page_title: USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3)
section_title: Coat of arms
hierarchical_section_title: USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) / Significance of the name / Coat of arms
caption_attribution_description: English: Coat of Arms of the Belleau Wood
context_page_description: USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), nicknamed "Devil Dog", was the second ship named after the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I. Her keel was laid down on 5 March 1973 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding. She was launched on 11 April 1977, and commissioned on 23 September 1978, with Captain T.C. Steele in command.
  Belleau Wood was the third of five ships in a new class of general-purpose amphibious assault ships and combined into one ship type the functions previously performed by four different types: the amphibious assault ship, the amphibious transport dock, the amphibious cargo ship, and the dock landing ship. She was capable of landing elements of a United States Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft, helicopters, or a combination of both.
context_section_description: The official seal of Belleau Wood is a blend of symbols. An image of a fighting U.S. Marine, in World War I battle dress, is at the center of the plaque. He carries a rifle with bayonet, and seems to be beckoning someone to follow him. Surrounding the figure are the gold cross, shield and swords of the Croix de guerre, the French medal awarded to the Marines who distinguished themselves at Belleau Wood. In that tradition, Marines of the Fourth Brigade are permitted to wear the French fourragère to this day.
  Twelve gold battle stars in a field of blue line the top of the coat of arms. They stand for the World War II record of the first USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24). The gap between the sixth and seventh stars represents the ship's only break in her war record. On 30 October 1944, while off Leyte Gulf, Belleau Wood was struck by a kamikaze. The light aircraft carrier had to undergo repairs and an overhaul, hence the gap.
  Blue and gold, prevailing hues of the coat of arms, are the traditional colors of the United States Navy. The tricolor (red over white over blue) is a reminder that the Battle of Belleau Wood occurred in France, and that Marines who gave their lives at Belleau Wood did so in the defense of another nation's freedom. The segments also bring to mind the colors of the United States.
caption: USS Belleau Wood's Coat of Arms
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