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About the Ship's Coat of Arms

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Homeports of USS America

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USS America (LHA 6)

USS AMERICA is the first ship in the AMERICA - class of amphibious assault ships and the fourth ship in the Navy to bear the name. Unlike the other amphibious assault ships in the Navy, the USS AMERICA is not equipped with a well deck to provide more space for aviation facilities.

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS AMERICA. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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• Click here to see which USS AMERICA memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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About the Ship's Coat of Arms:

Description:

Azure (Dark Blue), a chevron Gules, edged Or, in base issuant a hand holding a torch Argent (Silver Gray), enflamed Proper all below five mullets in chevron Argent; on two cantons of the third, in dexter a coiled snake of the second and canton sinister, a demi-trident of the first. From a wreath Or and Azure (Dark Blue), an American eagle wings elevated, grasping in its dexter claw an olive branch all Proper, in its sinister claw six arrows Argent (Silver Gray), bearing on its breast the Coat of Arms of the United States. A scroll Or doubled Azure (Dark Blue) and inscribed in Latin "BELLO VEL PACE PARATUS" which translates to "Prepared in War or in Peace" of the second. Behind the shield a United States Navy officer sword and a Marine Corps officer mameluke in saltire, points downward, Proper.

Symbolism:

Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy, representing the sea and excellence. Red conveys patriotism. The red chevron edged yellow further symbolizes the Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia and signifies the loyalty, dedication and fighting spirit the Marines bring in support of USS AMERICA's amphibious mission. The five stars represent the battle stars earned by USS AMERICA (CV 66) during the Vietnam War. The hand and torch, adapted from the Statue of Liberty, symbolize enlightenment and America's role as the "Beacon of Liberty". The gold cantons indicate achievement and honor USS AMERICA's rich naval heritage. On the left, the coiled snake is reminiscent of the Gadsden flag, the first flag carried into battle by the Continental Marine Corps. On the right, the trident denotes sea power and symbolizes the three previous warships named AMERICA. The eagle with red, white and blue shield reflects the Coat of Arms of the United States of America with its wings elevated to signify the aviation capability and heritage of USS AMERICA. The eagle further symbolizes the image of the Navy enlisted rank insignia and represents their service to USS AMERICA with honor, courage and commitment. The olive branch and arrows symbolize USS AMERICA's readiness to conduct either wartime or peacetime operations. The six arrows indicate USS AMERICA's hull number, first in the AMERICA-class. The crossed Navy officer sword and Marine Corps officer mameluke represent leadership and attest to the unity and teamwork between the two Sea Services, the foundation for success of USS AMERICA's amphibious warfare missions. The phrase "BELLO VEL PACE PARATUS" (Prepared in War or in Peace), derived from the Second Committee's recommendation for a motto for the Great Seal of the United States in 1780.

The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a white oval surmounting a red oval edged white, superimposed by a white oval voided and bearing 50 dark blue stars representing the Military Service Flag in tribute to the unwavering support and sacrifice of military families across the nation. The top star is gold, edged with a thin blue border in honor of those who have sacrificed all in defense of America's freedom, all within a dark blue designation band, edged with a gold roped border and bearing the name USS AMERICA at top and LHA 6 at base, in gold letters.

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USS AMERICA History:

USS AMERICA was conceived as an aviation-centric amphibious assault ship to serve as flagship for expeditionary strike groups and amphibious ready groups. Construction began at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi in December 2008. The keel was laid on July 17, 2009. The ship was launched on June 4, 2012, and christened on October 20, 2012. After builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico in November 2013 and acceptance trials completed on February 6, 2014, the crew prepared the ship for delivery. AMERICA departed Pascagoula "in commission, special" in July 2014 to begin a long maiden transit to the Pacific.

Her pre-commissioning deployment, branded "America Visits the Americas", combined partner-nation engagement with amphibious aviation demonstrations across Latin America and the Caribbean. The ship made an early stop in Cartagena, Colombia, on July 17, 2014, followed by U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on July 21, and then a port visit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5-8. She continued down the Pacific coast to Valparaiso, Chile, arriving August 24 with follow-on events on August 25, and concluded the circuit at Callao, Peru, from August 31 to September 2, before crossing into the Pacific. AMERICA reached her new U.S. West Coast operating area on September 15, 2014, and was ceremonially commissioned in San Francisco on October 11, 2014 during Fleet Week. These early visits framed the ship's role as a high-capacity aviation platform to support Marine Corps missions and regional cooperation.

Post-commissioning, AMERICA completed final contractor trials on April 3, 2015, and then entered an intensive post-shakedown availability in San Diego, a period used to correct trial discrepancies and refine new-class systems. Through 2015 and into early 2016, the ship conducted local operations and certifications with her aviation contingent, building toward first participation in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. During RIMPAC 2016, from late June through early August in and around Hawaii and Southern California, AMERICA led a multinational group sail from San Diego and executed large-scale amphibious and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief evolutions, including a mass-casualty drill on July 13 that rehearsed medical surge at sea. She returned to her homeport upon exercise completion in mid-August 2016.

