The U.S. Navy’s newest large-deck amphibious assault ship has set sail from the site where it was built in Mississippi.
The USS Tripoli is carrying 1,000 sailors, and it is heading to its homeport in San Diego.
It was made at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula and was recently commissioned there.
WLOX-TV reported that several people gathered Friday to watch the 45,000-ton (40,823-metric-tonne) ship depart the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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The Tripoli will be the flagship of an Amphibious Ready Group for the Marine Corps.
The Tripoli will fill in for USS Bonhomme Richard as it recovers from the fire.
“Not having Bonhomme Richard back at sea as early as we wanted to, but we have USS Tripoli who was just commissioned, will be coming soon to San Diego and will fill in really nicely," said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander for the Expeditionary Strike Group 3.
It is the third ship to bear the name that commemorates the capture of Derna in 1805 by a small force of Marines and nearly 370 soldiers from 11 other nations. The battle is mentioned in the Marines’ Hymn with the line, “to the shores of Tripoli."
