USS Boxer (LHD-4)

USS Boxer off the coast of Australia
History
United States
Name:	USS Boxer
Awarded:	3 October 1988
Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding
Laid down:	18 April 1991
Launched:	13 August 1993
Sponsored by:	Becky Miller
Christened:	28 August 1993
Commissioned:	11 February 1995
Homeport:	San Diego, California
Identification:	LHD-4
Motto:	Honor, Courage, Strength
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Wasp-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:	40,722 long tons (41,375 t) full load
Length:	844 ft (257 m)
Beam:	106 ft (32 m)
Draft:	28 ft (8.5 m)
Speed:	24 knots (28 mph; 44 km/h)
Troops:	1,894 Marines
Complement:	73 officers, 1,009 enlisted
Armament:	Sea Sparrow missile system Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried:	up to 42 aircraft, CH-53 and V-22 Osprey

USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy. It is the sixth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for the original HMS Boxer, which had been captured from the British during the War of 1812.

Boxer was constructed at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, launched 13 August 1993, and commissioned 11 February 1995. She immediately left for San Diego, California via the Panama Canal and, although she was designed to fit the Canal, her bridge wing and other smaller components were sheared off in the transit.

After minor repairs and system checkout, Boxer deployed to the Western Pacific from 24 March 1997 to 24 September 1997, along with Ogden and Fort Fisher, and visited many foreign ports of call. Boxer also participated in RIMPAC the following year, then on 5 December 1998 deployed again to the Western Pacific.

Boxer deployed again to the Western Pacific, Persian Gulf and Red Sea on 14 March 2001 in support of Operation Southern Watch. She visited Singapore, Thailand, Guam, Jebel Ali, Bahrain, and Jordan, returning to the United States on 14 September 2001, just days after the attacks of 11 September 2001.