USS Cleveland Decommissions After 44 Years of Service

By Electrician’s Mate Yasmine Muhammad, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS Cleveland (LPD-7) was decommissioned Sept. 30 as Sailors, former crew members, family and friends gathered at Naval Base San Diego to celebrate the ship's 44 years of service.

Cleveland was commissioned April 21, 1967 in Norfolk, Va. The ship became a member of the Pacific Fleet's amphibious force when it transited to San Diego.

Less than six months after its arrival in, Cleveland sailed for its first Western Pacific deployment, deploying to the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, where the ship saw its first action during the Tet Offensive.

Over its 44-year span, Cleveland deployed more than 20 times and participated in operations ranging from combat and disaster response to serving as a location for the movie Inchon which was filmed in 1978.

Cleveland concluded its life at sea with a four-and-a-half-month Pacific Partnership deployment to Southeast Asia and Oceania.

"It's an interesting moment because it brings a closure to Sailors who have served since the ship's commission", said Cmdr. Christopher Kipp, Cleveland's last commanding officer. "To be one of the last Sailors to serve on the ship is definitely something that's unique and will stay with me for a while."

Generations of Cleveland Sailors and Marines came together to say goodbye one last time.

"It's a cheerful goodbye to a beautiful ship", said Alexander Phillips, the first hospital corpsman assigned to Cleveland. "The ceremony was very emotional, especially seeing all the young Sailors carrying on the tradition that we started 44 years ago."

Cleveland will transit to Hawaii, where the ship will be in an inactive reserve status.

USS Cleveland, Marines Participate in Maritime Defense Exercise

USS CLEVELAND, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Cleveland (LPD 7) participated in a maritime infrastructure defense exercise Feb. 16, with six U.S. and coalition surface combatants operating near the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal in the North Arabian Gulf.

Cleveland's embarked Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) supported the exercise with two AH-1W Super Cobras from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166. The Marine Corps attack helicopters integrated with other rotary wing assets to improve familiarization with maritime infrastructure protection. Participating British ships included Frigate HMS Monmouth (F235) and Royal Auxiliary Amphibious Assault Vessel RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009).

"Cleveland's participation in the exercise demonstrated our ability to build effective partnerships in the maritime domain and develop the skills necessary to provide critical infrastructure protection in the North Arabian Gulf," said Capt. Kevin Couch, commanding officer for Cleveland, an Austin-Class amphibious transport dock.

"Training with the crews of the Monmouth and Cardigan Bay was an excellent opportunity to develop a cohesive and relevant naval force capable of protecting critical infrastructure that accounts for approximately 80 percent of Iraq's gross domestic product," said Couch.

Cleveland is part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group. The 11th MEU team has been deployed since November to the U.S. 5th Fleet region in support of maritime security operations. Marines aboard the ready group's ships serve as U.S. Central Command's theater reserve force – a forward-deployed, quick-response team, capable of accomplishing a variety of missions.

"This was the first time a Marine attack helicopter integrated in the air defense efforts for the oil platform," said Marine Corps Capt. Ryan Welborn, one of the Cobra pilots from Cleveland who flew during the exercise. "We learned a lot during this mission set."

Welborn said that Marine aircraft operated as a maritime air controller, tactically dispatching assets in order to simulate the defense of the oil platform.

Other participating U.S. vessels included coastal patrol ships USS Sirocco (PC 6) and USS Typhoon (PC 5) guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Adak (WPB 1333).

Cleveland Completes Maritime Infrastructure Protection Exercise

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Grant P. Ammon, Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

USS CLEVELAND, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Cleveland (LPD 7) completed a multinational maritime infrastructure protection exercise in the Arabian Gulf Jan. 13.

Twenty-two ships from five nations took part in the four-day exercise, STAKENET PLUS, which focused heavily on wide area maritime infrastructure protection (WAMIP) operations. The operations were conducted under the tactical control of United Arab Emirates Army Col. Tareq K. Al Zaabi, the current commander of Combined Task Force 152.

"STAKENET developed the ability of navies from different countries to work together and protect critical maritime infrastructure anywhere in a given area of responsibility," said Capt. Bradley Mai, the Task Group 152.1 commander that embarked Cleveland during the exercise.

Critical maritime infrastructure consists of facilities, structures, systems, assets, or services that, if disrupted, would have a debilitating impact on regional security, stability and prosperity.

"Our operations took place over nearly 900 square miles," said Mai. "This was the first time we have trained to protect this large of an area with a force this diverse."

Training operations such as STAKENET bolster maritime security operations and directly complement Navy efforts to strengthen existing ties and emerging partnerships.

"The maritime strategy calls for and hinges upon our ability to work well with our regional partners," said Mai. "There is no better example of that ability than these countries coming together to focus their efforts on key interests that are shared by many of our global partners."

