Uss Fort Mchenry Visits Constanta

Uss Fort Mchenry Visits Constanta

August 16, 2012

The U.S. Navy dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) arrived in Constanta, Romania August 15, 2012 for a regularly scheduled port visit as part of the U.S.-Romanian military partnership. 
Prior to arriving in port, Fort McHenry and embarked U.S. Marines from Security Cooperation Task Force Africa Partnership Station 12 participated in the combined amphibious exercise Summer Storm as well as Romanian Navy Day.
During the visit to Romania, the officers and crew will meet with military and local civic leaders, in addition to participating in sporting events at the Romanian Naval Academy and tours of the Romanian Navy Museum in Constanta.
This port visit serves to continue U.S. 6th Fleet efforts to build Global Maritime Partnerships with Romania and improve maritime safety and security.
The ship's namesake is Fort McHenry, a fortification erected on Whetstone Point to defend the port of Baltimore. Fort McHenry is best known as a monument to the nation's defense of its newly-won independence in the War of 1812. It was during the Battle of Baltimore that Fort McHenry stood against the British invasion on Sept 13, 1814 withstanding the most destructive bombardment any American fort had ever received until the civil war. It was the sight of what a British officer described as the fort’s “superb and splendid ensign” the next morning after that night-long bombardment that told Francis Scott Key that the British attack on Baltimore had failed, moving him to write the lyrics that eventually became the U.S. national anthem.
Fort McHenry is conducting this port visit as part of a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.
For more information on the ship, please visit the official webpage at http://www.fort-mchenry.navy.mil/