Ingalls-built LHA 6 delivers

USS AMERICA At Sea - The future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) sailed away from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., en route to her new San Diego homeport on July 11. But, unlike other ships making maiden voyages, America embarked Marine units to immediately begin amphibious operations. After only five days at sea, more than 40 Marines and Navy corpsmen – from Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force South - boarded two MV-22 Ospreys; and marking the first Expeditionary Strike Group 3 mission launched from America's flight deck. As the Ospreys touched down, the Marines and corpsmen sprang into action ready for joint maneuvers with Columbian marines at the International Center for Amphibious Training in Covenas, Colombia. U.S. forces were split into four information exchange groups: medical combat casualty, IEDs, hand-to-hand combat, and a small-arms live-fire weapons shoot. The IED exchange, which is “very significant” for Columbia, was an important station. The country has been at war with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), a terrorist organization, for 50 years. (Source: USS America 07/25/14)