Cleveland served as the command and control platform for exercise assets. The ship's ability to embark the Coalition staff played an integral role in the successful coordination of large-scale, multinational maritime maneuvers.

"A maritime exercise of this size and complexity needs a commander serving afloat to rapidly respond to any of the many issues that arise day-to-day," said Mai. "Our ability to embark USS Cleveland and execute an exercise of this magnitude is extraordinary."

"Our ship played multiple roles during STAKENET, said Capt. Kevin Couch, Cleveland's commanding officer. "We hosted the task group staff, and were responsible for the inner defense zone around the Coalition's critical maritime infrastructure."

Cleveland is deployed with the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Rushmore, Cleveland Arrive in Singapore for Port Call

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eva-Marie Ramsaran, Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) from the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived in Singapore Oct. 28 for a scheduled port visit.

The visit comes after Cleveland and Rushmore's participation in Marine Exercise 2009, a multilateral training exercise with the Indonesia military.

Sailors and Marines from both ships and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are scheduled to participate in several community service projects during the port visit.

Cleveland's 40 volunteers will help maintain the grounds at the Archdiocesan Commission for Missionary Activity and will interact with elderly residents at a local Peace-Connect facility.

Sailors and Marines from Rushmore will visit with local residents at the Peace Haven Nursing Home and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped.

"This is my first time going to Singapore, and I'm very excited about the visit and participating in a community service project to help the local people," said Yeoman 3rd Class Angie Morales, a Rushmore crew member and community service volunteer.

Sailors and Marines from both ships are also scheduled to play soccer, basketball and volleyball with local youth teams.

The Bonhomme Richard ARG is transiting the 7th Fleet Area of Operations and reports to the Commander, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, who is headquartered in Okinawa, Japan.

USS Cleveland: Afloat Forward Staging Base in the Gulf

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Grant P. Ammon, USS Cleveland Public Affairs

PERSIAN GULF (NNS) -- Amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland (LPD 7) completed first-time Interaction Patrols (IPATS) by integrating the use of a landing craft utility (LCU) with air assets during a recent series of exercises in the Persian Gulf.

IPATS are an element of Maritime Security Operations (MSO) which help generate support and awareness amongst commercial vessels sailing in the region of the coalition's efforts to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment. Coalition forces also conduct MSO under international maritime conventions so that commercial shipping and fishing can occur safely in the region.

Cleveland, operating as an afloat forward-staging base, demonstrated the ability to direct multiple IPATs using its visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) teams on maritime security missions while effectively maintaining command and control of aircraft. Utilizing an embarked landing craft utility (LCU) from Amphibious Assault Craft Unit 1 (ACU 1), Cleveland's VBSS teams deployed from the smaller, more maneuverable landing craft.

The afloat forward staging base concept had its origins in the Chief of Naval Operations' SeaPower 21 and sea-basing initiative. Its focus was the use of a forward- staged seagoing platform to rapidly and efficiently meet the U.S. Marine Corps' future requirements and to support joint forces' ability to launch combat power from the sea.

"Using the LCU as a staging area, increases sustainability and decreases stationing time of a VBSS team," said Ensign Zachary Keller, Cleveland's VBSS coordinator and lead boarding officer. "Working aviation assets into the IPAT equation improves our capabilities tremendously."

Traditionally staged and coordinated from surface combatants, VBSS teams are normally deployed on rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB). Deploying from an LCU, allows the VBSS team to conduct longer patrols, increasing the number of vessels queried.

"The LCU was able to reach areas previously inaccessible due to Cleveland's size," said Keller. "We start our missions from the sea instead of the ship."

VBSS teams that would normally deploy for several hours before having to recover could continue patrolling for nearly the whole day, stopping at the LCU for food, equipment and supplies.

The ship's aircraft were marshalled and controlled from LCU, a first in VBSS operations. The employment of air resources increases the VBSS team's efficiency by minimizing response times, said Keller.

"Our boarding teams had direct communication with our air assets during the operations," said Keller. "Using air assets to direct our VBSS teams toward merchant and fishing traffic reduced the amount of time we spent finding contacts and allowed for more time to conduct interaction patrols."

Coordinating air assets aboard the LCU adds VBSS teams extra security and assistance in the search, classification, and identification of vessels in operating areas.

"Our efforts to improve our maritime patrol procedures aims to minimize maritime crime and harassment in the region," said Capt. Billy Hart, Cleveland's commanding officer. "Ultimately, these efforts will bolster security and stability in the region. We experimented with this new concept, along with Destroyer Squadron 26, proving the concept and then putting the pieces into motion. It boosts efficiency and may become the standard for maritime security patrols."

Cleveland is part of the USS Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group and is currently conducting operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. The flexibility and capability of U.S. and coalition forces make them well positioned to respond to any potential emergent situations. Through operations and training with regional partners, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet forces enhance existing cooperative relationships with an aim to support regional countries' struggles against violent extremism.