USS America docks in Sydney after 30 days at sea

Amphibious assault ship USS America has steamed into Sydney Harbour, with its 2500-strong ready to hit the town. Our in-house American James Morrow checked out life on board.

US Lt Commander John Mike (left) and Australian Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Chris Smith on the USS America during its Sydney visit. Picture: Jeremy Piper

If you seem to be hearing a lot of American accents in Sydney this week, you’re not hallucinating.

At noon on Saturday, the amphibious assault ship USS America steamed into Sydney Harbour with its crew of around 2500 American sailors and marines ready for a bit of shore leave after a 30-day cruise from their home base in Japan.

As The Sunday Telegraph’s in-house American, I was offered the chance to chopper out to the ship aboard a Seahawk helicopter with a small delegation to meet the crew and check out life aboard the ship.

US Marine Corps pilots P.D. Bergman and Alex J. Buchmann with the F35 onboard the USS America during its Sydney Visit. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The USS America prepares to dock in Sydney. Picture: James Morrow

After a quick but thorough safety briefing and the distribution of flotation devices and helmets (“cranials”, in navy-speak), our delegation was whisked via Seahawk helicopter to the ship as it steamed its way towards the Heads.

Aboard, an atmosphere of tightly controlled chaos reigned as the crew readied the America for arrival at Garden Island, nimbly navigating the ship’s disorienting network of gangways, ramps, and stairs.

The USS America during its Sydney Visit. Picture: Jeremy Piper

About 2500 US sailors and marines are ready for some shore leave after 30 days at sea. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Tilt-wing Ospreys sat arrayed towards the ship’s bow, further astern were a number of the Pentagon’s prized F35B fighter jets.

Able to land vertically like a helicopter on the America’s relatively short flight deck, and equipped with impossibly advanced computer systems, one aviator would be heard to remark that there was “magic in those machines”.

Elsewhere, excited sailors went about the business of bringing the ship in safely while also revealing their plans for their leave in Australia – almost all of them as first-time visitors.

One, an avid outdoorsman, revealed his plans to go to the Blue Mountains for a day.

Another junior officer studying to earn his stripes as a surface warfare officer confessed to being a “big foodie” who was looking forward to checking out some good rooftop bars.

Land ahoy! The ships cruises to Sydney Harbour. Picture: James Morrow

The gargantuan ship docks in Sydney. Picture: Jeremy Piper

This correspondent tried to warn a pair of marines about the threat of “drop bears” but our cover was blown when Lt Commander Craig Hamilton – a Royal Australian Navy officer from Goomeri, QLD on a two-year posting to the ship – laughed a little too loudly.

Hamilton said that while he loved the ship, he was thrilled to be back in Australia and was “looking forward to catching up with my brother, who’s also in the navy, for a couple of beers”.