USS Oak Hill (LSD-7)

USS Oak Hill (LSD-7) was an Ashland-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Oak Hill, the Virginia estate of President James Monroe (1758–1831).

Oak Hill, originally designated as a Mechanized Artillery Transport, APM-7, was laid down by the Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, California, 9 March 1943; launched on 25 June 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Robert E. Garrels; and commissioned on 5 January 1944, Commander Carl A. Peterson in command.

World War II

Following shakedown and amphibious training off southern California, Oak Hill, designed to serve as a cargo and transport type amphibious ship and as a floating dry dock, ferried cargo between the west coast and Hawaii. In early May she engaged in rehearsals for Operation Forager, the thrust into the Marianas, and, at the end of the month, sailed west in Task Group 52.16 (TG 52.16). With tank-bearing LCMs and troops of the 2nd Marine Division on board, she arrived in transport area off Saipan early on 15 June. Her boats soon away and headed for the beachhead, the LSD took up repair duties, working on LCMs, LCVPs and LCTs until the 22nd. She then headed back to Pearl Harbor to resume shuttling cargo and landing craft between Hawaii and the west coast.

USS Casa Grande (LSD-13)

USS Casa Grande (LSD-13) was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument near Coolidge, Arizona.

The ship was originally authorized under the Lend-Lease Act as BAPM-5, the fifth of seven British Mechanized Artillery Transports, to be named HMS Portway (F144). Reclassified a Landing Ship Dock, LSD-13, on 1 July 1942, the contract for LSD-13 was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia, on 10 September 1942. Renamed HMS Spear, LSD-13's keel was laid down, on 11 November 1943. While under construction, LSD-13, -14, and -15 were reassigned back to the United States. The ship was renamed Casa Grande, and, as the first of her class in the U.S. Navy, gave her name to the class.

Casa Grande was launched 11 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. G. Delapalme; and commissioned 5 June 1944, Lieutenant Commander F. E. Strumm, USNR, in command.

World War II

Sailing from Hampton Roads 19 July 1944, Casa Grande was delayed at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for repairs en route to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 21 August. Here she offloaded landing craft brought from the east coast, and loaded men and equipment for the invasion of Yap. However, upon her arrival at Eniwetok on 25 September, she was ordered to Manus Island to prepare for the Leyte operation. Assigned to the Southern Attack Force, she entered Leyte Gulf uneventfully, and took part in the initial assault on 20 October. Her men worked at fever pace under enemy air attack as they launched their landing craft and serviced other small craft engaged in this triumphant return to the Philippines, and on 22 October, she withdrew for Hollandia. During the next month, she made two voyages from New Guinea to Leyte, ferrying reinforcements, and evacuating casualties.

USS Germantown (LSD-42)

USS Germantown (LSD-42) is the second Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship in the United States Navy. She is the second navy ship named after the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown.

Germantown was the first ship in the class to serve in the Pacific. The amphibious ship's mission is to project power ashore by transporting and launching amphibious craft and vehicles loaded with embarked marines in support of an amphibious assault. The ship was designed specifically to operate with Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) vessels. She has the largest capacity for these landing craft (four) of any US Navy amphibious platform.

Construction and career

The navy ordered USS Germantown on 26 March 1982. Four years later, on 8 February 1986, the ship was commissioned. In 1990–1991, she played a significant role during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The ship participated in mock amphibious assaults in Oman after the start of the air war in preparation for a possible amphibious assault.

The Number of the Beast (album)

The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released in March 1982. It was their first release to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and their last with the late drummer Clive Burr.

The Number of the Beast met with considerable critical and commercial success and was a landmark release for the band—becoming their first album to reach No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart, and be certified platinum in the US. The album also produced the singles "Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast", the former of which was the band's first top-ten UK single. The album was also controversial, particularly in the US, due to the religious nature of its lyrics and its artwork.

Since the release of The Number of the Beast and its subsequent tour, The Beast on the Road, "The Beast" has become an alternate name for Iron Maiden and was later used in the titles of some of their compilations and live releases, including Best of the Beast and Visions of the Beast.

Invaders (comics)

The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original team was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema in The Avengers #71 (December 1969). A present-day incarnation was introduced by writer Chuck Austen and artist Scott Kolins in The Avengers vol. 3, #82 (July 2004).

Fictional team history

The prototype for the Invaders, the All-Winners Squad, created by publisher Martin Goodman and scripter Bill Finger, was an actual historic Golden Age comic book feature with only two appearances—in All Winners Comics #19 (Fall 1946) and #21 (Winter 1947; there was no issue #20). This team had much of the same membership as the Invaders, but had its adventures in the post-World War II era, the time that their adventures were published. This group was also notable for being the first in which its members did not entirely get along, prefiguring the internal conflicts of the Fantastic Four in the 1960s.

Invaders (DC Comics)

Alien Invaders of the DC Comics universe first appeared in Armageddon: The Alien Agenda #1. The comic depicted a race of aliens stranded on Earth millions of years ago only to have Earth colonized. Their leader Prime-One teamed up with Monarch. After Captain Atom took their time traveling Orb, their warriors followed him through time with Monarch.

Justice League (animated)

'Alien Invaders' is also the placeholder name given to the aliens in the first Justice League episode "Secret Origins". The Invaders are shapeshifting white humanoids resembling the White Martians, who invaded J'onn J'onzz's homeworld Mars and nearly did so with Earth. They are led by a Lovecraftian, jellyfish-like figurehead called The Imperium.

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