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USS Nassau (LHA-4)
Encyclopedia
USS Nassau (LHA-4) was a Tarawa-class
amphibious assault ship
. She was capable of transporting more than 3,000 US United States Navy
and United States Marine Corps
personnel. Ingalls Shipbuilding
in Pascagoula, Mississippi
, laid the ship's keel on August 13, 1973, she was commissioned on July 28, 1979. She was decommissioned on March 31, 2011.
from the well deck
.
She was constructed with more than 20,000 tons of steel, 3,000 tons of aluminum, 400 miles (600 km) of cable and 80 miles (130 km) of pipe. She has a 900 horsepower (671 kW) bow thruster for lateral movement at low speeds that can move the bow with 20,000 pounds of force (90 kN)—equivalent to half the pulling power of a diesel railroad locomotive. She has been fitted with a 300-bed hospital, four medical and three dental operating rooms. Her cargo areas are capable of holding tanks, trucks, artillery and large warfare supply needs.
In support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Nassau deployed to the Middle East for over eight months on only eight days' notice. On leaving the United States, the Nassau became the flagship for Commander, Amphibious Task Force and the 4th MEB's Commanding General. In the last week of the war, she was employed as a "Harrier Carrier", tasked with operating primarily as a STOVL attack carrier for Marine AV-8B Harrier II
fighters.
Nassau participated in several more operations throughout the 1990s, including Operations Support Democracy, Deny Flight, Allied Force and Noble Anvil
. These operations were in support of US foreign policy objectives; she also participated in numerous Navy and joint exercises that took her to numerous locations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adriatic regions, including Haiti, Spain, Morocco, Italy, France, Greece, Israel, Albania, Zaire and Kosovo.
Nassau was the recipient of the 2007 Battle Effectiveness "E" award which is presented annually to ships that demonstrate the highest state of combat readiness in their group and their ability to execute their wartime tasks.
She deployed in February 2008 as the flagship of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group in support of Maritime Security Operations and Theater Security Cooperation efforts in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.
In addition to her primary role as a Marine transport, Nassau has served as a flagship; a logistics hub for incoming and outgoing mail, cargo and other supplies; combat search and rescue and the tactical recovery and rescue of downed aircraft and personnel.
In August 2008, she had returned from deployment and was undergoing maintenance. At 4:30 PM Central Time on Thursday September 18, 2008, KHOU News 11 in Houston, Texas announced that Nassau was coming to the aid of Galveston Island, following the landfall of Hurricane Ike
. Nassau anchored 7 miles (11.3 km) offshore and troops deployed to the island with heavy machinery to aid with the clean-up of the devastation caused by the hurricane.
In January 2010, Nassau left her Virginia port carrying the 24th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) on a routine deployment of approximately eight months. The 24th MEU, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, consists of a ground combat element, a battalion landing team, an aviation combat element, a logistics combat element and a command element. The Nassau, accompanied by the and the , comprises the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which supports maritime security operations and more in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas. The 5th Fleet covers the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean; the 6th Fleet encompasses the Mediterranean Sea.
Nassau was diverted to Haiti on January 21, 2010, to assist with the international humanitarian aid effort following the earthquake.
Nassau was decommissioned in Norfolk, Virginia (USA) on March 31, 2011.
She is currently residing in Beaumont, TX, with the MARAD NDRF ships.
Tarawa class amphibious assault ship
The Tarawa class is a ship class of amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy . Five ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding between 1971 and 1980; another four ships were planned, but later cancelled...
amphibious assault ship
Amphibious assault ship
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault...
. She was capable of transporting more than 3,000 US United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
personnel. Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ingalls Shipbuilding
Ingalls Shipbuilding is a shipyard located in Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, originally established in 1938, and is now part of Huntington Ingalls Industries...
in Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
, laid the ship's keel on August 13, 1973, she was commissioned on July 28, 1979. She was decommissioned on March 31, 2011.
