"THE RIFLE CREED" Before God I swear this Creed. This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. My rifle is human, even as I am human, because it is my life. Thus I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories, its sights, and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. My rifle and I will become part of each other. We will. Before God I swear this Creed. My rifle and myself are defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. So help me God.
I'm not the baddest man on the planet, but I'll show you where I buried him.
People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf
USS Tripoli (LPH-10), an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, was laid down on 15 June 1964 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 31 July 1965; sponsored by Mrs. Jane Cates, the wife of General Clifton B. Cates, former Commandant of the Marine Corps; and commissioned on 6 August 1966 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Capt. Henry Suerstedt, Jr., in command. Tripoli is the second U.S. Navy ship named for the Battle of Derne in 1805. It was the decisive victory of a mercenary army led by a detachment of United States Marines and soldiers against the forces of Tripoli during the First Barbary War. It was the first recorded land battle of the United States fought overseas.
Following three months fitting out at Philadelphia, the amphibious assault ship put to sea on 6 November 1966, bound for the west coast. She transited the Panama Canal at mid-month and arrived at her home port, San Diego, on 22 November 1966. Final acceptance trials, shakedown training, and post-shakedown availability at Long Beach occupied the warship until she embarked Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 463, elements of Marine Observation Squadron (VMO) 6, and some members of the staff of the Commander, Amphibious Squadron (ComPhibRon) B on 1 May 1967 and departed San Diego, bound for the western Pacific.
In August 2016 the US Maritime Administration designated her for disposal. In March 2015, the ship was towed back through the Panama Canal and since April 2015 has been stored with the Beaumont Reserve Fleet.
General Characteristics:
Awarded: December 10, 1962
Keel laid: June 15, 1964
Launched: July 31, 1965
Commissioned: August 6, 1966
Decommissioned: September 15, 1995
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding, West Bank, Pascagoula, Miss.
Propulsion system: Two boilers, one geared steam turbines, one shaft, 22,000 total shaft horsepower
