View source for USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)

{{Other ships|USS Gunston Hall}}
{{Infobox ship
|Ship image=[[File:US Navy 050719-N-5526M-001 The amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) conducts Surface Action Group operations during exercise Nautical Union. Nautical Union is a joint exercise between U.S. and coalition forces.jpg|300px]]
|Ship caption=''Gunston Hall'' during exercise Nautical Union (2005)
|module={{Infobox ship career|embed=yes
|Ship country=US
|Ship flag={{USN flag}}
|Ship name=''Gunston Hall''
|Ship namesake= [[Gunston Hall]]
|Ship awarded=21 November 1983
|Ship builder=Avondale Shipyard
|Ship laid down=26 May 1986
|Ship launched=27 June 1987
|Ship commissioned=22 April 1989
|Ship refit=2009
|Ship homeport=[[Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek|NAB Little Creek]]
|Ship motto=''Defending The Constitution''
|Ship status={{Ship in active service}}
|Ship badge=[[File:USS Gunston Hill LSD-44 Crest.png|150px]]
}}
|module2={{Infobox ship characteristics|embed=yes
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Whidbey Island|dock landing ship}}
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=11,332&nbsp;tons (light)<br/> 16,581&nbsp;tons (full)
|Ship tons burthen=
|Ship length={{convert|610|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship beam={{convert|84|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{convert|21|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=4 Colt Industries, 16-cylinder diesel engines, 2 shafts, 33,000 shp (25 MW)
|Ship speed=20+ knots (37+ km/h)
|Ship range=
|Ship boats=4 [[Landing Craft Air Cushion|LCAC]]s or 2 LCUs
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops= Marine detachment: 402 + 102 surge
|Ship complement=22 officers, 391 enlisted
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=2 × 25 mm [[M242#Naval|Mk 38]] cannons<br/> 2 × 20 mm [[Phalanx CIWS|Phalanx]] [[CIWS]] mounts<br/> 2 × [[RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile|Rolling Airframe Missile]] <br/> 6 × .50 caliber [[M2HB]] machine guns
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
}}
'''USS ''Gunston Hall'' (LSD-44)''' is a {{sclass|Whidbey Island|dock landing ship}} of the [[United States Navy]]. She was the second Navy ship to be named for [[Gunston Hall]], the [[Mason Neck, Virginia]] estate of [[George Mason]], one of Virginia's outstanding Revolutionary figures, and "Father of the Bill of Rights".

''Gunston Hall'' was laid down on 26 May 1986, by the Avondale Shipyards, New Orleans, La.; launched on 27 June 1987; and commissioned on 22 April 1989<!--, at [[COMMLOC]], RANK CAPTAIN in command-->.

''Gunston Hall'' is<!-- commanded by RANK CAPTAIN,--> homeported at [[Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek|NAB Little Creek]], Virginia, and assigned to Amphibious Group 2 of the [[US Atlantic Fleet|Atlantic Fleet]].
{{Update|date=November 2013}}
It was announced on 9 October 2006 in the Halifax Herald in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada that the [[Canadian Navy]] will borrow the 186-meter amphibious assault ship for a brief period, and will pull it into [[CFB Halifax]] in early November, 2006. About 150 Canadian soldiers from [[CFB Valcartier]], along with their light armored vehicles and G-wagons, will board the vessel and start training to storm beaches in landing craft, much like troops did in the [[Second World War]]. The U.S. military is providing mentoring and support during the operation.<ref>[http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/533374.html Thechronicleherald.ca]</ref>

==2008==
While on deployment the ''Gunston'' engaged and gave chase to the ''Golden Nori'' which had been hijacked by Somalian pirates. After days of chasing the ''Golden Nori'' was cornered in a Somali bay where the ''[[USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41)|USS Whitbey Island]]'' assisted with the extraction of the hostages.

==2009 Refit==
''Gunston Hall'' completed sea trials 21 May 2009 after undergoing a midlife modernization availability. The work began in July 2008 at Metro Machine Corp. in Norfolk, Va., and included major upgrades to the ship's control system, local area network and machinery control system, propulsion systems, HVAC, as well as replacement of the ship's boilers and evaporators with an all-electric services system. The refit extended her expected service life which could be up until 2038.<ref Name="NNS090529-27">{{cite web
|title=USS Gunston Hall Completes Sea Trials|publisher=Navy News Service|date=29 May 2009|url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=45774|accessdate=30 May 2009}}</ref>

==2010 Haitian relief==
LSD 44 was deployed in January as part of rescue efforts after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=80149 Navy.mil]</ref> On 18 January 2010, she anchored off [[Killick]] navy base and started relief operations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wvec.com/home/Navy-in-Hampton-Roads-answers-call-to-duty-in-Haiti-81966792.html |title=Navy in Hampton Roads answers call to duty in Haiti |work=WVEC}}</ref>

==Senior leader reliefs==
In August 2010 the ship's skipper, Commander Fred R. Wilhelm, was relieved of his command by Rear Admiral Dave Thomas, commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, and reassigned to administrative shore duties after allegations surfaced of sexual harassment and simple assault among the ''Gunston Hall's'' crew.  Wilhelm was replaced by Captain Mark H. Scovill.  The ship's executive officer Commander Kevin Rafferty, and former Command Master Chief Wayne Owings were given non-judicial action over the same incident.<ref>Lessig, Hugh, "USS Gunston Hall CO Is Relieved Of Command", ''[[Newport News Daily Press]]'', 13 August 2010.</ref>

The senior enlisted member of the crew, Command Master Chief Kelly Smith, was removed from his position on 8 September 2012 and reassigned for misconduct.<ref>Fellman, Sam, "[http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/09/navy-fired-cmc-norfolk-virginia-amphib-091012/ Amphib CMC fired for ‘alleged misconduct’]", ''[[Military Times]]'', 10 September 2012</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
*{{NVR|http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/LSD44.htm}}

==External links==
{{Commons|USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)}}
*[http://www.gunston-hall.navy.mil USS ''Gunston Hall'' official website]
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/12/1244.htm navsource.org: USS ''Gunston Hall'']
*[http://navysite.de/ships/lsd44.htm navysite.de: USS ''Gunston Hall'']

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:USS Gunston Hall 2010-01-22 Haiti.jpg|''Gunston Hall'' off the coast of Haiti during [[Operation Unified Response]] following the 2010 Haiti earthquake
File:US Navy 100412-N-6138K-395 Ensign Matthew Sweet shows Tanzanian and Togolese Sailors the ship's security camera monitor aboard USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44).jpg|Ensign Matthew Sweet shows Tanzanian and Togolese Sailors the ship's security camera monitor aboard the [[Whidbey Island class dock landing ship]], 12 April 2010
</gallery>

{{Whidbey Island class dock landing ship}}

{{Wikipedia|USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunston Hall (Lsd-44)}}
[[Category:Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships]]
[[Category:Cold War amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:Active amphibious warfare vessels of the United States]]
[[Category:United States Navy Virginia-related ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Louisiana]]
[[Category:1987 ships]]
[[Category:2010 Haiti earthquake relief]]