About this Unit
The USS Tripoli is the name given to several ships in the United States Navy, most notably to honor the early 19th-century Battle of Derna during the First Barbary War. The first USS Tripoli (CVE-64) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier commissioned in 1943 and served in World War II, providing vital air support in the Pacific theater. The second, USS Tripoli (LPH-10), was an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1966, seeing extensive service during the Vietnam War and later supporting operations in the Persian Gulf. The current USS Tripoli (LHA-7), an America-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 2020, continues to project U.S. naval power and support Marine Corps operations worldwide.
Historical Facts
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Namesake: The USS Tripoli is named after the Battle of Derna ("Tripoli"), fought during the First Barbary War in 1805. This was the first recorded land battle of the United States fought overseas.
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Multiple Ships: There have been three U.S. Navy ships named USS Tripoli: CVE-64 (an escort carrier), LPH-10 (an amphibious assault ship), and LHA-7 (an America-class amphibious assault ship).
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USS Tripoli (CVE-64): The first USS Tripoli was a Casablanca-class escort carrier that served in World War II, providing air support for anti-submarine warfare in the Atlantic.
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Vietnam War Service: USS Tripoli (LPH-10) served as an amphibious assault ship and played a significant role in helicopter operations during the Vietnam War, including troop landings and medevac missions.
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Operation End Sweep: LPH-10 was the flagship for Operation End Sweep, the post-Vietnam War mine-clearing operation in North Vietnamese waters in 1973.
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Gulf War Damage: During the 1991 Gulf War, LPH-10 struck a floating Iraqi mine in the Persian Gulf, causing significant damage but no fatalities, and continued operations afterward—a testament to the crew’s resilience.
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Modern Power: The newest USS Tripoli (LHA-7), commissioned in 2020, is a state-of-the-art America-class amphibious assault ship, designed to deploy Marine F-35B fighter jets and support modern expeditionary warfare.
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Flight Deck Innovation: LHA-7 features an expanded aviation hangar and a reinforced flight deck to better support heavy aircraft operations, including the F-35B Lightning II.
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Testing New Concepts: In 2022, USS Tripoli (LHA-7) conducted "Lightning Carrier" operations, deploying with an unprecedented number of F-35Bs (over 20) to test the feasibility of using amphibious ships as light aircraft carriers.
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Symbolism: The ship’s crest for LHA-7 includes a depiction of the Mameluke sword, referencing the Marine Corps' first overseas victory at Tripoli and the tradition of Marine officers carrying this sword.
