My visit to US Naval Base Coronado - April 8-9, 2012

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | April 15, 2012 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

Over the weekend begininng Saturday, April 7th, 2012, myself and my wife were down in southern California, in San Diego. We were there for my daughter's wedding on Monday, April 9th, in Coronado, California on the beach at the Hotel del Coronado.

Beautiful setting, but also the home of the Naval Base Coranado and a lot of the Amphibios Warfare Command on the West Coast. Across the strait was the anchorage for many of the vessels.

We took some time to visit and photograph the vessesl we could see, and there were a lot of them, a real delight for any naval enthusiast.

First of all, off the coast of the island, either doing exercises, or standing as an ABM sentinel, we immediately saw an Arleigh Burke Class AEGIS Destroyer. She was very well defined with very sleek lines and very squared away. This was a Flight IIA Burke, with the full helicopter hangar on the aft end.

US NAVY ARLEIGH BURKE FLIGHT IIA DDG OFF THE COAST

While we were watching and photographing these vessels a US Marine Sea Hawk helicopter flew over and I got a picture of it. There were numerous helo overflights throughout the times we were there.

Across the strait were the anchorages for many ships of the US 7th Fleet. I tried to get pictures of as many as I could:

US NAVY WASP CLASS LHD, USS BOXER, LHD-4

US NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP

Driving across the Coronado Bridge, we were treated to a close up view of a new, San Antonio Class LPD undergoing maintenance while docked there. This is the USS Green Bay, LPD-20.

US NAVY SAN ANTONIO CLASS LPD, USS GREEN BAY, LPD-20

All along the line were more Burke destroyers, a Tconderoga Class Cruisers, another Wasp Class LHD and other support vessels.

US NAVY WASP CLASS LHD, USS KEARSARGE, LHD-3 & ANOTHER BURKE DDG

...READ THE REST OF THE JOURNAL HERE (more great pics).

[Jeff Head]

Thought US Naval and US Military enthusiasts on Free Republic would be interested in this trip.

[Jeff Head]

Here’s a journal of my trip down to San Diego. We visited the Naval Base on Coronado Island and the anchorages across the strait. We were there for my daughters wedding on Monday the ninth, but this was a lot of fun too and I though folks on FR might enjoy seeing the photos I got.

[bergmeid]

Thanks for the great pix! I’m going to be in Coronado in three weeks and you have me all psyched up now!

[Thank You Rush]

Great pictures, Jeff. Looks like you had great weather too. What a fantastic setting for a wedding. Who was driving and who was snapping pictures crossing the Coronado bridge?

Any day in San Diego is a great day....

Thanks for posting.

[neodad]

Best duty station ever! I lived in Coronado for two years when I was DCA in the Vincennes. Plus another year when I was a baby SWO at Surface Warfare Officer School at the amphib base. I wish I still lived there...

[NavyCanDo]

Like going home again. Thanks for sharing.

[stbdside]

Thanks for the pix! I was stationed at NAB Coronado from 1986 to 1988 (BMU ONE).

[Bringbackthedraft]

Ah yes, NINAS, I will always remember my stay there. They provided me with a car and driver, and I was an Army Capt. at that time.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I had a good friend who was a stockbroker and who handled various financial things for some number of Naval officers. I didn’t know nor want to know the details. Anyway, he wangled a tour of the John C. Stennis (carrier) for which we drove down from LA to do. Great fun, massive ship.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks...it was a fantastic wedding ceremony for our daughter...exactly what she wanted.

My wife snapped the pic from the bridge as we went over. I told her I wanted a good pic of the vessel closest to the bridge and she came through magnificantly.

[easternsky]

Great Pictures Even Greater when We Remember what you have been through to get there. Pray all is going well.

[Jeff Head]

Thanks to all of you guys. Glad to provide some ties to good memories. Weather was great...pics were outstanding.

The one Burke out there was interesting. I know we have several ABM vessels now posted along the coast...do not know if that was this one’s mission. They are basically a point defense weapons for incoming ballistic missiles and help augment the longer ranged land based installations at Vandenberg and up in Alaska.

God bless each of you...and thank you for your service to our Republic.

[A Navy Vet]

Congratulations to your daughter on her marriage. The Hotel Del is a wonderful place to have such an event.

I see they have consolidated all the local commands (except Naval Station San Diego) under Naval Base Coronado. I worked at Naval Air Station, North Island for my last active duty station. Great drive up the Silver Strand from Imperial Beach every morning. Used to see the Buds trainees humping their rears off.

Wow, they've really built out the Naval Amphibious Base since I last saw it in 1986. So they now dock the amphib ships there, rather than the Naval Station at 32nd Street? Best to you.

[Mariner]

They got a lot of nerve calling a Burke a "Destroyer".

9,500 tons. Some Destroyer.

I sailed on 4,500 ton Destroyers.

We could use about 60 hulls in that 4,500 ton class. Of course, with all the modern voodoo.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Jeff:

Wife and I were in SD last month. We toured the retired carrier Midway and got 100 or more pix.
Breeze was cool, off the ocean. We expected it to be a bit warmer. Came home with San Diego sweatshirts.

[America always]

Not to get too technical, but the ships homeported in San Diego actually belong to Third Fleet. Seventh Fleet is embarked on USS Blueridge, homeported in Yokosuka Japan. Once they deploy and enter the Seventh Fleet AOR they chop to Seventh Fleet, unless they are part of te FDNF.

[Jeff Head]

Yep...lots of tonnage there.

The wedding on the beach outside Htoel Del Cornado was great, exactly what my daughter wanted and envisioned.

All the Navy sites were a big plus/treat for yours truly.

[Jeff Head]

No problem, you of course are correct. The 3rd fleet is off the US West Coast and the 7th is forward deployed...thanks for correcting me.

[Jeff Head]

Thank you...for your faith and prayers.

it was a great time being there and getting all the photos...and, of course, attending and enjoying my daughter’s wedding and seeing her so happy.

God’s speed to you and yours.

[brivette]

impressive! thank-you.