153968 USMC Sikorsky CH-46E seen on the deck of USS Saipan (LHA-2) which was docked in Portsmouth Harbour after the first Mediterranean deployment by an LHA

After enjoying a fantastic visit to the mighty USS Nimitz, moored in Stokes Bay, the Solent in Sep. 1980, I made the trip down again just a couple of weeks later to visit the USS Saipan! Again, visitors were allowed on board, and as this one was docked, it only involved a walk up the gangplank rather than a choppy boat ride 😎 :)

In this shot we have one of the mighty Sikorsky CH-46E 'Sea Knights' - 153968 Code '1' of HMM-162 'Golden Eagles' USMC
Twelve of these big guys were on board, one being 'downstairs :)

And courtesy of Hampshire Airfields - a fantastic online resource - here is the complete complement of aircraft that were on board (aircraft that I photographed in bold):

USS SAIPAN (LHA-2)

HMM-162 CH-46E 153698/1 (I have this logged as 153968 - anyone?),
154856/2, 153394/4, 153998/5, 153402/6, 153960/7, 153957/8, 154009/9, 154038/10, 154031/11, 153382/12
HANGAR - 153395/3
HMM-162 CH-53D 156965/20, 157172/21, 157745/22
HANGAR - 157151/23
HMM-162 UH-1N 159187/31
HANGAR - 159192/30
HMM-162 AH-1T 160107/40, 160112/42
HANGER - 160114/43
USS SAIPAN HANGER - UH1N 160835

Total complement - 22 aircraft

USS Saipan (LHA-2) USS Saipan (LHA-2) was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship, the second United States Navy ship named in honor of the World War II Battle of Saipan. Commissioned in 1977, the ship saw service until 2007 when she was decommissioned. In 2009 the ship was sold for scrapping.

Saipan's operational career began in July 1979 when she was diverted from Fleet Refresher Training to Special Contingency Operations, for possible non-combatant evacuation of American personnel from the Nicaraguan Revolution.

From February to April 1980, Saipan was involved in Anorak Express 80. The Navy crew of around 800 and an entire Marine battalion of over 2,000 sailed from Norfolk to Norway. In May, Saipan was underway to augment U.S. Coast Guard efforts to assist Cuban refugees crossing the Straits of Florida to the United States during the Mariel boatlift. On 25 August, Saipan departed Norfolk for the first Mediterranean deployment by an LHA.

Saipan was decommissioned on 20 April 2007 at her home port in Naval Station Norfolk. On 30 September 2009, a contract to dismantle Saipan was issued to International Shipbreaking Ltd, Brownsville, Texas and on 28 October 2009 the ship departed Philadelphia under tow. International Shipbreaking completed scrapping Saipan on 23 February 2011. More on USS Saipan here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Saipan_(LHA-2)

The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight (Vertol Model 107) is an American family of heavy-lift transport helicopters designed and built by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Boeing Vertol. For more info see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_Vertol_CH-46_Sea_Knight

Taken with a Soviet made Zenith E camera and standard lens. From an original slide, scanned and unrestored.

You can see a random selection of my aviation memories here: www.flickriver.com/photos/heathrowjunkie/random/

Taken in: UK / England / Southsea / Old Portsmouth (show map)

Taken on: October 6, 1980

Tags:

Military

Ship

Aircraft Carrier

153968

Sikorsky

CH-46

Sea Knight

Helicopter

USS Saipan

US Marines

USMC

Portsmouth

Portsmouth Harbour

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