USS Peleliu (LHA-5)

"Pax Per Potens"

USS Peleliu (LHA-5) is a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy, named for the Battle of Peleliu of World War II. Entering service in 1980, she has been deployed to the Persian Gulf on several occasions, performed an evacuation of U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, operated with the INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce, participated in Pacific Partnership deployments, and provided assistance following the massive floods in Pakistan in 2010. She was decommissioned in San Diego, California on 31 March 2015. She currently rests, out of commission and in reserve, at NAVSEA Inactive Ships On-site Maintenance Office, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, alongside USS Tarawa in the inactive reserve in case of further need.

Design and construction Peleliu was originally going to be named USS Khe Sanh, and then USS Da Nang. Peleliu's keel was laid down in 1976 at the Litton Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding company in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 25 November 1978, sponsored by Peggy Hayward, the wife of the Chief of Naval Operations at that time, Admiral Thomas B. Hayward. Peleliu was commissioned on 3 May 1980.

Operational history

1980s Peleliu immediately steamed southwards and transited the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean. She crossed the Equator for the first time on 27 May 1980, setting a new record for time between an American warship's commissioning and her crossing over into the Southern Hemisphere. Peleliu then steamed to the seaport of Long Beach, California.

Peleliu was one of the 24 U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command ships that rendered assistance after the 17 October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, providing shelter for 300 victims and providing helicopter support.

1990s Peleliu deployed again to the Western Pacific in January 1990, participating in multinational exercises including Exercise Team Spirit with forces from the Republic of Korea, and Exercise Cobra Gold, in Thailand. Peleliu returned home to Naval Station Long Beach in July and later that summer entered the shipyard for an availability period. The U.S. response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 curtailed the shipyard availability and forced Peleliu into an accelerated schedule of pre-deployment training, but she did not deploy for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Peleliu was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping task force from 26 October to 27 November 1999.

2000s Peleliu departed from San Diego in August 2001 with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit on board for a six-month deployment in the Western Pacific. She was in the port of Darwin, Australia during the September 11 attacks. Peleliu was sent to the North Arabian Sea and, on 26 November 2001, took the first U.S. Marines to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Peleliu steamed to support the Pacific Partnership mission from 23 May through 20 September 2007. This mission included medical, dental, construction, and other humanitarian assistance programs on shore and afloat in the Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Marshall Islands.

In 2008, Peleliu was sent to the Indian Ocean to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and antipiracy operations.

2010s In August 2010, Peleliu was sent to Port of Karachi, Pakistan, to use 19 of her helicopters for rescue during the massive floods in southern Pakistan, which were the worst in the recorded history of Pakistan up to that point.

From June to August 2014, Peleliu, with Amphibious Squadron Three, Special Purpose Marine Task Force Three, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 embarked, participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 as part of the Third Fleet.

Decommissioning Peleliu returned to Naval Base San Diego on 24 December 2014 from her final six-month deployment to the Western Pacific. Upon return, the ship made preparations to decommission in March 2015 after 34 years of service, 17 deployments, and more than 1.6 million kilometres (990,000 miles) transited.

Peleliu was decommissioned on 31 March 2015 in San Diego. Following her decommissioning, the 820 ft-long vessel was moved to Pearl Harbor to join the reserve fleet. USS Peleliu was placed in an inactive reserve status and moored alongside her sister ship Tarawa.