So what kind of boat is she? I know BB is battleship and I believe DD is destroyer, but the rest of the designators are foreign to me.
Amphibious Command Ships - LCC
USS Mount Whitney is joint staff flagship capable. She holds a crew of 840, a staff of 470, is helo capable, and has an extensive communications capability.
Front End is Deck guns, rear is a flight deck over a boat well and in the middle is an Island bristling with all sorts of comms gear.