USS Guam (LPH-9)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Ordered: | 21 December 1959 |
| Builder: | Philadelphia Naval Shipyard |
| Laid down: | 15 November 1962 |
| Launched: | 22 August 1964 |
| Commissioned: | 16 January 1965 |
| Decommissioned: | 25 August 1998 |
| Struck: | 25 August 1998 |
| Motto: | Swift and bold. |
| Fate: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship |
| Displacement: | 19,217 tons |
| Length: | 603 ft (184 m) |
| Beam: | 84 ft (26 m) |
| Draught: | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × 600 psi (4 MPa) boilers, one geared steam turbines, one shaft, 22,000 shaft horse power |
| Speed: | 23 knots |
| Complement: | 718 (80 officer, 638 enlisted) |
| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 20 × CH-46 Sea Knights, 10 × MH-53E Sea Stallion, 3 × AH-1 Cobra |
USS Guam (LPH-9), an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, was laid down by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 15 November 1962; launched on 22 August 1964, sponsored by Mrs. Vaughn H. Emory Green, and commissioned on 16 January 1965, Captain N. E. Thurmon in command. She was the third US Navy ship to carry the name, after the Battle of Guam.
Decommissioned in 1998, she was the last of the Iwo Jima class in service.
After fitting out and builder's trials, the new amphibious assault ship joined the U.S. Atlantic Fleet on 21 April 1965 and sailed for Norfolk, her homeport. Arriving Hampton Roads the next day for training off the Virginia Capes, she departed Hampton Roads for underway training out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Guam returned to Norfolk on 5 July 1965 for intensive amphibious training. She sailed from Hampton Roads on 29 November 1965 to participate in amphibious and anti-submarine warfare exercises en route to the Caribbean. On 10 December 1965, Guam joined the Amphibious Ready Squadron in the Caribbean as flagship for Amphibious Squadron 12. There she operated at peak readiness to protect the peace and security of the Caribbean and Central America.
From 16 February to 28 February 1966, Guam patrolled south of the Dominican Republic ready to land forces on the volatile island of Hispanola if necessary. She conducted amphibious exercises until entering Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 1 June 1966 for post shakedown availability.
She departed Philadelphia on 2 August 1966 and prepared for service as the primary recovery ship for the Gemini 11 space flight. On 18 September, at 0959 EDT, Guam recovered Astronauts Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon 710 miles east of Cape Kennedy. From 28 November to 12 December, Guam participated in Exercise "Lantflex 66", and on the latter date became flagship of Amphibious Squadron 8 and Caribbean Amphibious Ready Group.
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