USS Peleliu Readies for Decomissioning

USS Peleliu (LHA 5) returned to Naval Base San Diego on December 24 from a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and is now being prepared for decommissioning.

The ship will be decommissioned in March after 34 years of service, 17 deployments and more than a million miles transited, and as the last remaining Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship. 

During the ship's deployment Peleliu participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 and joined USS Germantown (LSD 42) to form the Peleliu Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG). While deployed, the ARG conducted security and stability operations and exercises throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. 

"Peleliu and her crew performed superbly throughout the deployment, serving as our flagship for the Amphibious Readiness Group," said Commodore Heidi Agle, commander, Amphibious Squadron Eleven. "I am proud to have served with such outstanding sailors and marines during the ship's final deployment."

Over the course of deployment, Peleliu transited more than 25,000 nautical miles, conducted the safe launch and recovery of more than 50 Landing Craft Utility, 30 Landing Craft Air Cushion, and 25 Amphibious Assault Vehicle ship to shore movements, as well as carrier and deck landing qualifications and operations for U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aircraft squadrons, U.S. Army 160th Airborne and foreign aircraft from Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Argentina.

USS Peleliu is named for the Battle of Peleliu during World War II where 1,256 marines gave their lives to take Peleliu.