Previous ships called Independence: Difference between revisions

==Independence==

<!-- A brigantine named Independence was built at Kingston, Mass., in mid-1776. The brig served in the Massachusetts State Navy and cruised off New England until captured by the Royal Navy in early 1777. http://www.kingstonobserver.com/ships-commerce3.shtml -->

<!-- The first Independence was a Continental sloop built in Baltimore, Maryland, and purchased & fitted out by the Marine Committee. In September 1776 she cruised under Captain John Young along the Atlantic Coast to the Caribbean to guard American merchant trade in the West Indies. In mid-1777 she sailed for France, arriving at L'Orient in late September with important diplomatic dispatches. She captured two prizes en route and disposed of these in France before the Royal Navy could interfere. She was in Quiberon Bay 14 February 1778 when John Paul Jones in Ranger received the first national salute to the flag—first official recognition of the American Republic by a foreign power. The following morning, Jones embarked in Independence and again exchanged salutes. Independence soon sailed for the United States. She was wrecked on the bar 24 April 1778 while attempting to enter Okracoke Inlet, N.C. -->

<!-- This Independence, first ship-of-the-line commissioned in the U.S. Navy, launched June 22, 1814 in the Boston Navy Yard. She immediately took on guns and was stationed with frigate Constitution to protect the approaches to Boston Harbor. She led her squadron from Boston July 3, 1815 to deal with piratical acts of the Barbary Powers against American merchant commerce. The Independence was recommissioned three times: 1837, 1849, and 1854. She was a ship that proved to be very durable and was not decommissioned permanently until November 3, 1912. Finally on September 20, 1919, the Independence was burned on the Hunter's Point mud flats to recover her metal fittings. The sturdy veteran of the days of wooden ships and iron men had survived more than a century, 98 years of which were spent serving the U.S. Navy. -->

<!-- (Steamer: 4,980 tons; length 440'2"; beam 56'; draft 28'8"; speed 11 knots; armamanet two 5-inch guns)

The third Independence was built in 1918 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Alameda, Calif., for the United States Shipping Board. She was delivered to the Navy and commissioned 16 November 1918, Lt. O. P. Rankin in command. Independence sailed with a cargo of foodstuffs 6 December 1918, arrived New York 1 January 1918; and continued on to England. Upon her return to New York, the ship decommissioned 20 March 1919 and was returned to the USSB. She was later extensively rebuilt and sold 7 August 1930 to Baltimore Mail Steamship Co. and renamed City of Norfolk. In 1940 she was reacquired by the Navy and served in World War II as troop transport Neville. She served until 1946. -->

<!-- The first aircraft carrier Independence (CV-22) was launched on August 22, 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.; and commissioned January 14, 1943. This Independence was the first of her class as she was converted from a cruiser hull to serve as an Aircraft Carrier. The Independence saw action early on her career during World War II with successful raids on Marcus Island and Wake Island both in 1943. The ship was severely damaged on November 20, 1943 when a Japanese fighter group launched five torpedoes that scored a hit on her starboard quarter. The ship was successful in returning to Funafuti for repairs and returned to full operational status during July of 1944. After her return to the fleet, she took part in the Palaus Operation which lead to the final assault on the Phillipines in October of 1944. Her most important victory was the sinking of the Japanese battleship Musashi along with the destruction of Admiral Ozawa's carrier group during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. The Independence later saw action during the strike on Okinawa and as well as a few final strikes against mainland Japan. Her final mission was to transport veterans back to the United States following the war. After the transport was completed, the Independence was a test vessel for the Bikini Island atomic bomb. The ship was not sunk by the atomic bomb but was finally decommissioned August 28, 1946 and was finally sunk off the coast of California on January 29, 1951. -->

<!--  During the Vietnam War, she participated in the first major series of coordinated strikes against vital enemy supply lines north of the Hanoi-Haiphong complex, successfully evading the first massive surface-to-air missile barrage in aviation history while attacking assigned targets, and executing, with daring and precision, the first successful attack on an enemy surface-to-air missile installation. During the Gulf War she launched twenty Navy aircraft in the Persian Gulf that were the first coalition aircraft on station over Iraq as Operation Southern Watch began. Southern Watch was the enforcement of a ban on Iraqi warplanes and helicopters from flying south of the 32nd parallel. From June 30, 1995 until her decommissioning, the Independence was the oldest ship in the US Navy's active fleet. -->

She was decommissioned on the 30th September 1998 at Bremerton Naval Shipyard in the state of Washington.

US Navy. Prototype for the Independence class Littoral Combat ship.

[[Image:neworleans.jpg|200px|right|The New Orleans class USS Independence (Starfleet)]]