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General Characteristics Crew List Memorabilia Cruise Books Accidents aboard the Ship About the Ship's Coat of Arms History About the Name "Lake Champlain" Image Gallery to end of page |  |  |
USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN was the eleventh TICONDEROGA - class Guided Missile Cruiser and the third ship in the Navy named in honor of the Battle of Lake Champlain in 1812. USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN held a decommissioning ceremony at San Diego, Calif., on September 1, 2023, and was officially decommissioned on September 8, 2023.
| General Characteristics: | Awarded: December 16, 1983 |
| Launched: March 3, 1986 | |
| Launched: April 3, 1987 | |
| Commissioned: August 12, 1988 | |
| Decommissioned: September 8, 2023 | |
| Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss. | |
| Propulsion system: four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines | |
| Propellers: two | |
| Blades on each Propeller: five | |
| Length: 567 feet (173 meters) | |
| Beam: 55 feet (16.8 meters) | |
| Draft: 34 feet (10.2 meters) | |
| Displacement: approx. 9,600 tons full load | |
| Speed: 30+ knots | |
| Cost: about $1 billion | |
| Aircraft: two | |
| Armament: | |
| Crew: 33 Officers, 27 Chief Petty Officers and approx. 324 Enlisted |
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageCrew List:
This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.
back to top go to the end of the pageback to top go to the end of the pageUSS LAKE CHAMPLAIN Cruise Books:
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Accidents aboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN:
| Date | Where | Events |
|---|---|---|
| November 10, 2007 | BAE Systems Ship Repair Facility, San Diego, Calif. | National Steel and Shipbuilding Company workers and one employee of Cornwall, a local NASSCO subcontractor, are involved in a flash fire aboard the LAKE CHAMPLAIN. At the time of the incident, the ship was undergoing repairs but did not suffer any damage from the fire. One NASSCO worker was slightly injured and treated on scene while the Cornwall employee was transferred to the UCSD Regional Burn Treatment Center. |
| May 9, 2017 | east of the Korean Peninsula | USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN collides with the South Korean fishing boat 502 NAM YANG while conducting routine operations with USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70). The collision took place at approx 11:50 a.m. in limited visibility. Reportedly, the fishing vessel's GPS and radio were not operational. USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN was hit amidships on the port side suffering a small dent while the fishing vessel suffered damage to its bow. No injuries were reported and both vessels continued under their own power. |
back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Ship's Coat of Arms:
( Click on the coat of arms for a larger version )
The Shield:
The shield's dark blue and gold are the traditional colors associated with the Navy and symbolize the sea and excellence. The green and white border around the blue field represents the Lake Champlain and the surrounding terrain where two significant naval battles were fought. The first, the Revolutionary War Battle of Valcour Island, is symbolized by the white star on the crest. The second, the War of 1812 Battle of Lake Champlain, is represented by the anchor and cannon on the blue field. The partitions of the border suggest rotation or turning and allude to the American ships movements during the Battle of Lake Champlain. The vertical position of the naval gun exemplifies the vertical capabilities of CG 57.
The Crest:
The crest's eagle bearing in its talons the Naval swords symbolizes martial strength and the American victory at Lake Champlain. The two swords also represent two previous ships named LAKE CHAMPLAIN. The aggressive action and flight capabilities of the eagle highlight the second ship, the aircraft carrier CV 39, active during the Korean War. The wavy bar represents the Lake Champlain itself. The gold four-pointed star indicates the four missions of a modern AEGIS cruiser, i.e., to offensively engage aircraft. missiles, submarines and surface ships.
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back to top go to the end of the pageShort History of USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN:
USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN departed on a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean in 2000. Steaming with the USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) battlegroup, LAKE CHAMPLAIN traveled from San Diego through the snowy seas of Korea, around balmy Thailand, and into the arid climate of the Arabian Gulf. Here the ship participated with international navies in Exercises Neon Falcon and Arabian Gauntlet, and conducted Maritime Interception Operations (MIO) in support of the ongoing United Nations sanctions to stop the flow of illegal oil out of Iraq. In Neon Falcon and Arabian Gauntlet, LAKE CHAMPLAIN improved interoperability and fostered good will with forces from Europe as well as Arabian Gulf coalition partners. It also conducted tactical maneuvering drills, communications exercises and simulated mine avoidance operations.
