USS WASP

• Multiple Ships Named USS Wasp: The name "USS Wasp" has been used for ten different ships in the US Navy, dating back to the American Revolutionary War. • Revolutionary War Origins: The first USS Wasp was an 8-gun schooner that served the Continental Navy and captured several British ships before being captured herself in 1777. • War of 1812 Heroics: The most famous early USS Wasp, a sloop-of-war launched in 1813, captured or sank multiple British vessels in the War of 1812 before mysteriously disappearing at sea. • WWII Aircraft Carrier: USS Wasp (CV-7) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1940 and played a critical role in early World War II operations, including ferrying Spitfire fighters to Malta. • Sunk in the Pacific: On September 15, 1942, USS Wasp (CV-7) was sunk by Japanese submarine torpedoes during the Guadalcanal campaign, with the loss of 193 crewmen. • Modern Amphibious Assault Ship: The current USS Wasp (LHD-1) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, commissioned in 1989 and designed to transport and deploy Marines, helicopters, and landing craft. • First Ship to Deploy F-35B: USS Wasp (LHD-1) was the first US Navy ship to deploy the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter in an operational environment in 2018. • Operation Tomodachi: USS Wasp participated in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. • Presidential Visit: In May 2019, President Donald Trump addressed US service members onboard USS Wasp while it was stationed in Japan. • International Cooperation: USS Wasp has regularly participated in joint exercises with allied navies, including exercises in the South China Sea and with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.