USS Nassau (LHA 4) is named for the Battle of Nassau, the Navy/Marine Corps team's first-ever amphibious landing.
Capt. Esek Hopkins of Rhode Island rallied a task force of four ships near the Bahamas on March 1, 1776. The next day Hopkins sent a raiding party of 230 Marines and 50 Sailors ashore under the command of Capt. Samuel Nicholas, the Continental Marines' first commissioned officer.
On March 3 the Marines captured Nassau without a fight and seized a sizable store of cannon, mortars and munitions. The battle marked the first time American Sailors and Marines responded to the command "Land the landing force."
The Legacy
Two U.S. Navy ships have borne the name Nassau. The first was the World War II escort carrier USS Nassau (CVE 16). Laid down 27 November 1941 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Tacoma, Wash., the ship was one of the ten Bogue class escort carriers that served in the U.S. Navy.
Serving with distinction in the Pacific Theater of Operations, the ship was tasked primarily with transporting new and disabled aircraft between Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and U.S. bases in the South Pacific.
The ship played a critical role during the Aleutian Island Campaign in May 1943 conducting flight operations and providing air cover for the occupation of Attu Island. USS Nassau (CVE 16) received five battle stars for service, represented in today's Nassau logo by the five stars seen in the crimson banner.
Today's Nassau
The modern day USS NASSAU is the Navy's fourth Tarawa Class multi-purpose amphibious assault ship. Commissioned in 1979, the ship has been an example of excellence and dedication for more than 25 years.
Nassau's mission is to embark, deply and land a Marine landing force by helicopter, attack aircraft or amphibious vehicle. The ship can operate alone or in conjunction with other units, and is designed to deliver a balanced force to the same point at the same time.
Through the 1980s, 1990s and into the 21st Century, Nassau has continually proven adept at responding rapidly to every call and order.
The ship deployed to the Middle East for more than eight months in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm on only eight days notice. President George H. W. Bush visited the ship during the deployment and shared Thanksgiving dinner with the crew, joined by First Lady Barbara Bush, General Norman Schwarzkopf and several influential members of Congress.
Nassau participated in several more operations supporting U.S. foreign policy objectives during the 1990s, including Operations Support Democracy, Deny Flight, Allied Force, and Noble Anvil. The ship's capabilites as a multi-purpose platform can meet the needs of virtually any mission assigned. Nassau has performed missions in numerous locations around the world, including as the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, and the Arabian Gulf.
The ship has served as a flagship, 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.
Nassau was at Metro Machine in Norfolk, Va., undergoing maintenance the morning of September 11, 2001. Capt. Russell Tjepkema, Nassau Commanding Officer at the time and a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, requested a New York Fire Department flag to fly on station during Operation Iraqi Freedom in honor of the firefighters who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center. The department responded to the request by sending the flag, a firefighter's helmet, the patch of a fallen fireman, and other items. Those items are now on display in a place of honor aboard the ship.
Most recently, in 2008 Nassau deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf in support of maritime security operations.