In 2017, the ship prepared for her first Western Pacific deployment as the core of the AMERICA Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with PHIBRON 3 and the embarked 15TH Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ARG comprised AMERICA, the amphibious transport dock USS SAN DIEGO (LPD 22), and dock landing ship USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52). Deploying in July, the force entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area on July 23 en route to the Middle East. On August 21, following the collision of USS JOHN S. McCAIN (DDG 56) and the tanker ALNIC MC near Singapore, AMERICA pulled into Changi Naval Base and provided berthing, messing and support to McCAIN's crew during search, rescue, and stabilization efforts. In September, the ARG/MEU conducted "Alligator Dagger 2017" off Djibouti, a rehearsal of amphibious raids, combat sustainment, and visit-board-search-and-seizure with assets such as expeditionary sea base USS LEWIS B. PULLER (ESB 3), reflecting the maritime security demands tied to counterterrorism and regional stability in the Bab el-Mandeb approaches. AMERICA and the 15th MEU returned to San Diego on February 2, 2018, concluding a seven-month deployment that spanned both 7th and 5th Fleet theaters.

After post-deployment maintenance and training in 2018, AMERICA was selected to replace USS WASP (LHD 1) as the forward-deployed "big-deck" amphib in Japan. She arrived in Sasebo on December 6, 2019, to join Expeditionary Strike Group 7, which oversees amphibious operations across the Western Pacific. The homeport shift aligned with the Marine Corps' introduction of the F-35B in the region and the Navy's emphasis on distributed maritime operations.

Forward-deployed operations in 2020 emphasized presence and interoperability amid rising tensions over maritime claims in the South China Sea. In April, AMERICA operated with cruiser USS BUNKER HILL (CG 52), destroyer USS BARRY (DDG 52), and Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS PARRAMATTA (FFH 154) during combined maneuvers that showcased allied coordination in contested waters. In June she conducted bilateral drills with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force training ships JS KASHIMA (TV 3508) and JS SHIMAYUKI (TV 3513). Later that year, AMERICA integrated with Japanese F-35A Lightning II fighters for air-defense and maritime domain awareness training - an early example of U.S.-Japan fifth-generation interoperability at sea.

In 2021, AMERICA served as flagship for a multinational amphibious task group during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 off Australia, concluding on July 31 after two weeks of large-scale landings, logistics, and maritime security training with Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other partners. The ship then conducted cyclic flight operations with the UK carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH (R 08) in the Philippine Sea from August 22-24, a period marked by high-end aviation coordination between U.S. Marine Corps STOVL jets and a British carrier strike group transiting the theater.

Early 2022 saw the ship and her escorts take part in Noble Fusion (February 3-7), a rehearsal in the Philippine Sea for distributing Marine stand-in forces and sea control tasks across First Island Chain chokepoints. These events anticipated the U.S. and allied emphasis on contested littorals and joint fires in the Indo-Pacific.

In 2023, AMERICA and the 31ST MEU called at Manila on March 21, underscoring a rapid expansion of U.S.-Philippine defense cooperation and access agreements. The ship then played a prominent role in Talisman Sabre 23 from July 22 to August 4. During a major formation on July 29 in the Coral Sea, AMERICA sailed with HMAS ADELAIDE (L01), JS IZUMO (DDH 183), ROKS MARADO (LPH 6112), USS GREEN BAY (LPD 20), USS NEW ORLEANS (LPD 18), HMAS CHOULES (L100), ROKS MUNMU THE GREAT (DDH 976), USS RAFAEL PERALTA (DDG 115), USNS MATTHEW PERRY (T-AKE 9), JS SHIMOKITA (LST 4002), HMAS STALWART and USNS TIPPECANOE (T-AO 199), reflecting a broad coalition approach to amphibious and maritime logistics in the face of strategic competition.

Through 2024, AMERICA continued routine patrols and exercises in the Philippine Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea, including integrated air-and-missile defense training with Japanese forces in January that reinforced combined deterrence in Northeast Asia. Alongside those operations, the ship earned recurring Battle Effectiveness ("Battle E") awards recognizing sustained readiness while forward-deployed.

In 2025 AMERICA remained active with allies across the Southwest Pacific. She operated in the Solomon Sea in early June with the 31ST MEU and arrived in Sydney for a port visit on June 14. In July she entered Brisbane ahead of Talisman Sabre 2025 and then, after six continuous years forward-deployed to 7th Fleet, transited back across the Pacific to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, arriving on September 8, as she re-entered the U.S. 3rd Fleet area. Her forward-deployed tour from 2019 to 2025 marked a sustained period of regional engagement, from bilateral and trilateral maritime security drills to large coalition amphibious exercises, consistently pairing the ship's aviation-heavy design with evolving Marine Corps expeditionary concepts.

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Homeports of USS AMERICA:

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USS AMERICA Image Gallery:

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS AMERICA a few hours after her commissioning during Fleet Week San Francisco on October 11, 2014.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning on October 13, 2014, during an open house aboard USS AMERICA (LHA 6) as part of Fleet Week San Francisco. The AMERICA was commissioned two days earlier.

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The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS AMERICA undergoing a Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on October 2, 2015. During the availability, the AMERICA receives 13 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alterations in order to modify it for the USMC variant of the aircraft, becoming the first West Coast platform for F-35B Lightning II.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS AMERICA departing Naval Base San Diego, Calif., for a four-day underway on April 18, 2016.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS AMERICA at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on September 28, 2018.

The photos below were taken by Michael Jenning and show the USS AMERICA at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 2, 2019.

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