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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Ron Reeves

USS Somerset (LPD-25)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Sierra - Oscar - Mike NSOM

San Antonio Class Amphibious Transport Dock:

Laid down, 11 December 2009, at Huntington Ingalls Industries Avondale Shipyard, LA.

Launched, 14 April 2012

Christened Somerset (LPD-25), 28 July 2012, at Huntington Ingalls Industries Avondale Shipyard, LA.

Commissioned USS Somerset (LPD-25) 1 March 2014, at Philadelphia, PA., CAPT. Thomas L. Dearborn USN in command

Specifications:
Displacement 25,000 t.(fl)
Length 684'
Beam 105'
Draft 23 ft.
Speed 22 kts.
Complement 33 Officers, 411 Enlisted
Troop Accommodations 66 Officers, 625 Enlisted

Mission Systems

Vehicles/Cargo (Net): Three Vehicle Decks (2323 sq m)

Two Cargo/Ammo Magazines (708 cu m)

Cargo Fuel, JP-5 (1190 cu m) , MOGAS (38 cu m)

Two LCACs

Medical

Two Operating Rooms

24 Person Hospital Ward

100 Casualty Overflow Capacity:

Aviation Facilities

Hangar - "O" Level, Maintenance Facilities for; One CH-53E, or Two CH-46s, or One MV-22, or Three UH/AH-1s

Landing - Two CH-53s, or Four AH/UH-1s, or Four CH-46s, or Two MV-22s, or One AV-8B Harrier:

Main Propulsion

4 - Medium Speed Turbocharged Marine Diesels

2 - Shafts

2 - Single Reversing Reduction Gears

2 - Inboard Rotating (top) Fixed Pitch Propellers

Electric Plant

5 - 2500 KW Ship Service Marine Diesel Generators

5 - Main Ship Service 60 Hz SWBS

3 - Ship Service 400 Hz SWBS

3 - 60 to 400 Hz solid State Frequency changers

Zonal 60 Hz Power distribution system

Advanced Degaussing System

Auxiliaries

7 - 700 KW Non-CFC Air conditioning Plants

5 - 12000 GPD Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plants

10 - 1000 GPM Navy Standard Firepumps

2 - HP Air Compressors

3 - LP Air Compressors

3 - Deballast Air Compressors

Navigation

Digital Flux Gate Magnetic Compass

AN/WSN-7(V)1 Inertial Navigation System

AN/WQN-2 Doppler Sonar Velocity Log System

AN/UQN-4A Sonar Sounding Set, Dead Reckoning System

Navigation Telex System

AN/SSN-6 NAVSSI

Armament

1 - MK 41, 16 Cell VLS, (Space & Weight)

