USS Peleliu (LHA 5) is scheduled to return Dec. 24 to Naval Base San Diego from a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific.
Upon return, the ship will make preparations to decommission 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, its crew, Commander, Amphibious Squadron Three, Special Purpose Marine Task Force Three and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 participated in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 as part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. Upon assignment to 7th Fleet, the ship embarked Commander, Amphibious Force Seventh Fleet, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 11 and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit 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 to include Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) 15 and other maritime cooperation exercises with partner nations.
U.S. Pacific Fleet announced in February that USS Green Bay (LPD 20) will be forward deployed to replace the decommissioned USS Denver (LPD 9) in Japan. Peleliu deployed to the Western Pacific to mitigate the gap in amphibious presence.
The ship visited numerous ports including, Apra Harbor, Guam; Sasebo and Okinawa, Japan; Subic Bay, Philippines and Singapore.
Over the course of deployment, Peleliu transited more than 25,000 nautical miles.
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Press release, Image: US Navy