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LCAC OPS Critical Part of BHR's Mission

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080716-16
Release Date: 7/16/2008 9:03:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW)Jeffery J. Gabriel Jr., USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

USS BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) and Assault Craft Unit 5 (ACU-5) are conducting amphibious operations as part of the ongoing Rim of the Pacific 2008 exercise (RIMPAC).

ACU-5's Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCACs) have launched daily from BHR's well deck since returning to sea July 11, loading and backloading Marines and their equipment.

LCACs are high-speed, over-the-beach fully amphibious landing crafts, capable of carrying 60-75 ton payloads. These craft are an integral part of BHR's ability to transport weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel of the assault elements of the Special Marine Air-Ground Task Force from ship-to-shore and across the beach.

LCAC crews are small, consisting of only five Sailors. According to Gas Turbine System (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW/AW) Leebert Johnson, an LCAC deck engineer from ACU-5, having a small crew helps with the overall evolutions that they perform.

"Since it's only a couple of guys, it's not hard to know these guys like the back of my hand," said Johnson, a native of Victoria, Texas. "By having a small crew, I can count on them to do exactly what they're capable of."

LCAC craftmasters also work hand-in-hand with ramp marshals and safety personnel aboard BHR to make sure evolutions are performed smoothly and safely.

"We are overall in charge of LCACs entering and exiting the well deck," said Boatswain's Mate Seaman Luis Alfredo Rondon, one of BHR's ramp marshalls. "We let the crew of a LCAC know when they can go from the auxiliary power unit to the main engine. Once that has taken place, I get the proper confirmation from the bridge and tell them to come up on cushion and exit."

Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) Devin Fremin explained foreign object and debris walkdowns are performed in the well deck, just as they are on the flight deck.

"It is very important that we have the well deck free of anything that could cause damage to the LCAC, people in the vicinity or the ship," said Fremin, a ramp marshall and native of New Orleans. "To put it into perspective, anything as small as a screw could be sucked into the blades of the propeller and cause it to jam, resulting in a number of catastrophes.

"With the help of my shipmates, that isn't going to happen on my watch."

BHR is participating in RIMPAC 2008, the world's largest multinational exercise that is scheduled biennially by the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Participants include the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

For more news from USS Bonhomme Richard, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd6/.