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U.S.S. TARAWA
(LHA-1)EAGLE OF THE SEA
Click to view crew list
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOV | 1971 | - | Keel Date: 15 NOV 1971 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Pascagoula MS | ||
DEC | 1972 | - | Shellback Initiation - 23 DEC 1972 - Pacific Ocean | ||
DEC | 1973 | - | Launch Date: 1 DEC 1973 | ||
MAY | 1976 | - | Commissioned: 29 MAY 1976 | ||
AUG | 1976 | - | SEP | 1976 | Panama Canal |
JAN | 1978 | - | AUG | 1979 | West Pac |
AUG | 1978 | - | JAN | 1979 | West Pac |
FEB | 1979 | - | OCT | 1979 | West Pac |
FEB | 1979 | - | OCT | 1979 | West Pac-Indian Ocean |
MAR | 1979 | - | SEP | 1979 | West Pac |
APR | 1979 | - | OCT | 1979 | Humanitarian Transfer |
APR | 1979 | - | OCT | 1979 | West Pac |
MAY | 1979 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Indian Ocean | ||
MAY | 1979 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Pacific Ocean | ||
MAY | 1979 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Indian Ocean | ||
MAY | 1979 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 MAY 1979 - Pacific Ocean | ||
JAN | 1980 | - | JAN | 1984 | Desert Storm |
APR | 1980 | - | Shellback Initiation - 4 APR 1980 - Pacific Ocean | ||
OCT | 1980 | - | APR | 1981 | West Pac-Indian Ocean |
OCT | 1980 | - | APR | 1981 | West Pac-Indian Ocean |
JAN | 1981 | - | Shellback Initiation - 11 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean | ||
JAN | 1981 | - | DEC | 1986 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean |
JAN | 1981 | - | JAN | 1981 | Shellback initiation- crossing the equator 11 Jan 81 |
JAN | 1981 | - | Shellback Initiation - 11 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean | ||
JAN | 1981 | - | Shellback Initiation - 15 JAN 1981 - Pacific Ocean | ||
AUG | 1981 | - | Shellback Initiation - 24 AUG 1981 - Indian Ocean | ||
APR | 1982 | - | Shellback Initiation - 20 APR 1982 - Indian Ocean | ||
MAR | 1983 | - | JUL | 1983 | Lebanon 1983 |
APR | 1983 | - | DEC | 1983 | West Pac-Indian Ocean |
JUL | 1983 | - | OCT | 1983 | Mediterranean |
AUG | 1983 | - | OCT | 1983 | Suez Crossing to MED |
SEP | 1983 | - | Shellback Initiation - 3 SEP 1983 - Indian Ocean | ||
OCT | 1983 | - | Shellback Initiation - 10 OCT 1983 - Indian Ocean | ||
JAN | 1984 | - | JAN | 1987 | West Pac |
OCT | 1984 | - | APR | 1985 | West Pac |
JUN | 1985 | - | DEC | 1985 | RIMPAC |
JAN | 1986 | - | DEC | 1986 | West Pac |
JUN | 1986 | - | DEC | 1986 | West Pac |
JUN | 1986 | - | DEC | 1986 | West Pac |
JUN | 1986 | - | DEC | 1986 | West Pac |
JUN | 1986 | - | DEC | 1986 | West Pac |
AUG | 1986 | - | Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean | ||
AUG | 1986 | - | Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean | ||
AUG | 1986 | - | Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean | ||
AUG | 1986 | - | Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1986 - Pacific Ocean | ||
SEP | 1986 | - | Shellback Initiation - 3 SEP 1986 - Pacific Ocean | ||
FEB | 1987 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 FEB 1987 - Pacific Ocean | ||
MAY | 1989 | - | NOV | 1989 | West Pac |
JAN | 1990 | - | Shellback Initiation - 10 JAN 1990 - Pacific Ocean | ||
DEC | 1990 | - | JUL | 1991 | Desert Shield / Storm |
DEC | 1990 | - | JUL | 1991 | Desert Shield |
MAY | 1991 | - | JUL | 1991 | Operation Sea Angel - humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh |
MAY | 1992 | - | NOV | 1992 | West Pac |
MAY | 1992 | - | NOV | 1992 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
MAY | 1992 | - | NOV | 1992 | West Pac-Indian Ocean |
AUG | 1992 | - | DEC | 1992 | Somalia |
SEP | 1992 | - | Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean | ||
SEP | 1992 | - | Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean | ||
SEP | 1992 | - | Shellback Initiation - 30 SEP 1992 - Indian Ocean | ||
OCT | 1992 | - | Shellback Initiation - 28 OCT 1992 - Pacific Ocean | ||
OCT | 1992 | - | Shellback Initiation - 2 OCT 1992 - Pacific Ocean | ||
APR | 1996 | - | OCT | 1996 | West Pac |
APR | 1996 | - | OCT | 1996 | West Pac |
APR | 1996 | - | OCT | 1996 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
FEB | 1998 | - | AUG | 1998 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
OCT | 1998 | - | MAY | 1999 | Dry Dock |
JAN | 2000 | - | JAN | 2002 | West Pac |
AUG | 2000 | - | FEB | 2001 | West Pac |
AUG | 2000 | - | Shellback Initiation - 30 AUG 2000 - Pacific Ocean | ||
OCT | 2000 | - | OCT | 2000 | Operation Determined Response (Support of USS Cole bombing) |
JAN | 2003 | - | JUL | 2003 | West Pac |
JAN | 2003 | - | AUG | 2003 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
JAN | 2003 | - | AUG | 2003 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
JUL | 2003 | - | Shellback Initiation - 1 JUL 2003 - Pacific Ocean | ||
JUN | 2004 | - | AUG | 2004 | RIMPAC |
JUL | 2005 | - | FEB | 2006 | Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
AUG | 2005 | - | Shellback Initiation - 12 AUG 2005 - Indian Ocean | ||
AUG | 2005 | - | Shellback Initiation - 7 AUG 2005 - Indian Ocean | ||
NOV | 2007 | - | JUN | 2008 | West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf |
MAY | 2008 | - | Shellback Initiation - 21 MAY 2008 - Pacific Ocean | ||
MAR | 2009 | - | MAR | 2009 | Decommisioning |
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]