasp-class amphibious assault ships]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Pascagoula, Mississippi]]
[[Category:1992 ships]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Bosnian War]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]