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U.S.S. TARAWA

(LHA-1)

EAGLE OF THE SEA

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The USS TARAWA (LHA-1), a Tarawa class amphibious assault ship, was commissioned on 29 MAY 1976. USS TARAWA served her country for 32 years, 10 months and 2 days, until decommissioned on 31 MAR 2009.

The USS TARAWA (LHA-1) deployment history and significant events of her service career follow:

LHA-1 Deployments - Major Events

Add a LHA-1 Shellback Initiation Add a LHA-1 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
NOV1971-Keel Date: 15 NOV 1971
at Ingalls Shipbuilding Pascagoula MS
DEC1972- Shellback Initiation - 23 DEC 1972 - Pacific Ocean
DEC1973-Launch Date: 1 DEC 1973
MAY1976-Commissioned: 29 MAY 1976
AUG1976-SEP1976Panama Canal
JAN1978-AUG1979West Pac
AUG1978-JAN1979West Pac
FEB1979-OCT1979West Pac
FEB1979-OCT1979West Pac-Indian Ocean
MAR1979-SEP1979West Pac
APR1979-OCT1979Humanitarian Transfer
APR1979-OCT1979West Pac
MAY1979-Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Indian Ocean
MAY1979-Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Pacific Ocean
MAY1979- Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Indian Ocean
MAY1979- Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1980-JAN1984Desert Storm
APR1980- Shellback Initiation - 4 APR 1980 - Pacific Ocean
OCT1980-APR1981West Pac-Indian Ocean
OCT1980-APR1981West Pac-Indian Ocean
JAN1981- Shellback Initiation - 11 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1981-DEC1986Mediterranean-Indian Ocean
JAN1981-JAN1981Shellback initiation- crossing the equator 11 Jan 81
JAN1981- Shellback Initiation - 11 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean
JAN1981- Shellback Initiation - 15 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1981-Shellback Initiation - 24 AUG 1981 - Indian Ocean
APR1982-Shellback Initiation - 20 APR 1982 - Indian Ocean
MAR1983-JUL1983Lebanon 1983
APR1983-DEC1983West Pac-Indian Ocean
JUL1983-OCT1983Mediterranean
AUG1983-OCT1983Suez Crossing to MED
SEP1983-Shellback Initiation - 3 SEP 1983 - Indian Ocean
OCT1983- Shellback Initiation - 10 OCT 1983 - Indian Ocean
JAN1984-JAN1987West Pac
OCT1984-APR1985West Pac
JUN1985-DEC1985RIMPAC
JAN1986-DEC1986West Pac
JUN1986-DEC1986West Pac
JUN1986-DEC1986West Pac
JUN1986-DEC1986West Pac
JUN1986-DEC1986West Pac
AUG1986-Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1986- Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1986- Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean
AUG1986- Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean
SEP1986- Shellback Initiation - 3 SEP 1986 - Pacific Ocean
FEB1987- Shellback Initiation - 1 FEB 1987 - Pacific Ocean
MAY1989-NOV1989West Pac
JAN1990-Shellback Initiation - 10 JAN 1990 - Pacific Ocean
DEC1990-JUL1991Desert Shield / Storm
DEC1990-JUL1991Desert Shield
MAY1991-JUL1991Operation Sea Angel - humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh
MAY1992-NOV1992West Pac
MAY1992-NOV1992West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
MAY1992-NOV1992West Pac-Indian Ocean
AUG1992-DEC1992Somalia
SEP1992-Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean
SEP1992- Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean
SEP1992- Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean
OCT1992-Shellback Initiation - 28 OCT 1992 - Pacific Ocean
OCT1992-Shellback Initiation - 2 OCT 1992 - Pacific Ocean
APR1996-OCT1996West Pac
APR1996-OCT1996West Pac
APR1996-OCT1996West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
FEB1998-AUG1998West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
OCT1998-MAY1999Dry Dock
JAN2000-JAN2002West Pac
AUG2000-FEB2001West Pac
AUG2000-Shellback Initiation - 30 AUG 2000 - Pacific Ocean
OCT2000-OCT2000Operation Determined Response (Support of USS Cole bombing)
JAN2003-JUL2003West Pac
JAN2003-AUG2003West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
JAN2003-AUG2003West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
JUL2003- Shellback Initiation - 1 JUL 2003 - Pacific Ocean
JUN2004-AUG2004RIMPAC
JUL2005-FEB2006Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
AUG2005- Shellback Initiation - 12 AUG 2005 - Indian Ocean
AUG2005-Shellback Initiation - 7 AUG 2005 - Indian Ocean
NOV2007-JUN2008West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
MAY2008-Shellback Initiation - 21 MAY 2008 - Pacific Ocean
MAR2009-MAR2009Decommisioning

LHA-1 General Specifications

Class: Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship

Named for: Tarawa

Complement: 960+ Officers and Enlisted

Displacement: 38900 tons

Length: 820 feet

Beam: 106 feet

Flank Speed: 24 knots

Final Disposition: Awaiting disposal



USS TARAWA (LHA-1)



The second Tarawa (LHA-1) was laid down in November 1972 at Pascagoula Miss. by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. launched on 1 December 1973 sponsored by Mrs. Audrey B. Cushman the wife of General Thomas J. Cushman former Commandant of the Marine Corps.; and commissioned on 29 May 1976 Capt. James H. Morris in command.

Tarawa is the first of five ships in a new class of general-purpose amphibious assault ships and combines in one ship type the functions previously performed by four different types: the amphibious assault ship (LPH) the amphibious transport dock (LPD), the amphibious cargo ship (LKA), and the dock landing ship (LSD). She is capable of landing elements of a Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft by helicopters or by a combination of both.

The ship departed Pascagoula on 7 July 1976 and set a course for the Panama Canal. She transited the canal on 16 July and after a stop at Acapulco Mex. arrived at San Diego on 6 August. During the remainder of 1976 the amphibious assault ship conducted trials tests and shakedown in the southern California operating area.

During the first half of 1977 Tarawa was engaged in training exercises off the California coast. On 13 August she entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard for post shakedown availability which was completed on 15 July 1978. Following four and one half months of intensive individual ship and amphibious refresher training with embarked marines Tarawa ended 1978 in her home port of San Diego on Christmas standdown.

[Note: The above USS TARAWA (LHA-1) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS TARAWA (LHA-1) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]