Additionally, LAKE CHAMPLAIN conducted MIO operations with Navy Seals in the North Arabian Gulf. LAKE CHAMPLAIN caught a number of illegal oil-smuggling vessels operating in conjunction with other allied units. MIO was a complex evolution consisting of tracking, querying and boarding of suspect vessels in addition to health and comfort inspections while waiting for them to be taken over by a coalition nation. During the deployment, the ship visited Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand, among others, as well as port calls in Townsville, and Mackay, Australia.
USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN took part in June 2001 in Exercise Kernel Blitz (Experimentation), an Extending the Littoral Battlespace Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration.
In 2002, USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN deployed for a seven-month WESTPAC/Arabian Gulf deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom/Southern Watch, conducting Inspections under Maritime Interception Operations (MIO) in cooperation with coalition ships. Operations consisted of 135 Visit Board Search and Seizure boardings, 200 Gulf Sentry missions, 500 hours of flight operations, with coalition forces from all over the world.
back to top go to the end of the pageAbout the Cruiser’s Name, about the Battle of Lake Champlain:
During the War of 1812, the British launched a joint land and naval attack from Canada down Lake Champlain into New York State. Under the command of General Sir George Prevost, an army of 11,000 men left the Saint Lawrence frontier on August 31, 1814, to march down the west side of the lake. The American army consisted of 3,300 regulars and militia under the command of General Alexander Macomb. Rather than risk a battle against such overwhelming odds, Macomb fell back south of the Saranac River below Plattsburgh. Prevost occupied the village on September sixth and waited for his naval support to arrive. This was a fleet of four ships and twelve gunboats, mounting a total of 92 guns and carrying 800 men, commanded by Captain George Downie.
The American naval commander on the lake, Captain Thomas Macdonough, had long sensed that control of the lake was essential to the defense of New York. He had therefore built up a fleet of 4 ships and 10 gunboats that mounted a total of 86 guns and 850 men. When Downie's ships entered the lake, Macdonough deployed his vessels in a narrow channel across the bay from Plattsburgh and ordered anchors dropped. On September 11, the British ships rounded Cumberland Head to open the battle at a range of 500 yards. For two hours a gun duel raged with no marked advantage to either side. The British were forced to advance on Macdonough without bringing all their guns to bear. Macdonough then swung his ships about bringing fresh guns to bear on the British, forcing Downie to strike his colors. Within 30 minutes the battle was over, with the four British warships seized or destroyed, 168 of their crew killed and 220 wounded. American casualties were slightly less-104 killed, 116 wounded-but no ships were lost. With the loss of his naval arm, the British commander was forced to retreat back to Canada. Prevost was relieved, but to no avail-Lake Champlain proved to be the last battle of the war in the North. It was one of the few times in history that ships at anchor won a naval battle.
While this battle is not as well known as the battle on Lake Erie, commanded by Captain Oliver Hazard Perry, it proved to be most crucial. The outnumbered force, commanded by General Macomb, was all that stood between the British and New York City. Had the British succeeded in capturing their objective, the outcome of the war could have been altered drastically. Lieutenant Colonel John Murray of the attacking British force was heard to have said after the battle: "This is a proud day for America-the proudest day she ever saw."
back to top go to the end of the pageUSS LAKE CHAMPLAIN Image Gallery:
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The photos below were taken by Ian Johnson and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN during her second visit to Fremantle, Australia, on September 28, 2004 (the first two photos) and October 3, 2004.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN undergoing maintenance at San Diego, Calif., on March 10, 2008.
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The photo below was taken by me and shows the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 23, 2010.
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The photos below were taken by me on September 30 and October 1, 2011, and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN undergoing maintenance at San Diego, Calif. Note the large hole cut into the forward superstructure.
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The photo below was taken by me and shows the LAKE CHAMPLAIN still undergoing maintenance at San Diego, Calif. The photo was taken on March 15, 2012.
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The photos below were taken by me and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on May 10, 2012.
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The photo below was taken by Lydia Perz and shows the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on May 3, 2014.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on December 27, 2014.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN undergoing a Drydocking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) at San Diego, Calif., on October 2, 2015.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on April 18, 2016.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on October 6, 2016.
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The photo below was taken by Sebastian Thoma and shows the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on December 20, 2016. On January 6, 2017, the LAKE CHAMPLAIN left San Diego for a scheduled WestPac deployment.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on October 11, 2017.
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The photo below was taken by Michael Jenning and shows the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on December 29, 2017.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on September 28, 2018.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 2, 2019.
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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the LAKE CHAMPLAIN at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on October 10, 2022.
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