The Navy’s new America-class amphibious assault ship LHA-9 will be named “Fallujah” to remember 2004′s first and second Battles of Fallujah during the Iraq War, Navy Times recently reported.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said Dec. 13 during the announcement, “The name selection follows the tradition of naming amphibious ships after U.S. Marine Corps battles, early U.S. sailing ships, or legacy names of earlier carriers from World War II.”
“It is an honor for me, and for our nation, to memorialize the Marines, the soldiers and coalition forces that fought valiantly and those that sacrificed their lives during both battles of Fallujah.”
The Second Battle of Fallujah, known as Operation Phantom Fury, was considered to be the bloodiest Iraq War battle, with hundreds of U.S. troops wounded. Today, many of those troops still struggle with physical wounds, post-traumatic stress disorder and taking their lives by suicide.
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Andrea Scott is editor of Marine Corps Times.
