USS KEARSARGE

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Branch

U.S. Navy

Members

About USS KEARSARGE

USS Kearsarge is the name given to several notable ships in United States Navy history, most famously the sloop-of-war commissioned in 1862. During the American Civil War, USS Kearsarge gained renown by defeating the Confederate raider CSS Alabama off the coast of France in 1864, a pivotal naval engagement that bolstered Union morale. Later, the name was carried by a series of aircraft carriers, beginning with USS Kearsarge (CV-33), an Essex-class carrier commissioned in 1946 that served in the Korean War and Vietnam War. The legacy continues today with USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1993, supporting a wide range of military operations and humanitarian missions around the globe.

Unit Members

Johnny Stevens

U.S. Navy

USS KEARSARGEView Profile

Jay Croswait

U.S. Navy

USS KEARSARGEView Profile

Photos

III Corps in and around Saigon 1969.

U.S. Air Force • 1969

At Home Loring Maine

U.S. Air Force • 1971

About USS KEARSARGE

About this Unit

Historical Facts

• Multiple Ships Named USS Kearsarge: There have been several ships named USS Kearsarge in the U.S. Navy, honoring Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire. The most famous is the Civil War-era sloop-of-war. • Civil War Fame: The first USS Kearsarge (1861) became famous for defeating the Confederate raider CSS Alabama off the coast of Cherbourg, France, in 1864. • The Battle with Alabama: The 1864 battle between Kearsarge and Alabama was watched by thousands from the French coast and became an international news sensation. • Armor Plating: The original Kearsarge was secretly fitted with chain cable armor along her hull, which helped protect her during the battle with Alabama. • Namesake Aircraft Carrier: USS Kearsarge (CV-33) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1946 and served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. • Space Capsule Recovery: The aircraft carrier Kearsarge (CVS-33) recovered two Mercury space capsules: Sigma 7 in 1962 and Faith 7 in 1963, making her a part of space exploration history. • Modern Amphibious Assault Ship: The current USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), commissioned in 1993, is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship capable of deploying Marines, helicopters, and landing craft. • Humanitarian Missions: LHD-3 has participated in numerous humanitarian missions, including Hurricane Katrina relief in 2005 and Operation Continuing Promise in the Americas. • Presidential Connection: President Abraham Lincoln personally wrote a letter of thanks to the crew of the original Kearsarge after their victory against Alabama. • Art and Legacy: Models and paintings of USS Kearsarge are displayed in museums worldwide, and her legacy has inspired poems, artworks, and even a Civil War-era folk song.