USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3)

"Devil Dog" -

USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), part of the Tarawa class, was named after the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood and nicknamed "Devil Dog." The ship was laid down in 1973 and launched in 1977, serving as an amphibious assault vessel, combining functions of various traditional amphibious ships.

Operational history for Belleau Wood began in 1979, with her first full-scale operation off Hawaii, followed by an engine overhaul. Deployments in the 1980s included multiple exercises and port visits, rescuing Vietnamese refugees, and surviving significant storms in the Bering Sea. The ship underwent various overhauls and updates in the '80s, including the addition of the AV-8B Harrier "jump jet."

A horrific murder of a crew member occurred in 1992, which became a driving force behind the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Belleau Wood participated in multiple joint exercises and disaster relief efforts, including Hurricane Iniki, and peacekeeping in East Timor in 1999.

A large crew swap occurred in 2000 with USS Essex, and maintenance upgrades continued into the early 2000s. Deployments supported Operation Enduring Freedom, and the ship served as a backdrop for the film "Antwone Fisher."

In November 2003, Brigadier General Joseph V. Medina became the first Marine Corps officer to command a naval flotilla, using Belleau Wood as his flagship. After serving in the Persian Gulf, the ship was decommissioned in 2005 and sunk as a target in 2006 during the RIMPAC '06 exercises.

The name "Belleau Wood" commemorates the battle where U.S. Marines fought intensely against German forces and earned the nickname "Devil Dogs." This moniker became the ship's mascot and one of the nicknames for U.S. Marines.