USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)

2006

It was announced on 9 October 2006 in the Halifax Herald in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada that the Canadian Navy will borrow the 186-meter amphibious assault ship for a brief period, and will pull it into CFB Halifax in early November, 2006. About 150 Canadian soldiers from CFB Valcartier, along with their light armored vehicles and G-wagons, will board the vessel and start training to storm beaches in landing craft, much like troops did in the Second World War. The U.S. military is providing mentoring and support during the operation.^[1]

2008

While on deployment Gunston Hall engaged and gave chase to the tanker Golden Nori which had been hijacked by Somalian pirates. After days of chasing, Golden Nori was cornered in a Somali bay where USS Whidbey Island assisted with the extraction of the hostages.

In July 2008, Gunston Hall underwent a midlife modernization availability at Metro Machine Corp. in Norfolk, VA, which included major upgrades to the ship's control system, local area network and machinery control system, propulsion systems, HVAC, as well as replacement of the ship's boilers and evaporators with an all-electric services system. The refit extended her expected service life which could be up until 2038. She completed subsequent sea trials 21 May 2009.^[2]

2010

Gunston Hall was deployed in January 2010, as part of rescue efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[3] On 18 January 2010, she anchored off Killick Navy Base and started relief operations.^[4]

In August 2010, her Commanding Officer, Commander Fred R. Wilhelm, was relieved of his command by Rear Admiral Dave Thomas, commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, and reassigned to administrative duties ashore after allegations surfaced of sexual harassment and simple assault among the ship's crew. Wilhelm was replaced by Captain Mark H. Scovill. The ship's executive officer, Commander Kevin Rafferty, and former Command Master Chief Wayne Owings, were given non-judicial actions over the same incident.^[5]

2011

In 2011 Gunston Hall participated in "Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station (A-SPS) 2011", during on a 2-month deployment to the SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR), with stops in Belize, Colombia, Guatemala and Jamaica. Embarked with Gunston Hall was a USMC Theater Security Cooperation Task Force (TSCTF), composed of multiple Marine Corps units, and the staff element of Destroyer Squadron 40. The sailors and marines conducted subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) with partner nations and gave out gifts to needy children at their port visits.^[6]

2015

Gunston Hall experienced an onboard fire on 3 March 2015, while the ship was undergoing a maintenance availability at NASSCO/Earl Industries shipyard in Portsmouth, VA. The Portsmouth Fire Department responded and the fire was extinguished approximately 3 later. One Navy firefighter experienced a minor smoke inhalation injury, but quickly returned to duty.