USS Tarawa (LHA-1)

"Eagle of the Sea" -

USS Tarawa (LHA-1), the lead ship of her class, is an amphibious assault ship that served in the United States Navy from 1976 to 2009. She is the second ship to be named for the Battle of Tarawa, fought during World War II. Tarawa was decommissioned on 31 March 2009, at San Diego Naval Base.

The USS Tarawa was laid down in November 1971 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding, and it was launched on 1 December 1973. It was sponsored by Audrey B. Cushman, the wife of Robert E. Cushman, Jr., a former Commandant of the Marine Corps, and commissioned on 29 May 1976.

Tarawa was the first of five ships in a new class of general-purpose amphibious assault ships that combined the functions of four different types of ships. She was capable of landing elements of a Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft, helicopters, or both.

After being commissioned, the ship conducted various trials, tests, and training exercises, and underwent a post-shakedown availability at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Tarawa's first Western Pacific deployment came in 1979, where she engaged in experimental launch and recovery operations with Marine close air support AV-8 Harrier jets, rescued South Vietnamese refugees, and made several port visits.

Subsequent deployments took Tarawa to the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and participation in various operations such as Operation Valiant Blitz, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Sea Angel. She also supported humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh, took part in joint exercises with other nations, and enforced no-fly zones over Iraq.

A particularly notable moment occurred in October 2000, when Tarawa assisted with "Operation Determined Response" following the attack on the USS Cole. She also deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and participated in multinational training exercises.

Tarawa redeployed to Bangladesh as part of Cyclone Sidr relief efforts, code-named "Operations Sea Angel II," and received the 2007 Battle Efficiency Award for her efforts. Her last deployment took place from November 2007 to June 2008, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and included visits to several countries and humanitarian aid efforts.

After decommissioning, Tarawa was transferred to the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Pearl Harbor. In July 2014, the "US Naval Amphibious Ship Historical Society," formed by members of Tarawa's original commissioning crew, planned to acquire the ship for a museum on the West Coast.