2 - MK 31 Mod 0 RAM Launchers

2 - MK 46 Mod 1 30mm Machine Guns

2 - MK 26 Mod 17 .50 Cal Machine Guns Command & Control

AN/SPQ-12(V) Radar Display Dist. Distribution System

MK 2 SSDS

AN/USQ-119C(V)27 JMCIS

AN/KSQ-1 Amphibious Assault Direction System

MK 91, 2 Channel MFCS

AN/USG-2 CEC

Radar Systems

AN/SPS-48E

AN/SPQ-9B

AN/SPS-73

EW & Decoy Systems

AN/SLQ-25A NIXIE

AN/SLQ-32Q(V)2

MK 36 SRBOC

MK 53 / NULKA

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	366k	*Namesake* United Airlines Flight 93 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight that was hijacked by four Al-Qaeda terrorists on board, as part of the September 11 attacks. It crashed into a field near the Diamond T. Mine in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, near Indian Lake and Shanksville, during an attempt by some of the passengers to regain control, killing all 44 people aboard including the four hijackers. No one on the ground was injured. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 757–222, was flying United Airlines' daily scheduled morning domestic flight from Newark International Airport in New Jersey to San Francisco International Airport in California.	Tommy Trampp
	568k	Mary Jo Myers, Somerset (LPD-25) ship's sponsor, inscribes her initials onto a steel plate at the ship's keel authentication ceremony Dec. 11, 2009 at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Avondale facility. Looking on are L-R: John Vatavuk, county commissioner, Somerset, Penn.; Gordon Felt, president, Families of Flight 93; and Lanford Bridges, Northrop Grumman welder, who later welded Mrs. Myers initials onto the plate that will become part of the ship. Photo courtesy of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.	Bill Gonyo
	3805k	Somerset (LPD-25) on the builders ways at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Ingalls Operation, Avondale facility, LA., circa 2010. Photo courtesy of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.	Bill Gonyo
	229k	The Families of Flight 93, a group of family members of the passengers and crew who perished on United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, visited Northrop Grumman Corporation Avondale Yard on January 15, 2011, to tour Somerset (LPD 25), the ninth ship in the LPD 17 series of San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships being built by the company. Photo courtesy of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.	Bill Gonyo
	261k	Mrs. Mary Jo Myers (right) breaks a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the Ingalls-built amphibious transport dock LPD-25, officially christening the ship *Somerset. Also pictured (left to right) are Master Chief Larry Lynch, prospective command master chief, LPD 25; LCDR. John Moore, prospective executive officer, LPD 25; Patrick White, president, Families of Flight 93, and keynote speaker; and Irwin F. Edenzon, president, Ingalls Shipbuilding. US Navy photo # 120728-N-ZZ999-001 AVONDALE, La. (July 28, 2012)* Photo courtesy of Huntington Industries Inc.	Ron Reeves
	240k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** Christening Coin.	Tommy Trampp
120414-N-ZZ999-001 AVONDALE, La. (April 14, 2012)	599k	Somerset (LPD-25) is launched from the Huntington Ingalls Industries Avondale Shipyard. *Somerset* is the ninth San Antonio-class ship and is named in honor of the county where passengers aboard United Airlines flight 93 crashed the hijacked airliner during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Note. Anchorage (LPD-23) in the background of second photo. US Navy photo #'s 120414-N-ZZ999-001 AVONDALE, La. (April 14, 2012) and 120414-N-ZZ999-002 AVONDALE, La. (April 14, 2012) courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries.	Scott Koen/ USS New York.com
120414-N-ZZ999-002 AVONDALE, La. (April 14, 2012)	742k		Scott Koen/ USS New York.com
	289k	Sailors aboard Somerset (LPD-25) bring in all lines during sea and anchor detail on *Somerset's maiden voyage. Somerset, named in honor of the 40 passengers and crew members of United Flight 93 and the last of the Sept. 11 tribute ships, is scheduled to be commissioned in Philadelphia, 1 March 2014. US Navy photo # 140203-N-DI719-057 AVONDALE, La. (Feb. 03, 2014)* by MCC Elena Pence.	Robert M. Cieri
	160k	Sailors man the rails as Somerset (LPD-25) transits the Delaware River to her commissioning site at Penn's Landing. US Navy photo # 140221-N-BK435-092 PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 21, 2014) by MC1 Jeremy Starr.	Robert M. Cieri
	207k	Thousands of Navy and Marine Corps supporters attend the commissioning ceremony of *USS Somerset* (LPD-25)*. US Navy photo # 140301-N-WL435-183 PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2014)* by MCC Peter D. Lawlor.	Robert M. Cieri
	264k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** crew members man the ship bring her to life during, the commissioning ceremony. US Navy photo # 140301-N-WL435-544 PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2014) by MCC Peter D. Lawlor.	Robert M. Cieri
	162k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** crew members man the rails, after given the word to man the ship and bring her to life, during the commissioning ceremony. US Navy photo # 140301-N-WL435-563 PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2014) by MCC Peter D. Lawlor.	Robert M. Cieri
	192k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** Commanding Officer Capt. Thomas Dearborn extends thanks to his crew for their efforts throughout the construction of the ship after officially assuming the title as the ship's CO following the commissioning of the amphibious transport dock US Navy photo # 140301-N-WL435-602 PHILADELPHIA (March 1, 2014) by MCC Peter D. Lawlor.	Robert M. Cieri
	246k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** passes Naval Air Station North Island as she makes her way to her new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. US Navy photo # 140421-N-SV210-174 SAN DIEGO (April 21, 2014) by MCSS Donnie W. Ryan.	Lee Wahler
	124k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** passing downtown San Diego as she arrives at her homeport, San Diego, for the first time, 21 April 2014	©CAPT Robert E. Lang USN (Ret.). with permission
	227k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** arriving at her homeport, San Diego, 21 April 2014. View of the "LETS ROLL 93.	©CAPT Robert E. Lang USN (Ret.). with permission
	169k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** passing under the San Diego - Coronado Bay Bridge as she arrives at her homeport, San Diego, 21 April 2014.	©CAPT Robert E. Lang USN (Ret.). with permission
	162k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** arrives at her new homeport at Naval Base San Diego. US Navy photo # 140421-N-GW139-034 SAN DIEGO (April 21, 2014) by MCSN Eric Coffer.	Lee Wahler
	123k	Japanese Self Defense Force soldiers board a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) in the well deck of *USS Somerset* (LPD-25)**, date and location unknown. US Marine Corps Photo	Tommy Trampp
	274k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25) transits the Pacific Ocean during Composite Training Unit Exercise. Somerset is part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, working with Amphibious Squadron Five and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit** in preparation for an upcoming deployment. US Navy photo # 160822-N-UT455-060 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 23, 2016) by MC1 Larry S. Carlson	Lee Wahler
10092530	93k	*USS Somerset* (LPD-25)** outbound to Sea from San Diego Bay, 17 July 2020	©George Schneider

USS Somerset (LPD-25)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
	CDR. Hayes, Stephen Cole, USN (PCU) (Photo as CAPT.)	May 2012 - January 2013
01	CAPT. Dearborn, Thomas Lamb, USN	1 March 2014 - October 2014
02	CAPT. Reed, Leonard Edward, USN (90)	October 2014 - 30 June 2016
03	CAPT. Glaser, Darren W., USN	30 June 2016 - 2 November 2017
04	CAPT. Sherrod, William R. (Bill), USN	2 November 2017 - 12 April 2018 (fired)
05	CAPT. Quin, Brian James, USN (temporary)	12 April 2018 - 7 September 2018
06	CAPT. Bateshansky, Stewart L., USN	7 September 2018 - 22 November 2019
07	CAPT. Kurtz, John William (Dave), USN (USNA 1996)	22 November 2019 - 24 September 2021
08	CAPT. Brown, Christopher Anthony (Chris), USN	24 September 2021 - 14 July 2023
09	CAPT. Brandt, Michel Chong, USN	14 July 2023 -


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Somerset (LPD-25) Historical Chronology
Navy Fact File - Amphibious Transport Dock - LPD
Federation of American Scientists, Military Analysis Network, US Navy Ships

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Last Updated 5 January 2024