The USS Makin Island, a brand new Navy amphibious assault ship, sailed off the Pensacola coast Saturday on its way from Pascagoula, Miss., to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Makin Island (LHD-8) was built in Pascagoula, Miss., and completed its acceptance trials this spring.
The 844-foot Wasp-class amphibious assault ship is one of the largest Naval ships in the world, second only to aircraft carriers in size, said Alan Baribeau, a Navy spokesman.
"These ships are specifically designed to remain offshore near troubled areas of the world, ready to send forces ashore quickly via helicopters, tilt rotor aircraft and land craft air cushion hovercraft," Baribeau said.
The USS Makin Island is the last of eight Wasp-class amphibious assault ships ordered by the U.S. Navy.
After leaving the Gulf of Mexico, the ship will sail through the Atlantic Ocean, around South America, and through the Pacific Ocean to San Diego, where it will be commissioned in October."
This article appeared in the Pensacola Paper on July 12th. Link to article I found it because the captain posted it on Facebook. Yes, in this digital age, the Captain keeps a Facebook page that keeps us all updated throughout the deployment.
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