Keywords: US Navy 021209-N-9867P-003 For the first time in her 31 years of naval service, Mt. Whitney transits the Suez Canal on a mission-oriented voyage to the Horn of Africa.jpg en At sea aboard USS Mt Whitney LCC/JCC 20 Dec 9 2002 -- For the first time in her 31 years of naval service Mt Whitney transits the Suez Canal on a mission-oriented voyage to the Horn of Africa The use of the canal decreases Mt Whitney's travel time by thousands of miles The 100-mile man-made waterway is 64 feet deep 300 feet wide at the bottom and 740 feet wide at the surface Suez Canal was a 10-year project completed by the French in 1869 with an initial purpose of creating a shorter more expedient trade route between the Mediterranean and the Red Seas More than 50 ships use the canal each day U S Navy photo RELEASED 2002-12-09 021209-N-9867P-003 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 3806 U S Navy photo PD-USGov-Military-Navy Aboard USS Mount Whitney LCC-20 |