USS Carter Hall heads to Inner Harbor to participate in Maryland's Fleet Week
BALTIMORE -- One of the Naval Ships that will be front and center throughout Fleet Week is the USS Carter Hall, an amphibious warship making its way up the Chesapeake Bay.
WJZ's Sean Streicher boarded a MH-60 Seahawk helicopter to rendezvous with the USS Carter Hall as it makes its way up the Chesapeake Bay en route to Maryland Fleet Week and Flyover Baltimore.
"The Fightin 50, otherwise known as the USS Carter Hall, was built to keep America safe and the world seas free and open to commerce," Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two, said.
The 610-foot vessel plays a vital role in a Navy-Marine expeditionary unit.
"Our main duty is to take either combat elements, or humanitarian elements and put them on the beach to help people," Cmdr. Brad Fancher, the commanding officer of USS Carter Hall, said.
The ship bears the motto "Working for Peace, Ready for War!"
It is forward-deployed at all times ready to respond to any potential crisis. transporting Marines, cargo and vehicles anywhere in the world.
"This is an LCAC, it stands for landing craft air cushion, so it's basically a hovercraft," Naval technician Danielle Hill said.
Aboard the ship, there is a mixture of Marines and sailors from across the country—each with their own story.
One person said their grandfather was a hull technician. Another said they were the lead culinary specialist and enrolled in the Navy for 24 years.
A third person said they had been on four deployments and traveled to more countries than they have states.
The USS Carter Hall will be docked at Port Covington so stop by, hop on board and talk to the men and women that keep the ship running.