Marine Detachment USS Newport News(CA-148)

• Marine Detachment Purpose: The Marine Detachment (MarDet) aboard USS Newport News (CA-148) was responsible for shipboard security, manning secondary batteries, ceremonial duties, and providing a landing force if required. • Heavy Cruiser Assignment: USS Newport News was a Des Moines-class heavy cruiser, and its Marine Detachment typically consisted of about 35–45 Marines and officers. • Vietnam War Service: The MarDet played a vital role during the ship’s gunfire support operations off Vietnam (1967–1973), both in combat support and in maintaining discipline and security. • Special Landing Force: During Vietnam, Marines from the MarDet occasionally formed landing parties for special missions ashore, showing their flexibility beyond shipboard duties. • Ceremonial Honors: The Marine Detachment provided color guards and rifle details for ceremonies and foreign port visits, representing the US military to allied nations. • Marine Barracks: The MarDet had its own living quarters and mess aboard the Newport News, maintaining a semi-autonomous “Marine Barracks” atmosphere on the ship. • Battle Stations: At General Quarters, Marines manned the ship’s 5-inch gun turrets and acted as part of the anti-aircraft and damage control teams. • Captain’s Security: Marines provided a security detail for the ship’s commanding officer and helped safeguard the ship’s brig and sensitive spaces. • End of an Era: When USS Newport News was decommissioned in 1975, it marked the end of the Marine Detachment’s service aboard one of the last all-gun heavy cruisers in the US Navy. • Legacy and Brotherhood: Former members of the MarDet USS Newport News maintain an active association, sharing stories and preserving the unit’s history through reunions and online groups.