USS Nassau (LHA-4)

"Prima Ad Mare" -

The USS Nassau (LHA-4), a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship, was capable of transporting over 3,000 personnel. Laid down in Mississippi in 1973, it was commissioned in 1979 and decommissioned in 2011. The ship had 1,400 compartments and large boilers that could generate 400 tons of steam per hour. The electrical subsystem provided 14 MW of power. The ship also featured air conditioning, a 900-horsepower bow thruster, a 300-bed hospital, and spacious cargo areas.

Nassau was commissioned in Mississippi and soon deployed to reinforce Guantanamo, earning a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 1981, Nassau was deployed to the Mediterranean and operated as a Harrier carrier for ten consecutive weeks. Nassau was deployed to Beirut in 1984, shortly after the Beirut barracks bombing. Nassau was deployed to the Middle East for over eight months on short notice and served as a "Harrier Carrier" during the final week of the war.

Nassau participated in multiple operations during the 1990s, supporting US foreign policy in various regions including Haiti, Spain, Morocco, Italy, France, Greece, Israel, Albania, Zaire, and Kosovo. Nassau won the "Battle Effectiveness 'E' award" in 1983 and 2007, recognizing high combat readiness. Nassau served as a flagship in support of Maritime Security Operations in 2008 in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas. Nassau also served various roles including as a logistics hub, search and rescue, and recovery operations.

In 2008, Nassau assisted with the cleanup of devastation caused by Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island. In 2010, Nassau left Virginia with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit for a seven-month routine deployment and assisted with the Haiti earthquake relief effort. Nassau tied the Navy record of 159 consecutive days at sea without a port call and was decommissioned in Virginia in 2011.

After decommissioning, it was moored in Texas. Plans were announced for its use as a humanitarian vessel and a bill was introduced to transfer it to Japan. In April 2021, Nassau arrived in Texas for disposal via recycling.