USS Murtha: A Ship like a Sparrow

by Joe Stivala

At first glance, the USS John Murtha looks like 25,000 tons of steel and aluminum with no resemblance to a fighting ship. Look closer, and you can discern weapons systems and aviation capability. She can launch four aircraft at one time to fight other aircraft, support troops and bomb targets. The ship is the tenth of its class, and a technological leap forward. She is armed with two missile launchers and two cannons for ship defense.

The crew size of 400 doubles when Marines are embarked for her combat mission of projecting power ashore. The 684-foot-long ship can move at 25 mph, and has an expected 40-year lifespan.

But a surprise is inside. It is a huge cavern or convention hall of many levels.

CONGRESSMAN Bob Brady and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi applaud the crew of the USS John Murtha as they march by, after the time-honored command is given to “bring the ship to life” in commissioning ceremony at Penn’s Landing Saturday. Photo by Joe Stivala

This interior is filled with fighting equipment to land on a beach. You may have seen old WW II movies where troops land on an enemy beach anyway they could, from odd vessels of all sorts. Today, the ship’s well deck can be flooded, and the rear of the ship opened – so that tanks, jeeps, troops and vehicles can go ashore to fight. Air Cushion Vehicles can float out and leap into the air, carrying a tank, and fly ashore – and go inland or disembark the tank and troops on land!

The ship has voids below the well deck to lower her stance in the water. They were used to lower her 15 feet to clear the Walt Whitman Bridge.

Yes, the hull and superstructure seem to have none of the angles and elongated shapes of normal ships. That is “stealth” designing with odd metal shaping, and special paint and fibers that deflect enemy radar. A 10,000-ton Navy vessel can appear on enemy radar with the radar signature of a sparrow.

There is another mission for ships of this type: As you read this, a sister ship of the Murtha is providing disaster care in Haiti with supplies, electrical power for a small city, medical care and security.

CAPT. KEVIN PARKER, commanding officer of USS John Murtha, C, tries out a joke on Joe Inemer, president of Local 16N Printers, and Capt. John Anderson, executive officer of US Coast Guard Sector base in Phila. Photo by Joe Stivala

THE “ANDREWS SISTERS” USO Show aboard USS Murtha during a pre-commissioning reception. Photo by Joe Stivala

COL. JOE HUGYA, who was Congressman John Murtha’s chief of staff for 51 years and a combat veteran of two wars, draws the admiration of his daughter Kristen. Photo by Joe Stivala

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