Technical Data
She has 1,400 compartments, nine elevators and two horizontal conveyors. She also has two boilers — the largest ever manufactured for the United States Navy. They can generate a total of 400 tons of steam per hour and develop 140,000 horsepower or 104 megawatts (MW). Nassaus electrical power subsystem creates 14 MW to provide electrical power for the ship. She has air conditioning equipment rated at a total of 1500 tons (5.3 MW) and can ballast 12,000 tons of seawater for trimming the ship to receive and discharge landing craftLanding craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
from the well deck
Well deck
A well deck or well dock is a hangar-like deck located at the waterline in the stern of some amphibious warfare ships. By taking on water the ship can lower its stern, flooding the well deck and allowing boats and amphibious landing craft to dock within the ship. This facilitates moving cargo...
.
She was constructed with more than 20,000 tons of steel, 3,000 tons of aluminum, 400 miles (600 km) of cable and 80 miles (130 km) of pipe. She has a 900 horsepower (671 kW) bow thruster for lateral movement at low speeds that can move the bow with 20,000 pounds of force (90 kN)—equivalent to half the pulling power of a diesel railroad locomotive. She has been fitted with a 300-bed hospital, four medical and three dental operating rooms. Her cargo areas are capable of holding tanks, trucks, artillery and large warfare supply needs.
Operational history
Nassau was deployed to Beirut with the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit in February 1984, less than four months after the Beirut barracks bombing.In support of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Nassau deployed to the Middle East for over eight months on only eight days' notice. On leaving the United States, the Nassau became the flagship for Commander, Amphibious Task Force and the 4th MEB's Commanding General. In the last week of the war, she was employed as a "Harrier Carrier", tasked with operating primarily as a STOVL attack carrier for Marine AV-8B Harrier II
AV-8B Harrier II
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing ground-attack aircraft. An Anglo-American development of the British Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Harrier II is the final member of the Harrier family that started with the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 in...
fighters.
Nassau participated in several more operations throughout the 1990s, including Operations Support Democracy, Deny Flight, Allied Force and Noble Anvil
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
. These operations were in support of US foreign policy objectives; she also participated in numerous Navy and joint exercises that took her to numerous locations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adriatic regions, including Haiti, Spain, Morocco, Italy, France, Greece, Israel, Albania, Zaire and Kosovo.
Nassau was the recipient of the 2007 Battle Effectiveness "E" award which is presented annually to ships that demonstrate the highest state of combat readiness in their group and their ability to execute their wartime tasks.
She deployed in February 2008 as the flagship of the Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group in support of Maritime Security Operations and Theater Security Cooperation efforts in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.
In addition to her primary role as a Marine transport, Nassau has served as a flagship; a logistics hub for incoming and outgoing mail, cargo and other supplies; combat search and rescue and the tactical recovery and rescue of downed aircraft and personnel.
In August 2008, she had returned from deployment and was undergoing maintenance. At 4:30 PM Central Time on Thursday September 18, 2008, KHOU News 11 in Houston, Texas announced that Nassau was coming to the aid of Galveston Island, following the landfall of Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
. Nassau anchored 7 miles (11.3 km) offshore and troops deployed to the island with heavy machinery to aid with the clean-up of the devastation caused by the hurricane.
In January 2010, Nassau left her Virginia port carrying the 24th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) on a routine deployment of approximately eight months. The 24th MEU, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, consists of a ground combat element, a battalion landing team, an aviation combat element, a logistics combat element and a command element. The Nassau, accompanied by the and the , comprises the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which supports maritime security operations and more in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas. The 5th Fleet covers the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean; the 6th Fleet encompasses the Mediterranean Sea.
Nassau was diverted to Haiti on January 21, 2010, to assist with the international humanitarian aid effort following the earthquake.
Nassau was decommissioned in Norfolk, Virginia (USA) on March 31, 2011.
She is currently residing in Beaumont, TX, with the MARAD NDRF ships.
External links
- nassau.navy.mil USS Nassau official website
- USS Nassau Crewmembers Association website
- USS Nassau (LHA-4) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command