USS America Is Flying A Giant Captain America Flag While On Patrol In The Pacific
Captain America is one of the most iconic military characters of all time, one that bridges generations and evokes patriotism and a sense of duty.
The amphibious assault ship USS America, the first in her class, is on patrol in the Pacific with a full deck of Marine airpower, including F-35Bs, and a hull full of Marines and their gear. One thing that caught our eye in recent photos of the ship at sea is the massive flag she is flying above her island superstructure—one that depicts the symbol on Captain America's iconic shield.
Captain America was created during World War II by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. The Axis Powers-fighting character, who also went by his non-superhero name Steve Rogers, embodied the best of America at a dire time in the country's history. In the years and decades that followed, the patriotic hero remained a staple in the Marvel Comic universe before being catapulted back to the top of America's consciousness via Marvel Studios' hit film Captain America: The First Avenger.
From the beginning to today, Captain America has remained the country's iconic patriotic supersoldier
The Avengers-related movies went on to be ultra-successful, with the final installment—at least for now—Avengers: Endgame, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. So, Captain America serves as a very unique bridge across many generations and between the U.S. military's own past and present.
Captain America rose back to being a top pop culture icon with the launch of Marvel Studios' reboot of the classic character.
Captain America's shield, which is where the iconic roundel logo comes from, was near-indestructible and the super soldier's primary weapon. With all this in mind, aside from the American flag, it's hard to think of a more exciting and broadly relevant symbol for USS America's sailors to rally around than this one.
The ship carries-on the torch of other fighting ships named America. From her immediate predecessor, the Kitty Hawk class carrier USS America (CV-66) that was decommissioned in 1996 and eventually sunk, to the first ship-of-the-line ever built for the Continental Navy, the illustrious name has manifested itself aboard the current USS America in creative ways beyond the Captain America flag. Her forward RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) launcher's cell doors are adorned with the stars and stripes. The ship's naval aviation crest that is painted across its island, which normally is gold in color, is also filled with an American flag motif.
Sailors man the rails as the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) arrives at Sasebo, Japan.
Suffice it to say, the crew takes special pride in manning the ship that carries its country's name. With a little help from Captain America's iconography, that pride and exceptionalism are taken to a whole new level.
USS America and her escorts are currently plowing the waters of the Gulf Of Thailand as they take part in exercise Cobra Gold. Her sister ship, USS Tripoli (LHA-7), was just delivered yesterday, and the first of the remodeled America subclass, USS Bougainville, is well under construction.
I don't think those ships will get the same superhero treatment as America though.
Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com