USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) is a Cargo Variant (CV) of the Whidbey Island (LSD 41) class. A significant difference between the two ships is that Hall's well deck has been shortened from 440 feet to 180 feet. This provides embarked Marines with added vehicle and cargo storage areas. The well deck can hold two Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) and a variety of landing craft and tracked amphibious assault vehicles. Her two-spot flight deck can land and service any helicopter in the Navy and Marine Corps inventory.

LSD 50 was constructed by Avondale Industries, Inc., in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was launched October 2, 1993, and commissioned September 30, 1995.

April 29, 1997 USS Carter Hall departed Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek for a maiden six-month Mediterranean deployment, with the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group. She returned to homeport in October after participating in exercises: INVITEX '97, Noble Obelisk, Guardian Retrieval, Silwer Wake and Atlas Hinge.

The dock landing ship was deployed to Mediterranean Sea, as part of the Kearsarge ARG, from April 25 to October 17, 2001.

March 4, 2003 LSD 50 departed Little Creek for a scheduled deployment, with the USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Amphibious Ready Group and the 26th MEU, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

October 1, USS Carter Hall, along with USS Iwo Jima and USS Nashville (LPD 13), pulled into U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain, after spending two months off the coast of Liberia, providing peacekeeping support in the Capital city of Monrovia. The ships moored in Rota to conduct an equipment wash-down, and take some much-needed liberty before getting underway.

October 24, USS Carter Hall returned to homeport after nearly a eight-month underway period in support of Global War on Terrorism. During the deployment, all three ships in the ARG deployed Marines in Iraq. The ARG's support of operations in Iraq was cut short in August, when they were ordered from the gulf to Monrovia, Liberia to support peacekeeping efforts. Once there, the 26th MEU/SOC provided a stabilizing presence, which allowed multinational forces from other Western African countries to come in and handle the problem so humanitarian operations could be conducted. Elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit began to land in Monrovia on August 14. This was a Quick Reaction Force, comprised of Marines from the 1st Battalion, 8th marines.

May 5, 2005 USS Carter Hall departed on approximately one month underwya period, with the USS Nasaau ESG, to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in support of exercise New Horizons (NH) in Haiti. New Horizons began in February when USS Saipan (LHA 2) delivered task force personnel and equipment to the Caribbean island. The task force involved nearly 1,000 Sailors, Soldiers, Marines and Airmen. With NH concluding, Nassau ESG was called upon to support the recovery of forces and equipment. Upon arrival in Haiti, her ARG will load and transport assets back to the home stations for detachments of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 (Gulfport, Miss.); the 699th Engineering Company (Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico); and the 640th Water Purification Unit (U.S. Virgin Islands).

August 17, LSD 50 is currently conducting an Expeditionary Strike Group Exercise, in Atlantic Ocean, one of its final underway-training exercises where Sailors and Marines train together in preparation for an upcoming deployment.

November 5, USS Carter Hall departed Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment, with the USS Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group and the 22nd MEU, in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

April 9, ESG 8 transited through the Suez Canal, marking the end of more than four months of maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. After arriving in the Persian Gulf, the amphibious ships of the strike group completed a timely and efficient offload for the 22nd MEU (SOC) which was continuing into Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Once in Iraq, the 22nd MEU (SOC) established its combat operations center near the ancient city of Hit along the Euphrates River. The MEU remained on station in Iraq for nearly 60 days. LSD 50 conducted an underway replenishment training exercise with the French frigate Courbet (F 712). French and American sailors conducted a cross-deck swap, which gave Sailors the opportunity to experience the culture of a coalition Navy.

April 11, USS Carter Hall pulled to Split, Croatia, for a scheduled port visit. The ship moored in the port of Split to enjoy liberty, take on stores, and put a fresh coat of paint on the ship’s sides to prepare for a good homecoming. She departed Split April 18 and made its way to its final Mediterranean port visit before heading home at the end of a six-month deployment. The dock landing ship departed Marseille, France, after brief port call April 21.

May 4, USS Carter Hall returned to homeport after six-month underway period in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

September 28, The dock landing ship transited from NAB Little Creek to Earl Industries, LLC shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., for a scheduled maintenance.

February 15, 2007 USS Carter Hall, commanded by Cmdr. James McGovern, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take part in the Galveston Navy Week festivities.

April 10, USS Carter Hall departed homeport for a six-month deployment to the U.S. European Command and Central Command areas of operation in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

June 8, USS Carter Hall, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort Austin (A 386) and its embarked helicopter detachment 857th Royal Naval Air Squadron, and Federal German Ship Koln (F 211) are conducting maritime operations as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150.

March 9, 2008 LSD 50 is currently undergoing an operational evaluation with elements of the 26th MEU in the Atlantic Ocean.

April 28, The dock landing ship pulled to Port Everglades, Fla., for a Fleet Week.

August 26, USS Carter Hall, commanded by Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair, departed Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek for a scheduled underway period, as part of the Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Expeditionary Strike Group.

September 17, LSD 50 recently departed Marseille, France, after a scheduled port visit.

September 22, The Carter Hall departed Rhodes, Greece, after a four-day port call.

November 1, The dock landing ship is currently serving as an afloat forward staging base (AFSB) in the North Persian Gulf as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 158.

December 9, USS Carter Hall departed Manama, Bahrain, after a routine port visit.

February 27, 2009 LSD 50 transited the Suez Canal after concluding operations in the U.S. Central Command AoR.

March 5, The Carter Hall departed Antalya, Tyrkey, after a three-day port visit.

March 27, USS Carter Hall returned to homeport after a seven-month deployment.

January 14, 2010 USS Carter Hall departed Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, as part of USS Bataan (LHD 5) ARG, to provide humanitarian assistance to Haiti.

January 24, The dock landing ship pulled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to onload more than 400 pallets of humanitarian aid and supplies.

March 1, LSD 50 arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, for an agricultural wash down on the ship's equipment, concluding its participation in the joint humanitarian assistance mission Operation Unified Response. The Carter Hall delivered 1,100 pallets of food and water, 5,000 cots, and 338 tents during its service off Haiti.

July 8, USS Carter Hall is currently participating in a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), in the Atlantic Ocean, as part of the Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group in preparation for the upcoming deployment later this year.

August 27, USS Carter Hall departed Little Creek for a scheduled Middle East deployment.

October 8, The dock landing ship departed Manama, Bahrain, after a five-day port call.

November 1, The Carter Hall is currently participating in amphibious training exercise off the coast of Djibouti.

January 2, 2011 LSD 50 provided medical assistance to an Indian crew member of a fishing vessel in the Arabian Gulf.

April 13, USS Carter Hall completed its U.S. 5th Fleet tasking and entered the U.S. 6th Fleet to support NATO-led Operation Unified Protector.

May 3, The dock landing ship departed Rota, Spain, aftert a three-day port call.

May 16, USS Carter Hall returned to homeport after a nearly nine-month underway period.

June 24, Cmdr. Damon K. Amaral relieved Cmdr. George B. Doyon as CO of the Carter Hall during a change-of-command ceremony aboard the ship.